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Zatoichi The Outlaw cast: Shintaro Katsu, Rentaro Mikuni, Yuko Hamada director: Satsuo Yamamoto 95 minutes (15) 1967 widescreen ratio 2.35:1 Warrior DVD Region 2 retail RATING: 8/10 reviewed by Ian Shutter |
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Whereas Hollywood played this admittedly absurd idea just for fun, Toho focus on mythic, instead of 'mock' heroics. Zatoichi (usually just called Ichi) appears to be an uncommonly sensitive killer, typically siding with the underdogs, he wades into a village's dispute between peasants and landowners (yes, heavy duty riffs on feudalism and socialism abound, not to mention corruption and scapegoats - oh, it's just like Britain today, right?), during which all involved eventually learn that political and criminal matters can sometimes only be concluded when aggressive bad-guys have their heads chopped off.
A surprisingly compelling tale of eastern adventure, old fashioned virtues and a number of bloodthirsty swordfights, Zatoichi The Outlaw is highly enjoyable and a great collectors' item, too. If you like Kurosawa's samurai epics and/or the runaway ronin flick, Shogun Assassin, this one's definitely for you!
DVD extras: biographies, stills, plus a bunch of promo trailers. Go to reviews of: Zatoichi's Pilgrimage
and Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo.