ZATOICHI THE FUGITIVE at Japan Society NY tonight, April 7th

Japan Society NY

presents

Zatoichi the Fugitive © 1966 Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

Zatoichi the Fugitive / Zatoichi Kyojo Tabi

Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka

With Shintaro Katsu, Miwa Takada, and Masayo Banri

Japan, 1963, 86 minutes

35mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, April 7th, 7:00 PM

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

The fourth episode in the immensely popular 25-film action series features iconic blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) going up against a legion of local yakuza henchmen who target him after he defeats them in a wrestling tournament and then kills one of their own in self-defense. To complicate things, a former romantic interest reenters Zatoichi's life and a hot-tempered ronin, to whom she is married, seeks to end it for a reward. Composer Akira Ifukube, most famous for his work on the Godzilla film series, provides a characteristically spare and artful score.

Tickets: $13/$10 seniors & students/$5 Japan Society members

Part of Monthly Classics
Year-round screenings of beloved classics, hidden gems and recent discoveries of Japanese cinema. Only $5 for Japan society members

ZATOICHI THE FUGITIVE coming to Japan Society NY on April 7th

Japan Society NY

presents

Zatoichi the Fugitive © 1966 Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

Zatoichi the Fugitive / Zatoichi Kyojo Tabi

Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka

With Shintaro Katsu, Miwa Takada, and Masayo Banri

Japan, 1963, 86 minutes

35mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, April 7th, 7:00 PM

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

The fourth episode in the immensely popular 25-film action series features iconic blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) going up against a legion of local yakuza henchmen who target him after he defeats them in a wrestling tournament and then kills one of their own in self-defense. To complicate things, a former romantic interest reenters Zatoichi's life and a hot-tempered ronin, to whom she is married, seeks to end it for a reward. Composer Akira Ifukube, most famous for his work on the Godzilla film series, provides a characteristically spare and artful score.

Tickets: $13/$10 seniors & students/$5 Japan Society members

Part of Monthly Classics
Year-round screenings of beloved classics, hidden gems and recent discoveries of Japanese cinema. Only $5 for Japan society members

Commemorating Shintaro Katsu on his 84th Birthday

Shintarô Katsu as Zatoichi

Shintarô Katsu

Born: November 9, 1931 in Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan

Died: June 21, 1997 at age 65 in Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

Today marks the 84th anniversary of the birth of Shintarô Katsu. Born Toshio Okumura, Katsu is one of the most beloved Japanese actors. His filmography as an actor includes well over a hundred films and several TV series. He also has seven credits as a director, twenty as a producer, and five as writer. He was the younger brother (by two years) of actor Tomisaburô Wakayama, who is well known for playing Ogami Itto in the Lone Wolf and Cub series.

Katsu as Hanzo "The Razor"

Katsu is, of course, most well known for his role as Zatoichi, the blind masseur, yakuza and swordsman, in numerous films and several TV shows. Another of his notable roles was as Hanzo 'The Razor' Itami in three films released 1972-1974. This character is an incorruptible and unorthodox magistrate who is prodigiously endowed. He pounds his ample meat and rams it into sacks of uncooked rice to toughen it up, so that he can maintain his rigidity while "interrogating" female suspects.

Back in 2013, The Criterion Collection released the awesome box set Zatoich: The Blind Swordsman. It contains 25 movies on both DVD (seventeen discs) and Blu-ray (nine discs). Supplements are on both a separate eighteenth DVD and on the ninth Blu-ray disc. There is also a slim hardcover book that has an essay by Geoffrey O'Brien, synopses of the films by Chris D., and "The Tale of Zatoichi," the original short story by Kan Shimozawa. To say it's an awesome box set is an understatement.

ACF 2037: Remembering Shintarô Katsu on his birthday

Shintarô Katsu as Zatoichi

Today marks the 82nd anniversary of the birth of Shintarô Katsu. Born Toshio Okumura on  November 29th, 1931 in Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan, Katsu is one of the most beloved Japanese actors. His IMDb credits list him as an actor in 121 films. He also has twenty credits as producer, seven as director, and four as writer. He died on June 21st, 1997 in Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.

He is, of course, most well known for his role as Zatoichi, the blind masseur, yakuza and swordsman, in twenty-five films and several TV shows. Another of his notable roles was as Hanzo 'The Razor' Itami in three films released 1972-1974. This character is an incorruptible and unorthodox magistrate who is prodigiously endowed. He pounds his ample meat and rams it into sacks of uncooked rice to toughen it up, so that he can maintain his rigidity while "interrogating" female suspects.

