The Zatoichi films, begun in 1962, were so popular that by 1964 they were coming out on a bi-monthly schedule and they also spawned a long running television series. The Zatoichi series of films would end in 1973 with Katsu writing, directing, and starring in New Zatoichi Story: Broken Stick. Katsu would return 15 years later in a new sequel simply called Zatoichi (1988). The blind swordsman further inspired offshore imitators such as the spaghetti-western Blindman (1971) and, later, the Rutger Hauer vehicle Blind Fury (1990). In the book Japanese Cinema, The Essential Handbook, the authors also note another Japanese series that would take its cue from Zatoichi by featuring a blind swordswoman, called Crimson Bat (1960 - 1970).
The sixth entry into The Blind Swordsman Series DVD collection, Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold, was directed by Kazuo Ikehiro with wonderful cinematography by one of Japan's best: Director of Photography, Kazuo Miyagawa (1908 - 1999). As the liner notes by Michael Jeck make clear, for the Zatoichi series to have - one of the undisputed greats of world cinema (who) had been shooting films since 1935, including such classics as Rashomon and Yojimbo - signaled a big step up in class. And it shows; from the opening credit sequence (inspired by An Actor's Revenge which also starred Katsu, albeit in a cameo role) on through a search posse of lantern-bearing bailiffs winding their way through dark forests, the cinematic compositions are absolutely beautiful. The story itself concerns Zatoichi being blamed for the disappearance of a chest of gold and being caught between oppressed farmers and the minions of a corrupt government and, fittingly, introduces the character of Chuji Kunisada who, in Japanese folklore, is comparable to Robin Hood.
The seventh entry, Zatoichi's Flashing Sword is the second Zatoichi film to be directed by Kazuo Ikehiro, with cinematography duties this time out going to Yasukazu Takemura. While not as cinematic as the previous episode, this entry does provide the usual dosage of humor, panache, and action - including a memorable underwater attack wherein Zatoichi guts assailants with the speed of a piranha, unfurling a shocking cloud of bright, red blood. It's a scene that corroborates the liner notes mention of director Ikehiro as "A lifetime specialist in jidai-geki, most notably Trail of Blood (1972)."
Episode eight, Fight, Zatoichi, Fight , finds Zatoichi feeling responsible for the baby of a woman killed by an ambush meant for the blind swordsman. His journey to return the child to his rightful father is joined by a scheming pickpocket whom Zatoichi hires as a nanny. This film marks the return of Kenji Misumi to the series after directing the premier episode. Misumi is best known for his work on the Lone Wolf with Child films (aka: the Baby Cart series), so it comes as little surprise to see Zatoichi being saddled with an infant here. The baby sets more than just a few memorable scenes in motion, but topping the list would be the moment where the child urinates on two Sumo wrestlers who then fight Zatoichi in a rage. The music is by Akira Ifukabe, the composer behind Godzilla and Kagemusha, and the combination of Ifukabe's spaghetti-western-ish guitars and Misumi's lyrical compositions once again call to the forefront the oft made comparison between Katsu's Blind Swordsman and Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name - both enigmatic nomads wandering a 2.35:1 widescreen panorama that makes evocative use of their faces and the landscapes around them. But would Clint Eastwood ever have allowed himself to be filmed suckling a baby to his breast in an earnest attempt to appease the crying child? I think not. When Zatoichi does just that, it's played for humor, but it also underscores the blind swordsman's goodness and also adds to the endnote pathos of this particular episode.
The Blind Swordsman Series DVDs released by Home Vision Entertainment feature a fully restored image presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with newly translated subtitles and original theatrical trailers. Fans who purchase the dvds will walk away with two fantastic bonuses; excellent liner notes by Michael Jeck, who programs for the American Film Institute Theater and was a former independent distributor of classic Japanese Films, and small posters measuring 14 x 22 that are fit for framing.
By Pablo Kjolseth
