I've seen 23 of the 26 films in the series (not including the Kitano) and this is by far the hardest to watch. It is less about Zatoichi and more about the cruelty and hardship of living in poverty in a fishing village in Edo era Japan. The film dwells very much upon the secondary characters as ends unto themselves and not just as elements in a story setting up a problem which Zatoichi will eventually resolve. Zatoichi acts as you would expect him to but he is overwhelmed by the misery and circumstances in a way that is unique in the series. Watch it by all means, but not with a light heart. I found myself also overwhelmed by the misery depicted in the film. It is unsettling.
17 Reviews
A disturbing dark vision from Katsu
bighouseaz23 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
The old women falling off the bridge. How many times must you see it! It's hard to say that I enjoy this film, but it certainly grabs my attention.
Katsu Shinatro is at the helm of this entry in the Zatoichi series. Katsu directs, and of course, stars in Zatoichi in Desperation. As others have written, there is a lot of suffering in this film. The local boss and his henchmen are cruel in the extreme, even children are not safe in this sea town. The situation seems almost hopeless to the inhabitants, and some choose to take their own lives rather than suffer in the present life.
Zatoichi does not take this path. Zatoichi is a man of firm resolve and an unbending sense of right and wrong. Zatoichi pays a horrible price to free a prostitute. The yakuza come by the next day to finish off the job, but Zatoichi has had enough time to prepare and he is merciless in his revenge.
A Zatoichi fan has to wonder if Katsu's vision for Zatoichi is indicative of a dark heart from the director and star. There are moments in earlier films with a lighter feeling. Zatoichi doesn't laugh often, but when he does the audience is happy and relieved. I wonder if this dark vision was related to personal troubles in Katsu's life. Unfortunately, the only biographies I can find on Katsu Shintaro are Japanese language books. Let's hope that one of the many biographies in Japanese is translated into English.
Katsu Shinatro is at the helm of this entry in the Zatoichi series. Katsu directs, and of course, stars in Zatoichi in Desperation. As others have written, there is a lot of suffering in this film. The local boss and his henchmen are cruel in the extreme, even children are not safe in this sea town. The situation seems almost hopeless to the inhabitants, and some choose to take their own lives rather than suffer in the present life.
Zatoichi does not take this path. Zatoichi is a man of firm resolve and an unbending sense of right and wrong. Zatoichi pays a horrible price to free a prostitute. The yakuza come by the next day to finish off the job, but Zatoichi has had enough time to prepare and he is merciless in his revenge.
A Zatoichi fan has to wonder if Katsu's vision for Zatoichi is indicative of a dark heart from the director and star. There are moments in earlier films with a lighter feeling. Zatoichi doesn't laugh often, but when he does the audience is happy and relieved. I wonder if this dark vision was related to personal troubles in Katsu's life. Unfortunately, the only biographies I can find on Katsu Shintaro are Japanese language books. Let's hope that one of the many biographies in Japanese is translated into English.
Dark and tragic
wandering-star7 January 2007
I am new to the Zatoichi film series; this was the first film in the series I have seen, after buying a couple of seasons of the TV series and enjoying them. If the rest of the series is as good as this one then I can see I am in for a virtual lifetime of great Zatoichi films - when I can find them in video stores!
"Zatoichi in Desperation" is darker and as another reviewer said, more "heavy handed" than the TV episodes I have seen. The characters - the prostitute given a tentative freedom, the fishermen from the village harassed by the local yakuza gang, the 14-year-old girl about to be forced to work in the brothel and her little brother - are memorable and tragic. Their lives become intertwined with Zatoichi's by a twist of fate - an old woman who accidentally falls from a bridge, and Zatoichi's guilt resulting over it.
This intertwining of relationships, Zatoichi's humbleness despite his master swordsmanship, and the great photography is what makes the film (and the Zatoichi series!) special.
