Amazon.com

Dramatically compelling and emotionally intense, Harakiri is acertified classic of Japanese film, and a riveting study of samurai codes ofhonor. Unlike Kurosawa's rousing samurai epics, this is an uncompromisinglytragic tale, exposing the hypocrisy of 17th-century Japanese society with itsstory of a family destroyed by the cruelty of feudalism toward warriors inpeacetime. The film is truly Shakespearean in its emotional scope, embodied bythe unforgettable performance of Tatsuya Nakadai (star of Kurosawa's Ran)as an elder warrior seeking revenge for the unnecessary seppuku (ritualsuicide) of his beloved son-in-law. Director Masaki Kobayashi begins at story'send, then recounts the narrative (adapted from a novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi) astold by Nakadai's character. The effect is almost unbearably suspenseful,leading to an explosive climax of supreme defiance and samurai swordplay,erupting from a battle of wills, called bluffs, and hotly defended honor. Forconnoisseurs of samurai action, Harakiri is not to be missed. --JeffShannon ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A powerful film giving deep insights into samurai heritage.
My first viewing of this film was in a Japanese history course at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. This isn't just another sword-fight movie; this is a deep moral reflection on the choices that all soldiers must make in fulfilling their duties. The beautiful imagery, acting, and ironic twists are high art. The influences this film must have had on Anime are unmistakable. But this is not a young person's movie; this movie is about death.

The Sword is the Soul
While Kurosawa was settling back into commercial comfort, making samurai comedies, Masaki Kobayashi was approaching the genre with more serious intentions. A "glorification" of feudal values was defintitely not Kobayashi's concern, having been a survivor of Imperial Japan's violent and, luckily, abortive bid to dominate Asia. Kurosawa was too sickly to serve in the Imperial Army, or so the legend goes. Kobayashi focuses directly on feudalism precisely because he realized that it had never been completely eradicated. The same values that had driven Japanese soldiers to commit atrocities throughout Asia were still principally intact in postwar Japanese society. Feudalism was tacitly alive and kicking, and Kobayashi knew just how to expose it. 'Seppuku' (the original title) is a frontal attack on Japanese institutionalized feudalism, as expressed in its inherent cronyism, its stupid adherence to the samurai ethic. Although the last fifteen minutes of this film are electrifying, wherein a lone, masterless samurai is set against a mob of lesser swordsmen (by now a familiar scenography in Japanese film), it is his selfless revenge on the clan that forced his impoverished son-in-law to commit seppuku with a bamboo short-sword that lays waste to the very root of Japanese feudalism.

This is my all time favorite Samurai movie, where is the DVD
Please, oh, please ... someone mentioned that this movie is
out somewhere on DVD, even though it is on widescreen edition.
That is too bad, but I would gladly settle for it. I really
liked this movie ... for many years after I saw this
masterwork, I assumed it had been directed and produced
by Akira Kurosawa ... but it is not, and it is the best
one I have seen ... though Kurosawa is great and I have
lots of his movies.

Please anyone, point me to where I can get a DVD version
of this movie ... it needs to go in my collection to educate
people about Japanese movies!

DVD where are you?!
I finally found a DVD version of this masterpiece, it was a 2003 release filled with all sorts of extra. One big problem, FULL SCREEN! Who in their right mind would put this movie on DVD and put it on FULL SCREEN! Somebody is tauting us fans big time!

It's a great movie, but one that demands to be viewed, if not on the big screen, then at least letterboxed DVD format!

Arguably the finest film ever made in Japan
I had never seen this film until I found a copy at a local Hollywood outlet in Albuquarque, New Mexcio, a few years ago. I took it home, saw it, and was absolutely bowled over by it. Kobayashi's view of Harakiri bespeaks the age when the film was made as it is quite a materialistic interpretation of Harakiri but nonetheless truthful for that. (Forget the cheap eulogy of samurai-death in the recent Last Samurai.)
This is a film-making elevated to the realm of art. The serenity of a Noh play and the theatrical panache of Kabuki are combined to create this absolutely engrossing masterpiece. This is arguably the finest Japanese film ever made. It is perverse that this work, perhaps outshodowed by numerous Kurosawa films, is almost never talked about in Japan.
This is one of those films that cry out for a release in a DVD format ( It is already available in Japan). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Gee,I smell MST3K!!!
Oh dear,I once watched this movie on "Earth Day" at my High School once.I wanted to storm out of the room.Yes,"Last Days of Planet Earth" is THAT bad.Suicide cults,metion of cannibalism(cut from some prints though),LSD fiends,Mutant plant and animals are just too goofy.This movie ranks up with "Manos:the Hands of Fate" on the top bad movies of all time.

