Lady Snowblood (1973)

[Drunk Monk]

I needed a break from Binge Maul, so I revisited the seminal classic Lady Snowblood, a sanguinuous chanbara that earns its position in the Criterion collection.  Before DC and Marvel films, there was manga films - Lady Snowblood is based on a manga; it has moments of narration over manga images and a recursive story arc involving a newspaper publisher who draws a manga of Lady Snowblood's tale.  Snowblood is born in prison, the product of her violated mom who goes nympho in the joint to give birth to Snowblood and set her on the road of vengeance as an asura.  There are plenty of sword fights - not very complicated choreography, but some long single shots, and all to supremely sanguinuous sprays.  Apparently, the Japanese have really high blood pressure.  Perhaps this is no surprise; I remember when aginomoto (msg) was a regular condiment, left in a shaker with the salt, pepper and soyu in Japanese restaurants.  Snowblood's victims either gush gurgling rivulets of blood or send spectacular fountains into the air.  Extra bonus for some fine lopping off of parts.  Snowblood fights with a small sword concealed in her parasol, which she wields with a reverse grip ala Zatoichi.  I guess that's the cool way to wield blades for rogue assassin anti-heroes.  The soundtrack is twangy guitars and trumpets, reminiscent of Morricone, which is one of many reasons why Tarantino fell in love with this film.  It inspired Kill Bill in many ways, not just the vendetta villainess, but also the use of chapters and music.  The film is shot in many blue hues with lots of black and white costumes and settings, I think to make the red blood contrast sharply.

But the real credit must go to Meiko Kaji, who embodies Snowblood with the best resting bitch face in samurai flix.  The film could have ended classically with everyone dying, but Snowblood is spared for the sequel, which I will watch soon.

[Drunk Monk]

The sequel is largely unnecessary.  Yuki fulfilled her asura destiny in the initial film.  Here, she stumbles into intrigue but without the same intensity.  It opens with two nice single shot sword fights - again, not extraordinarily complex but interesting because this pre-dates stedicam.  There are gratuitous breasts in this one - not Yuki, but the wife of her employer, and an old poor hag.  There's also some decent lopping off of parts, more high blood pressure sprays, and some eyeball jabbing that was echoed in Kill Bill.  But on the whole, this film doesn't develop Yuki's character anymore - it just milks her for a sequel.  

This was the end of the series, but apparently there was a sci-fi redux in 2001. Wonder if there are lightsabers....back to Binge Maul.

[Drunk Monk]

I watched this again and I had no memory of it, until I re-read this post. In fact, I was contemplating writing the exact same review that I wrote here six years ago, right down to the msg comment. I just can't trust my memory anymore, which is troubling. Covid brain? No I don't think so. I'm not sure what it is.

At least it was fresh this time around. I was fully engaged again.

I will add one thing though - Yuki is the name of my dog. Yuki also means snow as in snowblood. The Japanese title is Shurayuki-hime and the main character is named Yuki Kashima. I miss my dog in quarantine.

D00M recommended. Watched on Criterion streaming. This thread should be moved because who does DVD rentals anymore?

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Lady Snowbloood was such good fun. Recommended.

[Drunk Monk]

I watched this once more because it’s a great film and I needed a dose of sanguineosity to take my mind off today’s allergy woes and I was hoping Yuki (my dog) would watch it with me and hear his name a lot. But Yuki decided to watch reruns of The Good Wife with Stacy instead. But once it started, I got pulled into it and thoroughly enjoyed it once more. I had forgotten a lot, despite seeing it twice over the last 9 years. My memory loss keeps thing fresh. 

During this viewing, I was really struck by how beautiful this film is - scenic settings and excellent framing composition throughout, and then that bright red spatter of contrasting blood. That chanbara aesthetic is what I was raised on and is remains very dear to me. 

Seen on Criterion.

Criterion has a special section that’s just chanbara movies and I intend to watch them all. I’ve been thinking of rewatching the Samurai trilogy, along with the Lone Wolf & Cub and Zatoichi franchises again, plus there’s a lot of beloved classics like the original Harakiri and many I don’t know (or just don’t remember).