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Ky-Fi
06-06-2002, 08:47 PM
The Zatoichi films---the Japanese series about the blind masseur/swordsman Zatoichi, are starting to be released on DVD. The first two episodes of the series (which started in the early 60's) are out now. I had never seen these before, but they're pretty cool and I'd definitely recommend them---a different tone, but almost on par with the Kurosawa/Mifune pics. I guess they're planning on 17 DVD releases of this popular series.

Shadow Dragon
06-07-2002, 01:09 AM
And I guess Beethoven couldn't write great sounding music either after he lost his hearing.

Peace.

Ky-Fi
06-07-2002, 05:48 AM
Hey......yeah........a blind man COULDN"T really do that..........

OK, that does it. I'm gonna go through my movie collection, and I'm throwing away all the movies with unrealistic fight scenes!


;)

Ky-Fi
06-07-2002, 01:42 PM
Indeed. Well, to each his own---I thought the first movie was quite cool. For anyone interested, here's a small review of the first of the series:

http://www.dvdjournal.com/quickreviews/z/zatoichi01.q.shtml

Chang Style Novice
06-07-2002, 03:38 PM
I like the Zatoichi flicks.

Breathe slowly, Stumblefist...find your safe place...no-one is going to harm you...

meltdown51
06-12-2002, 05:44 AM
ZOTACHI films are the best. I have about 10 of them on VHS and watch them all the time the fight scenes are great. And to just let you know that the Zotachi series was Bruce Lee's favorite shows to watch. Check out the American version - Blind Fury, staring Rutger Hauer released in 1990 by Tri-Star Pictures


Joe

Chang Style Novice
06-12-2002, 12:20 PM
stumblefist, you are obviously delusional. You've named some good movies, and they are indeed good stuff. But not one of them is real. 0.00% real. 100% fiction. Entirely imaginary. False. A fantasy. Fictional.

NOT REAL!

Just like Zatoichi.

Now take your lithium and see a shrink.

FWIW, Yojimbo and Sanjuro are both comedies, with Mifune spoofing his own image.

Leonidas
06-12-2002, 01:17 PM
Zatoichi is my favorite MA series of all time. I've only seen about 3 of them total and i'm already a huge fan. Shintaro Katsu is a great actor and my only problem with the series is the annoying voices that they choose for the dubbing of the many Japanese children that appear in the show. What more could you ask for? Great acting, sword fighting and good story lines which is quite a feat especially back in the 60's.

Ky-Fi
06-12-2002, 02:21 PM
I can't comment on the whole series, but as for the first Zatoichi movie---I've watched it 3 times since I got it and I think it's brilliant. The final shot of Zatoichi in the foreground taking the long way through the woods, while in the distant background we see the tiny figure of the lonely woman on the road waiting for him---awesome filmmaking.

As far as Kurosawa, I know most critics list Seven Samurai and Yojimbo as among the best, but I think The Hidden Fortress might be my favorite---just an incredibly fun movie.

Gangsterfist
02-18-2004, 06:57 PM
If any of you have seen any of the original Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman you know how sweet those movies are. Apparently they are making a new one. I haven't found much on it, but here is a link to the trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/zatoichi.html

If you have not seen the originals I suggest you go right out to suncoast and buy them (or at least rent them), because they are badass movies.

Mr Punch
02-19-2004, 09:58 PM
It's made.

It was out over here last year.

Haven't seen it yet, might rent it tonight!:p

Gangsterfist
02-19-2004, 10:03 PM
****, can you buy it on dvd in japan then?

I really want to see it. I highly recomend the originals.

jbmmaster
02-21-2004, 04:43 AM
On saturday on the IFC (Independant film channel) They have all the old samurai movies on and zatoichi is one of them. I would recommend watching zatoichi he's awesome :cool:

Gangsterfist
02-21-2004, 02:06 PM
Yeah thats where I saw them all on IFC samurai saturdays.

