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.