"Zatoichi in Desperation" is darker and as another reviewer said, more "heavy handed" than the TV episodes I have seen. The characters - the prostitute given a tentative freedom, the fishermen from the village harassed by the local yakuza gang, the 14-year-old girl about to be forced to work in the brothel and her little brother - are memorable and tragic. Their lives become intertwined with Zatoichi's by a twist of fate - an old woman who accidentally falls from a bridge, and Zatoichi's guilt resulting over it.
This intertwining of relationships, Zatoichi's humbleness despite his master swordsmanship, and the great photography is what makes the film (and the Zatoichi series!) special.
The darkest of the Zatoichi series
gkbazalo23 August 2004
Zatoichi in Desperation is the most somber and darkest Zatoichi film that I have seen in the series, both in terms of photography and plot. It's interesting that Shintaro Katsu, who plays Zatoichi, was the director. He was certainly going for a different look and style and got it. Most of the scenes are darkly lit and there is a claustrophobic feeling to the shots. The bad guys, composed of the local yakuza (gangster) mob, are meaner than usual and the body count of innocent villagers is far higher than usual. Zatoichi himself also suffers more at the hands of the evil doers than usual. This was the next to last entry (#24) in the series before the 17 year hiatus between #25 and 26. Things get back into the more typical Zatoichi style in #25. This film would have been appropriate as the last in the series. It has the feeling of "an ending". A very interesting entry, but not one of my favorites. As always, recommended for Zatoichi fans.
Beautiful but sad entry in the saga
alucinecinefago15 May 2020
The following review is an extract from the book "Shintaro Katsu´s Zatoichi: Complete guide to all movies", which is now available on Amazon.
Zatoichi crosses a bridge with a woman who plays the shamisen. The old woman warns him to be careful, for the wood of the bridge has holes, and it is easy to fall if one does not pay attention. The two talk briefly, and the lady asks the blind man where he is going. "Nowhere in particular, wherever the wind takes me", replies the wandering masseur. The old woman replies that she intends to visit her daughter, who works in a geisha house called Ogiya in a nearby town. Moments after they have said goodbye, the blind man has the idea of offering some coins to the old woman, as a tip for playing the shamisen so well... The grateful woman is about to take the coins, but distracted by the surprising gift, slips, loses her balance and falls into the void... She, who had recommended to the blind man to be very careful.
Zatoichi feels guilty for the deadly accident of the poor woman. Unlike its owner, the instrument has remained on the bridge and the masseur picks it up. With the shamisen he walks towards the city of which the deceased spoke to him, to look for his daughter, the geisha, in Ogiya.
(...)
This, the 24th and penultimate, is one of the two films in the saga directed by actor Shintaro Katsu himself, who also acted as co-producer. The other, also directed by Katsu, is the last of the originals (called "Zatoichi" just like that), which was filmed many years later - in 1989 - and where you can see an already grayed and almost old Ichi.
"Zatoichi in desperation", as its title already indicates, is fraught with deep pessimism. Oppressive and dark, sad, depressing and hopeless. Tragically and emotionally brutal.
It also has an undeniable poetic undertone.
Zatoichi crosses a bridge with a woman who plays the shamisen. The old woman warns him to be careful, for the wood of the bridge has holes, and it is easy to fall if one does not pay attention. The two talk briefly, and the lady asks the blind man where he is going. "Nowhere in particular, wherever the wind takes me", replies the wandering masseur. The old woman replies that she intends to visit her daughter, who works in a geisha house called Ogiya in a nearby town. Moments after they have said goodbye, the blind man has the idea of offering some coins to the old woman, as a tip for playing the shamisen so well... The grateful woman is about to take the coins, but distracted by the surprising gift, slips, loses her balance and falls into the void... She, who had recommended to the blind man to be very careful.
Zatoichi feels guilty for the deadly accident of the poor woman. Unlike its owner, the instrument has remained on the bridge and the masseur picks it up. With the shamisen he walks towards the city of which the deceased spoke to him, to look for his daughter, the geisha, in Ogiya.
(...)