I want to see the new one though

[Censored]
03-04-2004, 05:36 PM
Can you give the name of (or even better, a link to) the new one, in either English or Japanese?

Gangsterfist
03-05-2004, 12:54 AM
Here is a link that shows what they are:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-5940386-9051107

[Censored]
03-05-2004, 01:24 PM
That link doesn't work. Try clearing your cookies...

Looks like the new DVD is set for release on March 11.
http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1002991839/pname-Zatoichi/code-j/version-all/section-videos/did-160/

Gangsterfist
03-05-2004, 01:37 PM
Thats it, but its region 2 so I would have to rip it and burn it as a region 0 or region 1.

There are 12 (possibly more) original movies and I think at least 50 episodes of a TV series of Zatoichi. Its all very very cool.

Mr Punch
03-22-2004, 09:15 PM
Well, it turns out I couldn't rent it cos it was always out... all of them...! They like it over here it seems!!

Saw it last night.

Three words: Sugeeh!


He's a bit too invincible, but otherwise, it roxors!

Ben Gash
03-23-2004, 09:08 AM
I read a review of it this morning (it's out here at the end of the week). I'll be really interested to see how Takeshi Kitano does a samurai movie.

GeneChing
03-23-2004, 11:35 AM
He did the Musashi series, which isn't bad at all for a samurai soap. I've watched a few episodes. Could use more fighting tho, but that's always my criticism. ;)

Mr Punch
03-23-2004, 08:39 PM
Originally posted by Ben Gash
I read a review of it this morning (it's out here at the end of the week). I'll be really interested to see how Takeshi Kitano does a samurai movie. Sweet, might go and watch it at the flicks when I get back next month then!

Mr Punch
03-24-2004, 06:27 AM
And Gene, this has plenty of rather splendid choreography... plus great build up; the timing to it reminds me very much of Yojimbo or its counterparts from Leone... and on top of that it has some fine light entertainment in the background, but I won't give any spoilers away. The English titles were unusually good, but as usual there was a bit lost in translation if you get the Japanese.

GeneChing
03-25-2004, 11:19 AM
I loved the original series, so I really hope this redux is up to par.

Odin of Wei
03-31-2004, 03:23 PM
Originally posted by GeneChing
I loved the original series, so I really hope this redux is up to par.
I found that in one movie he was super good.

In another he killed everyone in "sight".

I liked it when he was running though the woods and he had a little baby with him. And they just kept coming at him in the woods (theres so many it's hard to remember just one).

Gangsterfist
03-31-2004, 03:27 PM
The thing is Zatoichi is suppose to be a bad @ss. He is suppose to kill tons of people, that is his character. Its not that realisitic but it makes a good movie. If movies were realistic they would be boring.

Have you seen Ong Bak? A lot of those moves in that movie are fight enders. I can't imagine anyone taking a flying elbow to the skull and get back up. It makes a cool movie though.

Odin of Wei
04-01-2004, 07:18 AM
Originally posted by Gangsterfist
The thing is Zatoichi is suppose to be a bad @ss. He is suppose to kill tons of people, that is his character. Its not that realisitic but it makes a good movie. If movies were realistic they would be boring.

Have you seen Ong Bak? A lot of those moves in that movie are fight enders. I can't imagine anyone taking a flying elbow to the skull and get back up. It makes a cool movie though.
Thus you shouldn't use movies to teach yourself martial arts. :D

Nick Forrer
04-03-2004, 09:42 AM
For anyone who isn't familiar with 'Beat' Takeshi

The man is a true auteur and is (rightly) lionised in Japan, following in the tradition of other great Japanese directors like Ozu and Kurosawa. I would recommend any of his films (in which he always stars as a clint eastwood esque 'man with no name' type with a propensity for dishing out extreme helpings of violence) but particularly

'Sonatine'
The truly brilliant 'Hana bi'
and 'Violent cop'

Regards

Mr Punch
04-04-2004, 08:57 AM
He's OK.

