Edit filter log

'{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} {{Infobox film | name = The Tale of Zatoichi | image = Zatôichi monogatari.jpg | director = [[Kenji Misumi]] | producer = | screenplay = [[Minoru Inuzuka]] | based on = {{based on|''The Tale of Zatoichi''|[[Kan Shimozawa]]}} | starring = {{Plain list | *[[Shintaro Katsu]] *Masayo Banri *Ryuzo Shimada *Hajime Mitamura *[[Shigeru Amachi]] <!--- per DVD slip (link: http://www.dvdca.com/download/37244-1/1974THe_Tale_of_Zatoichi.jpg) ---> }} | music = [[Akira Ifukube]] | cinematography = Chishi Makiura | editing = Kanji Suganuma | studio = [[Daiei Film|Daiei Motion Picture Company]] | distributor = [[Daiei Film|Dalei Studios]] | released = {{film date|df=yes|1962|4|12}} | runtime = 95 minutes | country = Japan | language = [[Japanese language|Japanese]] | budget = }} '''''The Tale of Zatoichi''''' ({{lang-ja|座頭市物語}} ''Zatōichi monogatari''), directed by Kenji Misumi, is the first film of a classic Japanese samurai drama saga starring [[Shintaro Katsu]] as [[Zatoichi]], a character created by [[Kan Shimozawa]]. ==Plot== The blind [[massage|masseur]] Zatoichi is hired by [[yakuza]] gang-leader Sukegoro (Eijiro Yanagi) as he thinks that war is inevitable with the rival yakuza Shigezo (Ryuzo Shimada). Zatoichi has a distinguished reputation as a swordsman and Sukegoro thinks he is money well spent. Shigezo responds by hiring a [[ronin]] of similar repute, Miki Hirate (Shigeru Amachi). Ichi is a meek and humble man who is commonly underestimated by most men, and looked upon suspiciously. His being a masseur, which was a position of low regard in feudal Japan, merely increases the hostility that is shown towards him. They even try to take advantage of his blindness in a gambling den, but from early on it is clear that Zatoichi draws strength from his disability. The only person who respects him is Hirate, who has a similar code of practice. Though Hirate and Ichi know they must fight when the war begins, they develop a kind of friendship. Hirate is eager to fight Zatoichi, as he is terminally ill with [[tuberculosis]] and considers death at the hands of a master swordsman preferable. As Hirate becomes increasingly sick, Sukegoro decides to attack Shigezo. He also tells Ichi that he is no longer needed. However, as the war begins, Shigezo informs Hirate of his fallback plan since Hirate is ill, that he intends to shoot Ichi with his rifle. Hirate drags himself from his bed to fight Zatoichi on the condition that the rifle is left behind. Ichi learns from a boy at the temple where Hirate was staying that Hirate will be fighting after all, and also learns the reason. Zatoichi travels to the battle to duel with the dying samurai. After the tense final fight, in which Zatoichi prevails, Zatoichi leaves Iioka and rejects the advances of Otane (Masayo Banri), who has become disillusioned with the yakuza lifestyle, to continue as a solitary wanderer.Bruce Lee blind swordsman Zatoichi. Those screen test shots have left fans with thoughts of what could have been for years now. They featured a lot of those images in the Golden Harvest documentary BL The Legend. Showing the portrait shots of Bruce doing his best Zatoichi impression ==Cast== * [[Shintaro Katsu]] as Zatoichi * Masayo Banri as Otane * Ryūzō Shimada as Shigezō of the Sasagawa Yakuza * Hajime Mitamura as Hanji of Matsugishi * [[Shigeru Amachi]] as Miki Hirate * [[Chitose Maki]] as Hanji's wife Yoshi * Ikuko Mōri as Shigezō's wife Oyutaka * Michio Minami as Tatekichi of the Iioka Yakuza * Eijirō Yanagi as Sukegorō of Iioka * Toshio Chiba as Masakichi of Iioka * Manabu Morita as Seisuke of Iioka * Yoichi Funaki as Yogorō of Sasagawa * Kin'ya Ichikawa as Mokichi of Sasagawa * Eigorō Onoe as Rihei of Sasagawa * Yoshito Yamaji as Tatekichi's father Yahei * Yukio Horikita as Kanaji of Sasagawa * Ryūji Fukui as Daihachi of Iioka ==Release== ''The Tale of Zatoichi'' was released in Japan on April 12, 1962.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1996|p=262}}{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1996|p=263}} It was re-issued theatrically in 1976.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1996|p=263}} The film was followed-up with ''[[The Tale of Zatoichi Continues]]'' in 1962.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1996|p=263}} ==Reception== The film received positive reviews earning 100% from review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] according to 7 reviews. The film summoned the most sequels of a samurai film and has also spawned a remake in 2003.<ref>{{rotten-tomatoes|id=the-tale-of-zatoichi|title=The Tale of Zatoichi}}</ref> == References == ===Footnotes=== {{reflist|30em}} ===Sources=== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Galbraith IV |first=Stuart |title=The Japanese Filmography: 1900 through 1994 |publisher=McFarland |date=1996 |isbn=0-7864-0032-3 |ref=harv}} {{Refend}} ==External links== *{{IMDb title|0056714|The Tale of Zatoichi}} {{Zatoichi}} {{Kenji Misumi}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Tale of Zatoichi}} [[Category:1962 films]] [[Category:1960s adventure films]] [[Category:Japanese films]] [[Category:Japanese adventure films]] [[Category:Japanese-language films]] [[Category:Japanese black-and-white films]] [[Category:Zatoichi films]] [[Category:Jidaigeki films]] [[Category:Samurai films]] [[Category:Yakuza films]] [[Category:Daiei Film films]] [[Category:Films directed by Kenji Misumi]] [[Category:Films scored by Akira Ifukube]]'