This, the 24th and penultimate, is one of the two films in the saga directed by actor Shintaro Katsu himself, who also acted as co-producer. The other, also directed by Katsu, is the last of the originals (called "Zatoichi" just like that), which was filmed many years later - in 1989 - and where you can see an already grayed and almost old Ichi.
"Zatoichi in desperation", as its title already indicates, is fraught with deep pessimism. Oppressive and dark, sad, depressing and hopeless. Tragically and emotionally brutal.
It also has an undeniable poetic undertone.
Boredom by the sea
kluseba25 March 2018
Zatoichi in Desperation is the twenty-fourth entry in the Japanese franchise about the blind masseur, skilled swordsman and lowly yakuza with the strong moral compass. The film is the first to be directed by leading actor Shintaro Katsu. This movie starts in an unusual way as Zatoichi comes across an old woman who plays the shamisen. They cross a dilapidated bridge and have a short conversation. Zatoichi wants to give the old woman some money but she slips and falls to her death. Zatoichi feels responsible for the terrible accident and decides to visit the old woman's daughter who turns out to be a manipulative prostitute. The blind yakuza still wants to help and buy her freedom. In order to get the fifty ryo to buy her freedom, he goes to a gambling house where he gets in conflict with the local boss and his mob. The criminals are aware of Zatoichi's identity which is also the case for a wandering swordsman and a group of thugs who all want to earn the bounty on his head. In his search for forgiveness, the blind masseur soon has to fight off yakuza, swordsmen and criminals and has to deal with a prostitute whom he cannot trust.
There are a few interesting elements about this movie. First of all, the movie features some psychedelic flashbacks, supported with funky music that make the influence of the seventies' cultural trends quite obvious. Secondly, the locations are quite intriguing as the story takes place in a small town by the sea and shows the rough everyday life of exploited fishermen. Thirdly, Zatoichi gets severely injured in this movie and has to use a new technique to fight off his numerous enemies in a stunning fight sequence in the sandy town.
Despite these fresh elements, the film also has considerable downsides. The characters are neither fleshed out nor sympathetic which leads to the problem that one only cares about Zatoichi's fate. The plot starts interestingly but slows down and wastes a lot of time through a tedious middle section. The final duel between Zatoichi and a swordsman lasts for about ten seconds and looks ridiculous. Several parts of the movie feel rushed and the unusual shaky camera work makes it look like a low quality entry in the franchise.
Overall, Zatoichi in Desperation is among the weaker entries in the franchise. It has a few fresh ideas concerning camera work, score and special effects but the story and characters are too uninteresting to be memorable. I would only recommend this film to fans of old date. Those who aren't familiar with the blind swordsman yet should either start discovering the movies in chronological order or give Takeshi Kitano's version a chance.
There are a few interesting elements about this movie. First of all, the movie features some psychedelic flashbacks, supported with funky music that make the influence of the seventies' cultural trends quite obvious. Secondly, the locations are quite intriguing as the story takes place in a small town by the sea and shows the rough everyday life of exploited fishermen. Thirdly, Zatoichi gets severely injured in this movie and has to use a new technique to fight off his numerous enemies in a stunning fight sequence in the sandy town.
Despite these fresh elements, the film also has considerable downsides. The characters are neither fleshed out nor sympathetic which leads to the problem that one only cares about Zatoichi's fate. The plot starts interestingly but slows down and wastes a lot of time through a tedious middle section. The final duel between Zatoichi and a swordsman lasts for about ten seconds and looks ridiculous. Several parts of the movie feel rushed and the unusual shaky camera work makes it look like a low quality entry in the franchise.
Overall, Zatoichi in Desperation is among the weaker entries in the franchise. It has a few fresh ideas concerning camera work, score and special effects but the story and characters are too uninteresting to be memorable. I would only recommend this film to fans of old date. Those who aren't familiar with the blind swordsman yet should either start discovering the movies in chronological order or give Takeshi Kitano's version a chance.