He stands out because he's not as insipid as the vast majority of Japanese movie makers with their syrupy sentimental crap. He's not so much lionized as a typically idolized 'talent': over here over-exposure is a common phenomenon and does not equate to lionization... but mainly he's an unavoidable pain in the arse; every time I turn on the TV in the evening he is on one of the channels. This is not an exagerration! And most the time he's merely a typical obnoxious oyaji *******. And furthermore, a most Japanese people I've spoken to about him (which is a lot!) can't stand him.

He's been typecast in some appalling crap too, such as Battle Royale.

Fpr people who like that seamy, violent side of Japanese movie lore, try Sabu's Monday. It's a bit different.

But overall, I like his movies, even if he ****es me off rather.

Sonatine is poetic.
Jiro no Natsu is not so typical, and poetic in a different way.
And Zatoichi is a change in pace also, but very enjoyable.

My gripe about it wasn't that he was invincible, just that even with Yojimbo, The Good The Bad and the Ugly, Fistful of Dollars, Payback (and Pointblank), Conan, The Gladiator, even Superman, Batman, Spiderman et al, you know they're gonna prevail, but they at least have one weakness, one point where you can almost convince yourself they're going to lose, and sometimes where they get injured or beaten up... with Zatoichi, even being blind is no weakness!!! Just tripping over, or putting his clothes on inside-out... some foible would have been nice!

Anyway, it's still good.

Ben Gash
04-07-2004, 04:38 AM
Mat, I thought Battle Royale was excellent, remeniscent of the best comic strips and classic sci fi short stories.

Odin of Wei
04-07-2004, 05:10 PM
Originally posted by Ben Gash
Mat, I thought Battle Royale was excellent, remeniscent of the best comic strips and classic sci fi short stories.
Yes, I heard alot good things about that movie.
I seen only the beginning of it, but it seems good.

And I see Brother, that was really good.

And I seen Kikurijro...I highly recomend that one, it touched my heart and made me cry. :D /:(

Only odd thing I noticed about the guy is that...he walks a bit werid. Like he just got off a horse.:eek:

Mr Punch
04-08-2004, 07:26 AM
I thought it was gash...

No offence!

:D ;)

The script was straight out of the most boring, trite teenage romance manga beloved of 36 year-old OLs (Office Ladies) with fetishes for Kitty-chan knickers who never made it out of high-school hell. YMOV!

It may have looked cooler over there, but if you actually understood what the hell they were talking about you would recognize it ain't no Lord of the Flies, and it ain't no Heart of Darkness either! It had its cool bits, but not many.

Beat walks funny cos he was half paralysed in a drunk motorbike accident.

Odin of Wei
04-08-2004, 09:22 PM
Originally posted by Mat
I thought it was gash...

No offence!

:D ;)

The script was straight out of the most boring, trite teenage romance manga beloved of 36 year-old OLs (Office Ladies) with fetishes for Kitty-chan knickers who never made it out of high-school hell. YMOV!

It may have looked cooler over there, but if you actually understood what the hell they were talking about you would recognize it ain't no Lord of the Flies, and it ain't no Heart of Darkness either! It had its cool bits, but not many.

Beat walks funny cos he was half paralysed in a drunk motorbike accident.
Oy?....

What movie are you talking about there? Kikurjro? Office Ladies?...noooo! :eek:

Seems like you know some japanese flicks, do you reconize my avatar, it's from my most favorite movie. :cool:

Mr Punch
04-09-2004, 07:46 AM
Nah, not Kikujiro no Natsu, back to Battle Royale.

I know a few Japanese movies, being as I live here with me Japanese gf, get by in the lingo, and know a movie fashion designer and a Japanese actor in two movies out this summer. But actually, not that many, and I don't recognize your avatar! :eek:

Odin of Wei
04-09-2004, 07:11 PM
Originally posted by Mat
Nah, not Kikujiro no Natsu, back to Battle Royale.

