Zatoichi’s Flashing Sword
Year: 1964
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro
Writer: Minoru Inuzuka, Shozaburo Asai,(based on a short story by Kan Shimozawa)
Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Naoko Kubo, Mayumi Nagisa, Takashi Edajima, Tatsuo Endo, Yutaka Nakamura, Bokuzen Hidari, Ikuko Mori,
Ikehiro returns to the director’s chair for the 7th instalment in the Zatoichi franchise and refuses to rest on his laurels. Despite being one of four Zatoichi films released on 1964, this is every bit as fresh as any offering. Ikehiro’s style is noticeable from the outset, with Zatoichi about to be taken advantage of by a gang, before he quickly kills three flies with his flashing sword. Ikehiro even incorporates a POV fly shot to this sequence that perfectly captures Zatoichi’s character. He obviously knows what the men are up to, but uses his skills to deter them and avoid trouble rather than punish them from the outset.
This time Zatoichi starts off being shot and floating down river. The young would be assassin is actually the son of a generous and kind gang boss who currently holds the land used as a river crossing. Of course, a more unscrupulous boss wishes to take control of the land by any means necessary. Zatoichi, having been cared for by the kind boss’ daughter, Okuni (Kubo), finds himself getting involved in all the affairs that this complex rivalry has to offer. It’s a simple story with a few complications thrown in that work wonders. Having a brother and sister of very different qualities both threaten and heal Zatoichi helps weave the tapestry of hate and kindness that our hero finds himself questioning throughout the film.
Heavy on comedy it may be, but this entry uses each comical moment to elaborate on a serious point. Zatoichi is warned of an upcoming hole in the road by a group of youngsters, but ignores their advice assuming they are trying to trick him. It may be played for laughs, but Zatoichi’s loss of faith is both saddening and important. He’s bought them some candy, but still fails to trust them. At the river crossing he takes one journey and demands his change (quite uncharacteristically), only to return another day and ask for the same carrier to see what his response will be. It’s these little moments that allow Katsu to come alive. We also get a glimpse at Zatoichi’s need to feel normal, as he peeps in on a bathing woman despite his lack of eyesight.
The humorous tone is dropped in the latter part of the film, where violence and darkness seep in in beautifully dynamic ways. This film seems like a huge influence on the works of Park Chan Wook of Oldboy and Sympathy For Mr Vengeance fame, with two sequences being echoed in those pieces of work. Zatoichi leads a group of samurais into the water where he then goes underwater and dispatches them. It’s beautifully shot, with each man fainting into the water, and Zatoichi rising like a mythological seabeast. The finale is very brutal, and drops us into Zatoichi’s dark world. It becomes a horror with Zatoichi as the monster and Ikehiro acts as though he has yet to reveal the menace. A sword through a door, seeing kills represented in shadow, and Zatoichi’s arms creeping out from behind pillars are just a few of the techniques incorporated to take this film from being the funniest to evolving into something actually quite scary.
Will I enjoy it?
At first it is the most accessible Zatoichi film of the bunch. The humour is international and delivered with great timing. This makes sequences between the fights a lot more enjoyable. The action sequences are also very well constructed, and obviously still hold influence over films of today making them seem less dated than other films from the 60s. If you’re unsure of whether or not you wish to view the entire series, check this one out first as it has some of the funniest moments and some of the darkest, making it a balanced representation of the entire franchise.
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