Zatoichi in Desperation
Tweekums8 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
As this darker than normal 'Zatoichi' film opens our eponymous blind samurai is crossing a rickety bridge. As he does so he meets an old woman who is heading to see her daughter, there is an accident and she falls to her death. Feeling guilty Zatoichi goes in search of the daughter. She is working as a prostitute and can't finish until a bond of fifty ryo is paid. Zatoichi raises the money hustling a group of local gamblers who think it is they who are cheating him. The problems aren't over; the woman's fiancé is part of a group determined to kill Zatoichi for the reward. In the background to all of this Mangoro, the local boss, is forcing the town's fishermen out of business so he can employ them for a pittance while making a fortune from his monopoly of the local market
inevitably he will eventually cross swords with Zatoichi.
This is the darkest of the 'Zatoichi' films that I have seen (not that I've seen that many unfortunately); Mangoro is a particularly unpleasant villain and the theme of forced prostitution is pretty grim especially when the latest person forced into the profession is a fourteen year old girl whose story has a particularly tragic ending; as does that of her younger brother. Inevitably we see Zatoichi win many fights but at one point he is badly injured in a way that leaves the viewer wondering just how he will manage to prevail. As well as being dark in tone the film is perhaps a bit too dark in terms of light levels at times; this makes some of the action a bit hard to make out presumably done to tone down the bloodshed in these scenes. Shintaro Katsu does a fine job both acting in the lead role and as the director of the film. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of Zatoichi in particular and samurai films in general.
This is the darkest of the 'Zatoichi' films that I have seen (not that I've seen that many unfortunately); Mangoro is a particularly unpleasant villain and the theme of forced prostitution is pretty grim especially when the latest person forced into the profession is a fourteen year old girl whose story has a particularly tragic ending; as does that of her younger brother. Inevitably we see Zatoichi win many fights but at one point he is badly injured in a way that leaves the viewer wondering just how he will manage to prevail. As well as being dark in tone the film is perhaps a bit too dark in terms of light levels at times; this makes some of the action a bit hard to make out presumably done to tone down the bloodshed in these scenes. Shintaro Katsu does a fine job both acting in the lead role and as the director of the film. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of Zatoichi in particular and samurai films in general.
Katsu directs the darkest of all Zatoichi films
ChungMo12 January 2007
Katsu Productions was at a high level of output at this time. Katsu was producing the Zatoichi series, the Lone Wolf series, the Hanzo the Razor trilogy, the Mute Samurai television series and the Lone Wolf television series. All within a span of two years. In addition to acting in several of these efforts (of course) he also took the director's chair on several occasions. This man had a lot of energy.
While sometimes actors who take the helm show a lack of concern with the visuals preferring to focus on the performances, Katsu is an exception. The visual style here is unlike any other Zatoichi I've seen and in fact unlike most other chambara films. Everything is shot in deep focus with moody lighting and stark saturated colors. The style is somber and depressing. The next (and last in the series) Zatoichi film is back to the standard look. If you like this film I would suggest looking into Katsu's Oshi Samurai series which continues the atmosphere.
One of the best Zatoichi films but not similar to the others. Recommended but prepare for a somber experience.
While sometimes actors who take the helm show a lack of concern with the visuals preferring to focus on the performances, Katsu is an exception. The visual style here is unlike any other Zatoichi I've seen and in fact unlike most other chambara films. Everything is shot in deep focus with moody lighting and stark saturated colors. The style is somber and depressing. The next (and last in the series) Zatoichi film is back to the standard look. If you like this film I would suggest looking into Katsu's Oshi Samurai series which continues the atmosphere.
One of the best Zatoichi films but not similar to the others. Recommended but prepare for a somber experience.
How far outside is still in?
winner554 July 2005
I have not seen more than five of the classic (and undeniably classy) Zatoichi samurai films, but this is surely the best, cinematographically, so far. It;s hard to believe this was shot in Eastman Color, a kind of poor second to Technicolor (and with far less durability; either the negative was especially preserved, or digital restoration was performed by a true expert; but in any event, this film is absolutely gorgeous to look at.