I know a few Japanese movies, being as I live here with me Japanese gf, get by in the lingo, and know a movie fashion designer and a Japanese actor in two movies out this summer. But actually, not that many, and I don't recognize your avatar! :eek:
Dead or Alive.

The best movie EVER! :cool:

The most random ending in it that I have ever seen.:D

norther practitioner
04-09-2004, 08:14 PM
lol

true dat.

Gangsterfist
04-09-2004, 08:27 PM
Originally posted by Odin of Wei

Dead or Alive.

The best movie EVER! :cool:

The most random ending in it that I have ever seen.:D

They made a sequel to DOA and its hiliarious. At the end they form like voltron.

Odin of Wei
04-10-2004, 03:23 PM
Originally posted by Gangsterfist


They made a sequel to DOA and its hiliarious. At the end they form like voltron.
There was three sequels...and your talking about DOA Final (the 3rd and...obviously final one).

I happened to see all 3 and own the first DOA on DVD.

I have very different opinions on all three. You know what I think about the 1st movie.

But I found the second DOA: Birds, to be a bit boring and a bit drawn out. Miike (the director) tried to have this movie more of a comdey but didn't really work...some parts it did...SOME parts...and you can see how hard he tried at it. :rolleyes:

The 3rd had some sweet action in it. Some may think he over used the CGI too much but it looks really good, ok story too. But the ending just ruined the whole movie. When they did turn into a robot it was really gay....literally. :(

I was very mad with the other two...but the actor in my avatar is my favorite actor...he's just got that angry mug look in the whole movie...never seen Stallone or Mr. Governer of Cail. look that cool. :cool:

But Miike REALLY ****ed me off with Fudoh...don't get me started. :p

Mr Punch
04-10-2004, 07:59 PM
I'll look out for that. Cheers.

SanSoo Student
04-11-2004, 09:43 PM
Visitor Q has to be the worse, when I saw that...just blew my mind away.

Ben Gash
04-13-2004, 09:14 PM
Saw The Returner this week. Seriously cool, and I was really impressed with the production values.

Nick Forrer
04-14-2004, 03:47 AM
Saw Zaitochi last night

Fuc-king brilliant- funny, moving, stylish, violent everything you expect from a Beat film.

Moral of the story? never try and cheat a blind man in a game of dice.

One gripe- some of the cgi was a bit blatant- so it only gets 9/10

Mr Punch
04-15-2004, 08:58 AM
Liked the Returner, dunno why, nothing special... guess I liked the characters... and some of the action is quite fresh.

MasterKiller
04-15-2004, 09:47 AM
The Returner blew. I couldn't even watch the whole thing.

Gangsterfist
04-15-2004, 10:24 AM
Is the new Zatoichi coming out in theatres in the USA?

Anyone know?

Mr Punch
04-16-2004, 12:10 AM
Originally posted by MasterKiller
The Returner blew. Strangely, I kind of agree which is why I said I didn't know why I liked it!!! :D

doug maverick
04-17-2004, 09:32 AM
Miramax invited the cast from my play(White Eyebrow and the Destruction of Shaolin for those that don't know) to a private screening to get our martial arts opinion on it, i won't give any spoilers, but i will say this: zatoichi will spark the summer action flicks and most if not all action films in 2004 will be jugded by it at least those with martial arts in them(even hero is not exempt)

Odin of Wei
05-02-2004, 08:27 AM
Originally posted by doug maverick
Miramax invited the cast from my play(White Eyebrow and the Destruction of Shaolin for those that don't know) to a private screening to get our martial arts opinion on it, i won't give any spoilers, but i will say this: zatoichi will spark the summer action flicks and most if not all action films in 2004 will be jugded by it at least those with martial arts in them(even hero is not exempt)
I just checked your Profile. Seems we have the same intrests. Flimmaking and such....and of course Gung fu. :D
How you doing? The name's Aaron. :cool:



Originally posted by Gangsterfist
Is the new Zatoichi coming out in theatres in the USA?

