01-21-2021, 01:30 PM
Dammit. This is reputed to be one of Hideo Gosha's finest. It may very well be. I saw glimpses of it. The problem is, I was in a dozy state, and even with some rewinding here and there, I lost the thread of it all.
During the Tokugawa era, the Shogunate rule has become corrupted, allowing all kinds of secret societies to form -- collectively and colloquially called "hunters in the dark." Yokuza gangs are among them, and the head of one gang, played by Tatsuya Nakadai (of The Human Condition), seeks to elevate his status further by assassinating those who stand in his way. He recruits a one-eyed master ronin who is suffering from amnesia as his bodyguard, and uses him as an assassin.
This is a meandering tale that I likely couldn't have followed even if wide awake. That's not really a criticism, as Gosha's films -- and especially action scenes -- are fascinating to watch. There's some nudity herein, and enough womanly wiles in evidence that some might call it gratuitous. Fortunately, that word is not in my vocabulary, so there.
Among the villains is a big robust guy, used sparingly until the end, who displays master horsemanship. But he's so big, like a bull atop the horse, and you see terror in the horse's eyes as he jerks it about and displays remarkable agility. This top-dog villain, who is hard to recognize facially at first, is none other than Sonny Chiba.
Dammit. I really should give this another go. But at 2hr 17 min, I think I'll move on.
Is it a coincidence that DM and I both had problems last night staying awake? Could it be that with the reign of terror at last over, we gave a collective sigh of relief and relaxed into unintended slumber?
Then again, I nod off on a lot of other nights.
[Seen on criterion channel]
During the Tokugawa era, the Shogunate rule has become corrupted, allowing all kinds of secret societies to form -- collectively and colloquially called "hunters in the dark." Yokuza gangs are among them, and the head of one gang, played by Tatsuya Nakadai (of The Human Condition), seeks to elevate his status further by assassinating those who stand in his way. He recruits a one-eyed master ronin who is suffering from amnesia as his bodyguard, and uses him as an assassin.
This is a meandering tale that I likely couldn't have followed even if wide awake. That's not really a criticism, as Gosha's films -- and especially action scenes -- are fascinating to watch. There's some nudity herein, and enough womanly wiles in evidence that some might call it gratuitous. Fortunately, that word is not in my vocabulary, so there.
Among the villains is a big robust guy, used sparingly until the end, who displays master horsemanship. But he's so big, like a bull atop the horse, and you see terror in the horse's eyes as he jerks it about and displays remarkable agility. This top-dog villain, who is hard to recognize facially at first, is none other than Sonny Chiba.
Dammit. I really should give this another go. But at 2hr 17 min, I think I'll move on.
Is it a coincidence that DM and I both had problems last night staying awake? Could it be that with the reign of terror at last over, we gave a collective sigh of relief and relaxed into unintended slumber?
Then again, I nod off on a lot of other nights.
[Seen on criterion channel]
I'm nobody's pony.