The story is dark, as others have noted; but the Zatoichi series, like most of the sword-fight genre series films to come out of Japan, is pretty heavy-handed stuff; the Japanese seem to take this sort of thing very seriously. Yet there is no doubt Zatoichi "24" stands out as exceptional, from both the series and its genre. The reason, I think, is its almost total sense of social dislocation; Zatoichi is treated by the other characters as somehow less than human, and his determination to fight at the end somewhat more than human, and so he comes across as something other than human; but the other humans of the film come across as rather poor representatives of the species. I should note that there is very little dialog in this film, particularly at the most dramatic moments, which heightens our sense that we are watching some tragedy from another reality.
The question here is, has director/star Katsu pushed his character to such an extreme that he is no longer representative of his genre, but somehow an independent dramatic entity, a "grade-A film", as might be enjoyed by those who disdain genre-films? well, I suggest this film to such viewers, as the "one chambara (Japanese sword-fight)film to see". But in any event, it is an exceptional, and troubling, cinema experience for anyone.
The story is dark, as others have noted; but the Zatoichi series, like most of the sword-fight genre series films to come out of Japan, is pretty heavy-handed stuff; the Japanese seem to take this sort of thing very seriously. Yet there is no doubt Zatoichi "24" stands out as exceptional, from both the series and its genre. The reason, I think, is its almost total sense of social dislocation; Zatoichi is treated by the other characters as somehow less than human, and his determination to fight at the end somewhat more than human, and so he comes across as something other than human; but the other humans of the film come across as rather poor representatives of the species. I should note that there is very little dialog in this film, particularly at the most dramatic moments, which heightens our sense that we are watching some tragedy from another reality.
The question here is, has director/star Katsu pushed his character to such an extreme that he is no longer representative of his genre, but somehow an independent dramatic entity, a "grade-A film", as might be enjoyed by those who disdain genre-films? well, I suggest this film to such viewers, as the "one chambara (Japanese sword-fight)film to see". But in any event, it is an exceptional, and troubling, cinema experience for anyone.
Grim, compelling departure from the norm...
InjunNose3 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
While some fans might be put off by this entry in the long-running series, I think "Zatoichi in Desperation" is a beautiful piece of work. Here, star/director Shintaro Katsu does with his blind, sword-swinging hero what Raymond Chandler did with his private detective Philip Marlowe in "The Long Goodbye", and that is precisely what some audiences find upsetting. The humor that Katsu fans had come to expect is nowhere to be found in this film, and it is finally revealed that Zatoichi is all too human--just as we saw with Marlowe in Chandler's masterpiece. Terrible things happen to the masseur (and to the other characters) in "Zatoichi in Desperation", but I was fascinated by his vulnerability. In one scene, he overhears a couple having sex in a brothel; as the woman reaches orgasm she cries, "I'm dying, I'm dying!" and Zatoichi mutters to himself, "Dying? Hmph. Just once I'd like to 'die' that way." (This comment foreshadows an event that occurs later in the movie: the blind swordsman is granted a taste of carnal pleasure, but very nearly pays for it with his life.) As always, Zatoichi tries to help, but this time his assistance is unwanted...and the only lesson that he or any of us has learned by the end of the film is that human beings are, for the most part, a pretty awful lot. The fight scenes are exciting and much bloodier than usual but somehow, even after Zatoichi has dispatched the villains, the viewer feels that it's not enough. Nothing, not even the act of vengeance, can erase the evil that has been done. Sound like your kind of film? If you want a predictable actioner that leaves you cheering as the credits roll, probably not. But if you're looking for something more substantial than the typical Zatoichi flick, you'll be entranced by the dark magic that Katsu works here.
Very derivative of the other films and rather nasty...
planktonrules5 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Warning--Unlike previous Zatoichi films, this one is more sexual and violent in nature. Parents should exercise caution before letting their kids see this film.
