The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi /Sonatine Double Feature
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Akira Emoto, Hideboh, Makoto Ashikawa, Tadanobu Asano, Yuuko DaikeBrand: MIRAMAX
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 210 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-09
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax
Movie Reviews of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi /Sonatine Double Feature
Movie Review: Two amazing films by a modern Japanese master
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow! I am absolutely stunned by this DVD set! I would happily have paid full price for either Kitano Takeshi's award-winning "Zatoichi" or his early Okinawan film "Sonatine." To get them together in one set is unbelievable.
Kitano, a true modern genius of Japanese film, reinvents one of Japan's most beloved and long-lasting film heroes, the blind, wandering swordsman Zatoichi. The character was portrayed in 26 films by actor Katsu Shintaro , from 1962-1989. It was a bold move by Kitano to put his own mark on such a familiar and defined character.
Rather than simply mimic Katsu's work, Kitano completely reinvents the character. Still a gambler and a wanderer, the humble, self-effacing nature of Zatoichi is retained, but he is less of a comic figure, less of an unlucky but kind-hearted loser. Kitano's Zatoichi is more calculated, more cunning. His hair has been died blonde to show the outsider nature of the blind swordsman, forever beyond normal society. Still blindingly fast with his hidden cane sword, this Zatoichi cuts with an accurate and surgical precision.
The plot is more complex than a normal swordfight flick, with Zatoichi being only one of the prime movers of the story. Included into the mix are levels of subterfuge from the enemies, with the true boss being protected and hidden, using Zatoichi's own tactics of disguising strengths and presenting a face of weakness. Into this mix are two sisters seeking their own revenge for the murder of their parents and destruction of their family.
"Sonatine," his fourth film, is an interesting character sketch, laying the grounds for Kitano's later Yakuza masterpiece "Hanabi." Taking the popular Japanese Yakuza genre, Kitano adds his own sense of humor and pacing to create something unique.
Sent to the distant southern island of Okinawa to end a gang dispute, a band of Tokyo gangsters quickly find themselves in an unclear situation, not knowing the real reason for their exile. They while their time away, playing games and relaxing on the beach, enjoying their tropical vacation while it lasts. When it becomes clear that they have been set up, and that some kind of revenge is called for, the light humorous nature of the film takes a sharp turn, and the violent nature of their lifestyle returns.
Unlike what we would consider an action film, "Sonatine" is a serious of vignettes, punctuated by sharp, sudden violence. Rather than exaggerated gun battles and over-the-top schemes, the violence is realistic and quick. A single bullet is all that is needed to end a life.
On an interesting note, the title of the film comes from a native form of Okinawan folk music, properly called "sonachine" that can be heard throughout the film.
Summary of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi /Sonatine Double Feature
Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 08/02/2005 Run time: 210 minutes Rating: RSimilar DVD Movies
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