In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Friday 16 January 2015

Zatoichi at the Fire Festival (1970)

The blind swordsman's 21st film isn't an overly bloody affair, but there’s a fine balance of action and characterisation and even some very funny comedy during a frenetic bath house fight.
It was celebrated director Kenji Misumi’s sixth Zatoichi; he was the man that started the series eight years previously. He’s better known in the West as director of four of the Lone Wolf and Cub films.
For a series to still be this good after so many entries isn't unique to Japan but they are surely the masters at it. Most struggle after a trilogy.

3½ expensive wind chimes out of 5

3 comments:

cuckoo said...

Most can't make it past the 2nd one without sucking.

Dr Faustus said...

Uwe Boll dreams of making a first one that doesn't suck.

cuckoo said...

VOD tried recommending a film to me that said "Uwe Boll Presents..."

I laughed and watched two Frasier reruns instead. XD