This 1972 episode of the Zatochi movie series finds Ichi on a bridge with an old woman at the beginning of the movie. They talk a bit and the old lady drops through a broken slat in the bridge. Ichi tries to save her, but she ultimately falls to her death. Being an all-around nice guy, Ichi then goes to the brothel where this woman's daughter worked in order to buy her out of prostitution. Interestingly, this soiled lady doesn't necessarily want to be saved from this life and she and her boyfriend share an amazingly dysfunctional relationship. Ichi probably would have been best served NOT to try to save this one! This element along with the retarded man sex scenes, tons of blood, suicide, the slaughter of a group of innocent fishermen, the beating of a child, and more make this a rather dark and sadistic film. Some reviewers say it is the darkest of the films and this is hard to say. As far as misery goes, there sure is a lot in this film. However, if you are talking about how far Zatoichi has fallen and the misery that personally befalls him, then I think that the last Shintaro Katsu film of the series (ZATOICHI, 1989) is still by far the darkest of the series--making it a truly oppressive film to watch. Either way, there is little lightness or joy in either film.
The gambling scene where the blind dealer "accidentally" dropped one of the dice and hustles the clever gamblers is not new, but has been used in at least two other Zatoichi films. There is also the rather obligatory "slicing the sake bottle in half bit" that has appeared in several previous movies. In addition, the plot device of the cute little kid who throws rocks at people's heads and usurers who force women into prostitution were used in the previous Zatoichi film (ZATOICHI MEETS HIS MATCH--#22). Because of this sense of repetition, the film has to lose a point or two for lacking some originality (as well as points for all the yechiness in the film). It's just too derivative of all the earlier films despite its new heightened sense of gore.
Now there is some originality that I appreciated. In particular, after Ichi's hands are savagely destroyed, he comes up with a very impressive way to overcome yet another disability. The final scenes, as a result, are amazing--something that the final "boss battles" had begun to lack. And, for once, because of all the blood, the film does excel at realism (both for good and for bad).
I love the Zatoichi films, but this is one I don't look forward to seeing again.
This 1972 episode of the Zatochi movie series finds Ichi on a bridge with an old woman at the beginning of the movie. They talk a bit and the old lady drops through a broken slat in the bridge. Ichi tries to save her, but she ultimately falls to her death. Being an all-around nice guy, Ichi then goes to the brothel where this woman's daughter worked in order to buy her out of prostitution. Interestingly, this soiled lady doesn't necessarily want to be saved from this life and she and her boyfriend share an amazingly dysfunctional relationship. Ichi probably would have been best served NOT to try to save this one! This element along with the retarded man sex scenes, tons of blood, suicide, the slaughter of a group of innocent fishermen, the beating of a child, and more make this a rather dark and sadistic film. Some reviewers say it is the darkest of the films and this is hard to say. As far as misery goes, there sure is a lot in this film. However, if you are talking about how far Zatoichi has fallen and the misery that personally befalls him, then I think that the last Shintaro Katsu film of the series (ZATOICHI, 1989) is still by far the darkest of the series--making it a truly oppressive film to watch. Either way, there is little lightness or joy in either film.
The gambling scene where the blind dealer "accidentally" dropped one of the dice and hustles the clever gamblers is not new, but has been used in at least two other Zatoichi films. There is also the rather obligatory "slicing the sake bottle in half bit" that has appeared in several previous movies. In addition, the plot device of the cute little kid who throws rocks at people's heads and usurers who force women into prostitution were used in the previous Zatoichi film (ZATOICHI MEETS HIS MATCH--#22). Because of this sense of repetition, the film has to lose a point or two for lacking some originality (as well as points for all the yechiness in the film). It's just too derivative of all the earlier films despite its new heightened sense of gore.
Now there is some originality that I appreciated. In particular, after Ichi's hands are savagely destroyed, he comes up with a very impressive way to overcome yet another disability. The final scenes, as a result, are amazing--something that the final "boss battles" had begun to lack. And, for once, because of all the blood, the film does excel at realism (both for good and for bad).
I love the Zatoichi films, but this is one I don't look forward to seeing again.
Another entertaining entry in the long running Zatoichi series.
Infofreak26 July 2004
'Zatoichi In Desperation' was the 24th movie in the long running and very popular martial arts series starring Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi the blind master swordsman and masseur. Zatoichi, for those that don't know is a ronin (a wandering samurai), very quiet and unassuming with a wry sense of humour, but an absolute killing machine when crossed! In this episode he encounters an old woman while crossing a bridge, and after a brief conversation with her, she tragically falls to her death. Upset, Zatoichi sets off to a nearby town to look for the woman's daughter Nishikigi to break the news to her. He eventually finds her working as a geisha and learns she only needs to pay a debt of fifty ryo to buy her freedom. Zatoichi becomes obsessed with raising the money and in doing so ignores the hardships experienced by the local fisherman caused by the local evil boss Mangoro. But when Mangoro kidnaps Nishikigi everything comes to a head in a brutal climax, and Zatoichi must save her and his own life. I can't claim to be any kind of Zatoichi expert, but he's a most intriguing character, and Katsu plays the role masterfully. I highly recommend 'Zatoichi In Desperation'.
Ichi has the most at stake
dandyc-735372 January 2020
This is the best one, number 24. Ichi realizes that he is not a hero, is making everyone's lives ultimately more violent and difficult than it would have without his existence. He is physically punished for this and still dispatches 20 dudes without using his hands.
If you don't like mean people, you know, actually effective villains, this one might make your little sensitivities buzz. The moral philosophy Katsu evaluates is artful and considerate. This is a brutal, dark, and ballsy entry.
If you don't like mean people, you know, actually effective villains, this one might make your little sensitivities buzz. The moral philosophy Katsu evaluates is artful and considerate. This is a brutal, dark, and ballsy entry.
The worst of the bunch
ccoombs-131 July 2016
This is the only Zatoichi movie that is bad. The camera-work is absolutely terrible. In an attempt to be flashy or stylish, the end result is something completely unwatchable. Extreme, blurry close ups, inept framing, and sloppy editing make this a visual mess. Added to that is the abuse of children and the mentally handicapped, which serves no purpose to the story. We need not see such things to show that the bad guys are 'bad'. We already know that. It comes across not 'dark', like some suggest, but rather as 'repulsive'.
It is a shame because the other 24 films are all great. Most of them are classically shot, with beautiful, sometimes elegant framing. Fights, usually in long or medium shots, are in long takes so that we see the fantastic choreography. In the few that try to be a little more stylish (like Zatoichi's Flashing Sword), it never gets in the way of the story.
Here, the visual style is rubbed in our face constantly and is distracting.
Avoid at all cost.
It is a shame because the other 24 films are all great. Most of them are classically shot, with beautiful, sometimes elegant framing. Fights, usually in long or medium shots, are in long takes so that we see the fantastic choreography. In the few that try to be a little more stylish (like Zatoichi's Flashing Sword), it never gets in the way of the story.
Here, the visual style is rubbed in our face constantly and is distracting.
Avoid at all cost.
Wish I listened to the other reviews
poopinmysoup5 September 2021
What a dreadful film, I read the previous low star rating reviews and thought it would be best to ignore them, what a mistake! This film is nothing but a bad stain on the entire franchise. The amount of abuse included is so unnecessary and doesn't contribute anything to the story.
The acting is fine for the most part, just such an unusual turn they took for this one, I suggest avoiding it.
The acting is fine for the most part, just such an unusual turn they took for this one, I suggest avoiding it.
An exceptional visual show, an idiotic story
ersbel20 April 2010
It started up well, yet, at a certain point the script turned to a level of imbecility comparable with a big studio US creation. Well, compared with the level of the US Academy this can easily can take an Oscar for best script.
On the other hand this movie achieves something almost unique. The visual style is so unusual (especially for somebody used with the standard blockbuster) that both makes the film unforgettable and hard to watch. In my opinion this is what Mean Streets and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie should have looked like if the tech team involved would have been skilled enough. The gambling scene alone makes Rounders look like a half baked high-school project (which is not far from the truth anyway).
