Max Riffner
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Beat It
So, finally after all the announcing and working to get my work up and online, I sat down to finally watch my latest NetFlix delivery – Zatoichi, The Blind Swordsman.
Oh.
Oh, hot damn!
The character of Zatoichi is basically Japan’s version of Zorro – there have been many, many movies based off the story. However, unlike the recent Zorro remake, this film was directed by Takeshi Kitano, otherwise known as “Beat” Takeshi (who also played the title character). “Beat” Takeshi is known for his ultra-violent and supercool Yakuza/gangster movies; I’ve heard about his work for years but have never caught any of it. I am now all the more sorry that this was my first “Beat” movie because apparently, I’ve been missing out on some damn fine films.
Zatoichi is as visceral as Kill Bill with its swordplay, as zen as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and as charming as The Quiet Man. It has its roots in good, old-fashioned blood-n-guts samurai movies, but it is the raw emotional impact and the straightforward storytelling of the film that left an impression on me. I never once stopped having a smile on my face from Zatoichi’s bad-ass swordplay to the final “gotcha” scene at the end.
I will reluctantly place Zatoichi back in the mail today for NetFlix to pick up, but it has earned a place in my DVD library.
Has anyone else seen it?
沉默您傻的æ?œæ?¾å?酒饮用的白人! 我们知é?“您å?ªè®¢é˜…了对净flix 为色情!
现在是乘驾您自行车您肥胖人以傻的��!
– ä¸å›½çš„整个国家
Rough translation of the above via Google:
Silences your silly gin drinks with Caucasian! We know you only subscribed to only flix are the pornography!
Now is rides your bicycle you the obese person by the silly haircut!
– China’s entire country
Thank you, Tim Lenon – shouldn’t you be working or something?
And Zatoichi is Japanese, dipshit. :)
Собака американца безмолвиÑ?! Мои китайÑ?кие камрады будут управлÑ?Ñ‚ÑŒ вÑ?еми Ñ?коро включаÑ? вашу Ñ?понÑ?кую порнографию! Ð’Ñ‹ будете вÑ?Ñ? водочка питьÑ? и Ñ?петь пеÑ?ни Ñ‚Ñ?желого металла празднуÑ? Stalin!
Tim “Vladamir” Lenon
HoltmannApr 3, 01:52 PM
I also enjoyed Zatoichi. Abby loved it. If you’re looking for another thoroughly engaging Beat Takeshi film, I recommend Hana-bi (Fireworks).
And, speaking of Asian films, you will love Kung Fu Hustle. See it.
Beat’s Zatoichi is the worse in the lot…
The previous Zatoichi’s (numbering at 26) were far better and had a far more interesting character, so check those out. The action is better, the acting is better, the plots are better. You can get them all in order and I suggest going in order. Seriously, they are ALL good. (The first two have a very different feel than the others, but still kick ass. Just don’t watch Festival of Fire, that seems to be the only bad one, but has some really choice funny and campy scenes.)
Oh, and all the Zatoichi’s were played by Shintaro Katsu (except for the obvious continuation of the series after Katsu’s death.)
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Mar 31, 04:46 AM
I’ve seen a couple of the Zatoichi movies. They vary greatly depending on who’s playing Zatoichi, but they’ve all been pretty enjoyable.
I highly recommend The Twilight Samurai. It’s more story than fighting, but it’s a great movie.