Anyone know?
It's out on DVD...I seen it around at like FYE (an entertanment store).

But I think we must learn from what happened with Hero and Shaolin soccer.
There were many rumors that there will be showing in theatres only to see that after more than a year later, zero results. :(

History does repeat itself. :cool:

doug maverick
05-04-2004, 08:10 AM
whats up aaron!
yeah i like filmmaking. i just finished a student film called the wrong mind it was based on a short story i wrought. right now i'm doing two things one i'm trying to produce a play i already did called white eyebrow and the destruction of shaolin. the play did very well in it's first production but it had a alot of kinks now i'm working on taking out those kinks to have a truly great play. hopefully it will be on stage but august. my other project is still up in the air as to weather i'll get it or not but it's a chance to direct my first indie so i hope i get it. feel free to e-mail me man if you got any potiential project ideas i'm always willing to work with new people. i'm also i writer so if you have any script ideas but you just don't know how to put them on paper i can help you with that

Odin of Wei
05-04-2004, 01:10 PM
Originally posted by doug maverick
whats up aaron!
yeah i like filmmaking. i just finished a student film called the wrong mind it was based on a short story i wrought. right now i'm doing two things one i'm trying to produce a play i already did called white eyebrow and the destruction of shaolin. the play did very well in it's first production but it had a alot of kinks now i'm working on taking out those kinks to have a truly great play. hopefully it will be on stage but august. my other project is still up in the air as to weather i'll get it or not but it's a chance to direct my first indie so i hope i get it. feel free to e-mail me man if you got any potiential project ideas i'm always willing to work with new people. i'm also i writer so if you have any script ideas but you just don't know how to put them on paper i can help you with that
That's really kickass!
I hope it goes boradway. :D

Yea, I just had an idea for a movie. It sort of has a message where that using anti-bacteral soap is bad. It may sound sort of funny now but if I explain most of the plot to you you'll see how scary it can be.

I heard some where that you really don't want to make a too big of an action flick wiht inde flicks. So I'm trying to get my friend who all he wants to do is battle scenes to more drama.

Any tips at all would be great.

From good stage blood (if you know how the HK actors did it...or whatever) to making things look different than they are.
Anything I could really use.

Thanks alot, man. Hopefully you won't steal my ideas, ha ha ha.

And if not I will concider you as my best rescorce. :cool:

doug maverick
05-07-2004, 09:26 AM
well when it comes to indie's it is hard (and potientialy un-safe)to do gun scenes. The Crow with brandon lee had a 12 million dollar budget and you know what happen there!!! fight scene however can be really good even better then hollywood if it's done right. remmeber every hk film is considered low-budget to hollywood standards. you just need someone who knows how to a)set up good fight scenes and b) someone who knows how to shoot those scenes. fight directing is like surgery not every docter can do it.

Odin of Wei
05-08-2004, 05:20 PM
Originally posted by doug maverick
well when it comes to indie's it is hard (and potientialy un-safe)to do gun scenes. The Crow with brandon lee had a 12 million dollar budget and you know what happen there!!! fight scene however can be really good even better then hollywood if it's done right. remmeber every hk film is considered low-budget to hollywood standards. you just need someone who knows how to a)set up good fight scenes and b) someone who knows how to shoot those scenes. fight directing is like surgery not every docter can do it.
Hmm...I need pratice then.

If you got AIM hit me up. Hot Fury Curry is my sn.

Lice
08-22-2004, 12:51 AM
Since it looks like Zatoichi is hitting the US theatres a bit more right now, I thought I'd just bring this back from the dead.

I'd recommend seeing it, but I'd more strongly recommend joining Netflix and seeing the originals (they about 20 of the originals there). My complaints with the new one.