A 6 for cramming so much into this movie. You have a social message, the indolence of the rich (the young watching the fishermen's boats burn), the unromaticised noblemen, etc.
Contact me with Questions, Comments or Suggestions ryitfork @ bitmail.ch
On the other hand this movie achieves something almost unique. The visual style is so unusual (especially for somebody used with the standard blockbuster) that both makes the film unforgettable and hard to watch. In my opinion this is what Mean Streets and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie should have looked like if the tech team involved would have been skilled enough. The gambling scene alone makes Rounders look like a half baked high-school project (which is not far from the truth anyway).
A 6 for cramming so much into this movie. You have a social message, the indolence of the rich (the young watching the fishermen's boats burn), the unromaticised noblemen, etc.
Contact me with Questions, Comments or Suggestions ryitfork @ bitmail.ch
Zatoichi in Desperation (1972)
mevmijaumau31 May 2017
Lead actor Shintaro Katsu sits in the director's chair for the penultimate movie of the original Zatoichi saga. Despite being the 24th in the franchise (you'd expect them to get worse over time), Zatoichi in Desperation is easily one of the best installments of the series.
The story itself is nothing new. Zatoichi tries to help people and gets into trouble with the local thugs. However, this movie is much darker than any other in the original series. Not only does Zatoichi accidentally cause an old woman's death by falling off of the bridge in the intro, but the remainder of the plot is unusually bleak for the series. There's not much humor either, besides one cum shot gag. One interesting thing about this movie (besides the uncharacteristically silent and black intro credits scene) is that Zatoichi doesn't get to be a savior of the situation at one point, leading to unsettling deaths, which is a cool little piece of subversion. There's also more sex than usual, giving the movie a rougher, exploitation vibe that I can't help but like.
The other thing that sticks out about this movie is how pleasing it is to look at. Not only is the setting a melancholic sandy beach town (not really a typical Zatoichi location), but the camera-work is so over the top and brings to mind some of the techniques from the Japanese New Wave. Sudden zoom-ins and outs, out-of-focus shots, free-wheeling shot composition, obstructions in the foreground, wacky color combos, crane shots, floor shots, silhouettes and dynamic editing. It surprisingly doesn't come across as a pretentious overkill that swallows the story; instead, it makes it a lot more interesting to watch than its predecessors just because it's so unlike the rest of them. The soundtrack has also been replaced by funk music, which oddly fits the movie.
Highlight of the film: Zatoichi gets his hands stabbed, so he ties his sword to his hand so he can fight.
The story itself is nothing new. Zatoichi tries to help people and gets into trouble with the local thugs. However, this movie is much darker than any other in the original series. Not only does Zatoichi accidentally cause an old woman's death by falling off of the bridge in the intro, but the remainder of the plot is unusually bleak for the series. There's not much humor either, besides one cum shot gag. One interesting thing about this movie (besides the uncharacteristically silent and black intro credits scene) is that Zatoichi doesn't get to be a savior of the situation at one point, leading to unsettling deaths, which is a cool little piece of subversion. There's also more sex than usual, giving the movie a rougher, exploitation vibe that I can't help but like.
The other thing that sticks out about this movie is how pleasing it is to look at. Not only is the setting a melancholic sandy beach town (not really a typical Zatoichi location), but the camera-work is so over the top and brings to mind some of the techniques from the Japanese New Wave. Sudden zoom-ins and outs, out-of-focus shots, free-wheeling shot composition, obstructions in the foreground, wacky color combos, crane shots, floor shots, silhouettes and dynamic editing. It surprisingly doesn't come across as a pretentious overkill that swallows the story; instead, it makes it a lot more interesting to watch than its predecessors just because it's so unlike the rest of them. The soundtrack has also been replaced by funk music, which oddly fits the movie.
Highlight of the film: Zatoichi gets his hands stabbed, so he ties his sword to his hand so he can fight.
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