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

Monday, 19 January 2015

Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971)

The blind swordsman's 22nd film was a crossover event that added the Chinese hero/anti-hero Fang Kang to the cast. You’d expect that to result in a Chanbara/Wuxia hybrid, but in my version the ratio is about 90:10 in favour of the Japanese technical style. The Chinese cut reportedly had more Fang Kang screen time, but I can’t find it for sale anywhere.
It’s a violent film with a cultural message that’s clear to read and an ending that leaves you with plenty to think about.

3 language barriers out of 5

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