BLOOD END is one of the great unknown films from Japan's golden era of the late 1960's. Starring NAKADAI Tatsuya in one of his best roles, this is the story of the Mito Tengu Group who attempted to overthrow the Shogunate at the beginning of the Bakumatsu Period. Their political aspirations led to countless assassinations, as well as senseless killing of innocent people who got in their way. Sentaro (NAKADAI), a farmer who's been severely beaten for his outspoken defiance of the government and the high taxes during a time of famine is befriended by one of the group's leaders, KADA Gentaro (KATO Go) and joins up. This is the masterpiece of director YAMAMOTO Satsuo (who is best known for the first film in the NINJA, BAND OF ASSASSINS series) the erstwhile 'Leftist' director, who used his films to make his political points. Stunning fight choreography, and ultra-violence make this one of the bloodiest films of that era. A powerful film Rare classic!
When a local gambling house kidnaps some peasants because they failed to pay their debts, a rival gambling house pays their debts and sets them free.
A fugitive christian "saint" (female, of course!) and a sadistic drug-addled princess both have their eye on Kyoshiro. The fact that a bunch of ruthless smugglers also want him dead is the least of his problems!
Yoso is truly a lost classic, set in the Nara Era (710-794), from Kinugasa Teinosuke the same writer/director who gave us the recognized classic Gate of Hell (Jigokumon, 1952) & the milestone silent surrealist masterpiece A Page of Madness (Kurutta Ippeji, 1926).
[Period covered: 1582-1594]. As the film opens, the warlod Nobunaga Oda rides to Iga Ayanokuni shrine. He is asked if he thinks he has destroyed all the ninja who opposed him and answers that he suspects that there may be more. A servant brings water and tests it first. The paige dies and we hear gunshots as two ninja flee the scene. His suspicions confirmed, Nobunaga oversees the execution of captured ninja and decides that, in the future, he needs a much crueler method of execution. The daimyo Hideyoshi comes to visit.
Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love.
Film directed by Kenji Misumi.
One of Japanese folklore's most popular characters is brought to life on the silver screen in this terrific version of legendary Demon slaying Peach Boy.
Sahei
Early film directed by Kenji Misumi.
Naganobu
Em 1159, durante uma tentativa de golpe contra a realeza, arma-se um plano para que a família real possa fugir. Uma senhora da corte aproveita a situação e se faz passar de esposa de um Lorde para sair da cidade. Ela conta com a ajuda de um samurai, que a escolta com segurança. Mais tarde, o samurai pede ao Lorde como recompensa a mão desta mulher em casamento. Mas ele descobre que ela já é casada. O samurai não irá desistir e chegará a desafiar o marido de sua amada para que a deixe, o que irá gerar trágicas consequências.
Defeated soldier
No Japão do século 16, os camponeses Genjuro e Tobei vendem as suas panelas de barro para um grupo de soldados numa vila próxima, desafiando a advertência de um sábio local contra a tentativa de lucrar com a guerra. A busca de Genjuro por riquezas e a misteriosa Lady Wakasa, assim como o desejo de Tobei de se tornar um samurai, correm o risco de destruir tanto a si quanto as suas esposas, Miyagi e Ohama.