1) As mentioned, the CGI is a bit obvious in places.. in particular, blood.
2) The platinum blonde hair has got to go.
3) It's not Shintaro Katsu. (They can't really help that though.)
4) They weren't true to Zatoichi's character. In particular, I'm talking about the dice game massacre. Although, that was a familiar scene in the original Zatoichi movies, he never would've attacked like that. He *always* attacked in retaliation.

Still, a good movie. I've had the DVD for a while (can't watch it as much as I want since my main DVD player doesn't like it.) It's in more theatres now in the US then it's ever been, so see if it's playing near you.

Lice
08-22-2004, 01:03 AM
Oh, and I just saw the article on KFM. I have problems with this line:

"bringing back the pleasure and charm of watching films like THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN and any of Akira Kurosawa's classic samurai films."

Comparing the new Zatoichi movie to those movies, particularly Akira Kurosawa, is heresy. They don't compare... at all.

But, I would like to mention that one of the original Zatoichi movies is Zatoichi vs. the One-Armed Swordsman, and another is Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, with no other than Toshiro Mifune. (I haven't seen the latter, but I just ordered it off of eBay. Anything less than pure perfection with Zatoichi and Toshiro Mifune's yojimbo character will be a disappointment though.)

And, if you don't know Mifune's yojimbo character, you really owe it to yourself to see Yojimbo and Sanjuro by Akira Kurosawa. (And, pretty much any Kurosawa/Mifune movie, just for good measure.)

Shaolinlueb
08-23-2004, 05:05 AM
i just bought the dvd and im waiting for it in the mail.

Nick Forrer
08-23-2004, 06:08 AM
Originally posted by Lice
Oh, and I just saw the article on KFM. I have problems with this line:

"bringing back the pleasure and charm of watching films like THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN and any of Akira Kurosawa's classic samurai films."

Comparing the new Zatoichi movie to those movies, particularly Akira Kurosawa, is heresy. They don't compare... at all.


I think its a mistake to make the comparison in the first place....Zaitochi IMV is best seen as a beat takeshi film (as part of his oeuvre as an auteur) rather than as a zaitochi/samurai film per se. If you see any of his other films like sonatine or hana bi youll know what I mean.

PaiLumDreamer
12-18-2004, 09:43 PM
Wow. A horrible ending...they tried to be different, but they ruined the effect. Katsu seemed a lot more...evil, as well as out of character. Bah. Was I the only one disappointed?

Plus, he can SEE...That was lame. Thumbs down.

-stops editing-

Kristoffer
12-19-2004, 08:28 AM
nej man it ruled

sweatyfoot
12-19-2004, 09:31 AM
Hey PaiLumDreamer, you must have stopped watching the movie before the 10 minute tap dance sequence was over (can't blame you). Had you watched the movie to the end you would have seen Zatoichi walking through the forest with his eyes open when all of the sudden he trips over a stone in the ground. His last words in the movie are something like 'even with my eyes wide open I'm blind as a bat'.

But I know what you're saying. When I thought he could see I almost stopped the movie right there. My GF had to tell me "calm down it's just a movie".

How cool was that last fight scene though. Not the guy that he blinds but the fight right before. I was ready for a never ending jackie chan style final brawl with the last boss. They totally turned it around, and made it into a lesson. Fight with your instincts don't plan out your moves.

my vote 10 out of 10

Kristoffer
12-19-2004, 10:10 AM
right, u meant the dance part? coz that's the one thing I can find that I really really HATE about this movie. other than that I thought it was great.

PaiLumDreamer
12-19-2004, 02:47 PM
It was pretty good until he became unblind.

I did watch the ten minute tap dance thing...which made my entire family go "WTF." The reason he said he was still blind as a bat was him trying to make an ironic joke. It...didnt work. The ending just ruined the overall feel.

FuXnDajenariht
12-19-2004, 09:16 PM
TAP DANCE! IN A ZAOTOICHI MOVIE!? HOLYGAWD! THE WORLD IS ENDING...

wait...your tellin meee.... they literally stopped the movie to have a dance number? how in the **** did they stick that in there?!?! :mad:

qiphlow
12-19-2004, 09:24 PM
that movie was the SHIZNIT!!!! i loved it! the workers in the field, all in rhythm. building the house at the end, all in rhythm. and yes, the dance scene at the end--man, i was groovin' out the whole time!