Katsu as Hanzo "The Razor"

Just a few days ago, The Criterion Collection released the awesome box set Zatoich: The Blind Swordsman. It contains 25 movies on both DVD (seventeen discs) and Blu-ray (nine discs). Supplements are on both a separate eighteenth DVD and on the ninth Blu-ray disc. There is also a slim hardcover book that has an essay by Geoffrey O'Brien, synopses of the films by Chris D., and "The Tale of Zatoichi," the original short story by Kan Shimozawa. To say it's an awesome box set is an understatement.

Barnes and Noble is offering the Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman box set (as well as all other Criterion releases) at 50% off, but only through the end of November. So act immediately if you want to take advantage of this incredible bargain. Otherwise you'll have to wait for the next 50% off offer from Barnes and Noble or from Criterion to enjoy such a great deal.

ACF 567: Final two films in Japan Society Chambara series tomorrow night

The two final movies in Japan Society's Monthly Classics series: THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD: The Chambara Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa will screen tomorrow evening, Friday, May 14th, 2010,

Cinematic cool and masculinity had two faces in the 1960s: actors Shintaro Katsu (1931–97) and Raizo Ichikawa (1931–69). This retrospective pays tribute to these two Japanese film legends, in their most respected, representative and stylish chambara (sword fighting) films.

The series has been curated by Chris D., genre film expert, cult punk rock icon, and author of Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film. And I for one have to say he'd done a fantastic job.

Note that these are separate screenings and there is a separate admission charge for each.

The Lone Stalker (A.K.A. Lone Wolf Isazo)

Directed by Kazui Ikehiro

Japan, 1968, 84 min

Showtime: Friday, May 14, 6:30 PM

The epitome of the matatabi (samurai gambler) movie, The Lone Stalker (A.K.A. Lone Wolf Isazo) ranks as one of Raizo Ichikawa’s most spectacular performances. Employing flashbacks within flashbacks and a brooding romantic style poised somewhere between Budd Boetticher and early Sergio Leone, director Kazuo Ikehiro charts Isazo’s descent from chivalrous naïf to vengeance-obsessed cynical wanderer, giving a definitive chronicle of the loneliness of the long-distance wanderer.

Order tickets here.

The Devil's Temple
Directed by Kenji Misumi

Japan, 1969, 76 min

Showtime: Friday, May 14, 8:30 PM

In this little known Misumi masterpiece, an abandoned temple nestled in the mountains is the scene of a fateful encounter between a Buddhist monk, two women in love with the same man, and a fallen samurai (Shintaro Katsu, at his most ferocious). As destinies collide: it appears that not just the lives of the quartet are at stake, but their very souls. Hell awaits!

Buy tickets here.

Both screenings take place in the intimate, well-raked auditorium at Japan Society, located at 333 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017.

ACF 546: New Tale of Zatoichi at Japan Society, Saturday, April 24th at 5:00 PM

© Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

New Tale of Aztoichi / Shin Zatoichi monogatari
A.K.A. Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 3 - New Tale of Zatoichi

Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka
Japan, 1963, color, 91 min
Showtime: Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at 5:00 PM

Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) returns to his hometown hoping to leave behind his wayward lifestyle., He reunites with his former sensei, whose daughter brazenly proposes marriage to the Z-man. Further complicating matters are a mysterious gang of criminals and a fellow drifter looking for revenge. Life's never easy for our unfortunate blind masseur.

This is the third in the series of Zatoichi films and the first one in color. Katsu is even more outstanding than usual in conveying Zatoichi's emotional reactions, especially the hurt he feels when he's slighted by his master.

New Tale of Zatoichi gets a 3.5 out of 4 star ACF rating; very highly recommended.

For the Japan Society website page for this film, which includes a link to buy tickets online, click here.

This screening of New Tale of Zatoichi is part of the Monthly Classic Series The Double Edged Sword: The Chambara Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa.

New Tale of Zatoichi is available on DVD from Home Vision Entertainment. It also is one of eighteen Zatoichi films that can be streamed from Hulu.com. All of which is fine if you can't make it to this screening. But if you can, Japan Society's presentation is the far better way to go.

ACF 505: Two chambara flicks screening at Japan Society NY today

Just a brief reminder that two more chambara (swordplay) films will be showing at Japan Society today. They are part of The Double-Edged Sword film series that continues through May 14th, 2010.

First up is Zatoichi On the Road: Fighting Journey, starring Shintaro Katso as the blind masseur and master swordsman. This time around Zatoichi is tasked with returning a lovely young woman to her family. I found this to be one of the best films in the series that I've seen so far. The movie is set to begin at 5:00 PM. Info and/or order tickets here.

At 7:00 in the evening, Scar Yasoburo, starring Raizo Ichikawa, will be shown in a separate screening. It's the tale of an actor (Ichikawa) whose face is slashed by a band of yakuza after he is caught with the mistress of the gang's boss. Info and/or order tickets here.

Japan Society is located at 333 East 47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, New York, NY.

ACF 498: Zatoichi On The Road at Japan Society NY on March 20th at 5:00 PM

Zatoichi On The Road: Fighting Journey / Zatoichi kenka-tabi
Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Starring Shintaro Katsu, Reiko Fujiwara, and Shiho Fujimura
Japan, 1963, color, 87 min.

Japan Society's Double-Edged Sword series of chambara films starring Shintaro Katsu and Raizo Ichikawa continues this Saturday afternoon, March 20th, 2010 at 5:00 with this, the fifth, entry in the Zatoichi series.

Also known as Zatoichi and the Scoundrels, this film has the blind masseur fulfilling his promise to a dying man that he will get the young and lovely O-Mitsu back to her family. Unfortunately, her father is wealthy, and rival groups seek to take her from Zatoichi in the expectation of being amply regarded for returning her.

I've now watched a fair number of films in the series. For me this one is among the best. Every film pretty much has the same components: Zatoichi goes somewhere, encounters at least one lovely female, has a run-in with at least one gang, and kills a lot of bad guys. What enabled the series to be so successful, and to still be so wonderful to watch years later, are the variations in the stories and their execution. Zatoichi On The Road does a superb job of getting all the ingredients right; it's a must see.

Zatoichi On The Road, and all other screenings in the Double Edged Sword series, will be at Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues), New York, NY 10017.

For the Japan Society webpage on Zatoichi On The Road, which includes a link to buy tickets online, click here.

Those of you not in New York, or who just can't make it to the screening, are not out of luck. Zatoichi On The Road, like other titles in the series, is available on DVD from Home Vision Entertainment. I do seem to recall reading, however, that HVE's rights to the first six titles in the series have expired, or soon will. So if you want to add the title to your collection, you might want to do so right away.

And here's a heads-up on another film in the Double Edged Sword series:

Scar Yosaburo, starring Raizo Ichikawa, also will be shown on Saturday, at 7:00 PM. Note that this is not a double-feature. There are separate admission charges for each film. I'll have some info about Scar Yosaburo in tomorrow's post.

ACF 454: Zatoichi the Fugitive

Zatoichi the Fugitive / Zatoichi kyojo-tabe

Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka

Japan, 1963, 86 min

Japan Society's chambara (swordplay) film series The Double-Edged Sword: The Chambara Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa continues this Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 7:30 pm with this film, the fourth entry in the long-running series about the blind masseur and gambler. Katsu, who also starred in the shorter Hanzo the Razor series, reprises his role as Zatoichi.

A gang has put a bounty on his head, and Zatoichi finds he must confront not only a slew of yakuza thugs after the bounty, but also a viscious ronin (masterless samurai). Meanwhile Zatoichi must also deal with the unexpected presence of a former love, who's now living with the samurai, and with the complicated love of a sweet girl and the conflicted young heir to the gang.

Zatoichi the Fugitive is another solid entry in the series. 3.5 out of 4 ACF stars (highly recommended).

Japan Society is located at 333 E. 47th Street, between 1st & 2nd avenues, New York, NY 10017.

For more information about the screening or to buy tickets, click here. Be advised that the first film shown in the series, Samurai Vendetta, was sold out. So you may do well to act quickly on this, the second film to be shown.

And for those of you not in New York, or just unable to make the screening (which you should if at all possible), Zatoichi the Fugitive is available on a fine DVD from Home Vision Entertainment (HVE).

ACF 431: Samurai Vendetta lobby cards

In anticipation of tonight's screening of Samurai Vendetta at 7:30 at Japan Society, here are some screen captures of lobby cards that were on my screener DVD.