Ray Pina
12-20-2004, 09:16 AM
Is this out on DVD? I read about it; want to check it out.

Ben Gash
12-20-2004, 09:25 AM
Azumi is better

GeneChing
12-20-2004, 10:21 AM
I still have yet to see it and I was a huge fan of Shintaro Katsu. Here's the e-zine story (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=530) we published on it a while back.

Sow Choy
12-21-2004, 02:04 PM
Fights were cool...

Too many Geisha Drag queen scenes for me...

Sort of like the new Alexander movie... just too much

GeneChing
01-03-2005, 11:10 AM
I'm a huge fan of the original series. Shintaro Katsu was phenomenal, not just playing Zatoichi with his eyes rolled up all the time, but also executing exciting sword choreography, some real precision work, with his eyes rolled up. He really was a blind swordsman. I was saddened the day he was busted and mourned the day that I heard of his passing.

Takano's take on Zatoichi spoiled the character - he missed Zatoichi's humor, his compassion, and his human foibles. Could you envision Takano's Zatoichi trying to suckle a baby on his nipple to keep it quiet, then making hilarious blind faces to express how it tickled? Katsu's Zatoichi not only did it, but did it beleivably. Where the film really failed for me was the swordplay. The swordplay was very mediocre. Katsu's work was awe-inspiring, especially in some of his earlier films - long single shot fight scenes with extraordinary complexity. The digital blood, while funny sometimes, particularly where he split an opponent's weapon and took the thumb too, didn't work for me. Give me pumped blood in my chanbara movies, like Lone Wolf and Cub. If you're going to go messy, let's see the fencers flinch from the spray of real red liquid. Actually, the original Zatoichi wasn't that bloody as chanbara films go, so I felt the digital blood was all the more distracting. It was such a cheesy effect; I was never convinced otherwise. I did like the rhythm of the farmers, and the general plotline, but this is Zatoichi - an icon like Godzilla or Yojimbo - you just can't mess with it and turn out a slack job.

I've you've never seen Zatoichi before, check out the originals - they are wonderful. The new version is a feint echo, a poor update, a sorry attempt to use CGI to replace mediocre sword fights.

Odin of Wei
01-03-2005, 06:48 PM
I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

*GROUP HUGG!!!*


Seriously, your the only ones that have any taste. Everywhere I got everyone is like OMG!!11!11 it was soooo gooood!!!

The ending sucked ass.

You cant have godly good orginals...where he never could see...then he could really see all along.

The CG blood was so fake, you could tell...give me the corn starch and food coloring pouches of HK films any day! ;)

The dance wasnt too bad. A good beat...thats about it. hahaha



All hail the orginals...some of them varyed...you know? Like one movie hes really nice, the next movie hes killing everything in his path...like when he was in the forest protecting the boy from the yakaza (always yakaza).




You want to see a good movie this guy was in check out Kikurjiro...that like made me cry.
And I still want to see Bad Cop. ^__^

Sow Choy
01-04-2005, 08:54 AM
Hey Gene,

Did you like Samurai I, II & III? The story of Musashi Miyamoto...

I am a fan of the actor Toshiro Mifune... He was great!

I saw the old Zatoichi's long ago, but dont remember, Lone Wolf & Club too...

Any recommendations??? I love the style of the Musashi Mifune movies, rooted in Philosophy, no sound effects & Great Swordplay...

Joe

GeneChing
01-04-2005, 06:53 PM
AS fast as you can, go out and find Zatoichi meets Yojimbo - it's one of MY ALL TIME FAVORITE chanbara movies. Mifune only did his Yojimbo character for four films - the two with Kurosawa, Yojimbo & Sanjuro, which are classics, something called gate of hell or something like that - I can't quite remember - it sucked, and Z meets Y which is one the same level as Godzilla meets King Kong or Frankenstein meets Dracula. An absolute must-see film. :cool:

Shaolinlueb
01-05-2005, 09:58 AM
so in kitano's, he could see at the end? im confused he still looked blind. his eyes were pale like a blind person. Z meets Y, i will have to look for it. :D

Shaolinlueb
01-05-2005, 09:59 AM
just found this guys and ordered mine.
http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/737187004575IE?source=adwords

Odin of Wei
01-15-2005, 08:22 PM
Originally posted by Sow Choy
Hey Gene,

Did you like Samurai I, II & III? The story of Musashi Miyamoto...

I am a fan of the actor Toshiro Mifune... He was great!

I saw the old Zatoichi's long ago, but dont remember, Lone Wolf & Club too...

Any recommendations??? I love the style of the Musashi Mifune movies, rooted in Philosophy, no sound effects & Great Swordplay...

Joe
I couldnt really sit though all of those movies.


Originally posted by GeneChing
AS fast as you can, go out and find Zatoichi meets Yojimbo - it's one of MY ALL TIME FAVORITE chanbara movies. Mifune only did his Yojimbo character for four films - the two with Kurosawa, Yojimbo & Sanjuro, which are classics, something called gate of hell or something like that - I can't quite remember - it sucked, and Z meets Y which is one the same level as Godzilla meets King Kong or Frankenstein meets Dracula. An absolute must-see film. :cool:
Theres a Ichi meets Yojimbo?!

No way! :eek:

How does that one go?

grlyncher99
09-25-2005, 10:20 AM
I'm probably way behind on this, but I just caught the new Zatoichi on DVD and all I have to say is this: Is there such a paucity of martial arts movie talent in Japan that they have to CGI the swords in the fight scenes? Maybe they thought they were saving money by using computers rather than practical effects, but my god it looked bad. Combined of course with the wacky foley to make it the completely hokey effect of the year. Somebody write a letter and tell those producers CGI swords don't cut it.

gwa sow
09-25-2005, 06:36 PM
i havn't seen the new one but i got all the old one's. the are some of my favorit movies. my friends saw the new one and sai it was terrible

grlyncher99
09-25-2005, 08:31 PM
It ends with a tap dance number. What could be better than that?

GeneChing
03-31-2009, 09:40 AM
Check out Ichi at the Hawaii International Film Festival.


Ichi (http://hawaiishowcase.bside.com/2009/films/ichi_hawaiishowcase2009;jsessionid=3101D8191AE0917 CCA471919E4ED12E6)
Fumihiko Sori 2008

Run time: 120 min. | Japan | Language: Japanese | Subtitled
After enchanting audiences as a spunky cyborg in CYBORG SHE (2008 LVHIFF), Haruka Ayase is back to win crowds over once again! Ayase is the blind musician Ichi who leads a life of solitude by wandering from town to town. When a village she is in becomes hostage to two opposing clans, Ichi must reveal her deadly sword fighting skills to protect the villagers. Director Fumihiko Sori's film pays tribute to ZATOICHI, but by making the main character a blind swordswoman instead of a blind swordsman, Sori adds his own intriguing twist to the ever popular franchise.

doug maverick
03-31-2009, 11:15 AM
cause i remember hearing a while back that they are making one with a women as the blind sword fighter.i think its completed already.

Shaolinlueb
03-31-2009, 11:25 AM
the only women who could ever be a sword fighter or needs a modern remake is SEX & FURY!!!

doug maverick
03-31-2009, 12:03 PM
the only women who could ever be a sword fighter or needs a modern remake is SEX & FURY!!!

totally and without question. ill get right on that.

GeneChing
02-25-2022, 09:39 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-com9M91-4

threads
Zatoichi (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?13431-Zatoichi)
Kung-Fu-Music (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36569-Kung-Fu-Music)