Pretty silly and very mediocure
Man, quite alot happens in this movie. Motorcycle riders kill themselves; the air becomes so poluted that kids attend school in gas masks. Killer plants, blood sucking slugs, giant leaches (at least not as silly as the ones in Attack of the Giant Leaches), and radiation mutated humans kill people. And eventuly the sky turns into a giant mirror. Banned in Japan because of the radiation mutant sequice. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Accurate Period Piece
If you are looking for a cinematic masterpiece, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a fun movie that captures life in Tokyo in the early nineties this is for you. I was living in Tokyo when the movie was filmed and I think the film captures the spirit of the period and culture perfectly.

'JAPONESE CULTURE, A BEAUTIFUL GAIJIN AND A ROCKSTAR DREAM'
when i saw this movie, the first time was becose i realise than the ultra famous japonese rock band 'X Japan' have a cameo on it, i get really exited to see my favorite band in a movio (only for seconds) but later i get in the story, i'ts about a japonese boy who wany to be a rockstar and meet this american girl (the beautiful carrie hamilton) i'ts a nice love story, and the film have this espectacul photography of japan and the japonese people, IF YOU ARE OTAKU (FAN OF MANGA AND ANIME) OR IF YOU LIKE THE BAND 'X JAPAN' A SAY TO YOU: 'WATCH THIS MOVIE'. i think i really love this movie, maybe is my favorite movie ... ... Read more

Description

Kwaidan is an engrossing masterpiece of four nightmarish tales in which terror thrives and demons lurk.Throughout each tale, director Masaki Kobayashi's handsomely conceived imagery conveys a sensual quality that immerses the viewer deep in the spiritual world.Combining visually stunning effects with beautiful use of color, Kobayashi has created a supernatural experience beyond the imagination. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

One of the greatest fims of all time.
This film is so utterly magnificent, it's on eof the greatest films of all time. It has the most gorgeous art work, dream-like visuals, color photography I've ever seen in film. This is based on tales by Lafcadio Hearn. A bizzare, eerie and horrifying musical score by Toru Takemitsu works exellently with the beautiful visuals. This video also has a gorgeous color Cinemascope widescreen presentation. The first tale Black Hair, is a bit slow, but's it's so worth it in the unbelievable horror climax. The second tale, Woman in the Snow, is one of the best and most beautiful in the whole film. Masaki Kobayashi uses just all white during the blizzard sequinces with some blood reds, lush greens, dream like blues, and odd purples. The third story, Hoichi, the Earless, begins with one of the most beautiful scenes in the film. An epic sea battle between the Heikie and Genji clans. This scene feautures all kinds of bizzare and beautiful colors including a firey red sky. The rest of the film concerns a young blind man's horrifying ordeal with ghosts. I can see some references to this segment in Akira Kurosawa's Ran. The final segment is called In a Cup of Tea and is the weakest. It's too short, and too fast moving. It does feature lots of gorgeous visuals to make up for it. I recommend this film to anyone, if you haven't seen this film. CLICK BUY RIGHT NOW!

The Greatest "Art House" Horror Film
"Kwaidan" is a cinematic masterpiece of the horror genre which, unfortunately, is not nearly as well known to genre fans as it should be. In my view it ranks with Werner Herzog's 1979 re-make of "Nosferatu" as the finest horror film ever made in color. Part of the reason for "Kwaidan"'s obscurity is its national origin (though, strangely enough, the Japanese folktales which form its basis were written by an American expatriate, Lafcadio Hearn). Yet even in Japan, the film was a commercial flop, despite superlatives from critics. More likely, the obscurity of "Kwaidan" derives from its artistry; viewers who come to it for the first time will probably be only marginally aware that they're seeing horror at all. Search in vain for gore and special effects; the film almost recalls Val Lewton's old classics in its reliance on suggestion. As an anthology, moreover, "Kwaidan" is in the same league as the 1946 British film, "Dead of Night," except that it has no over-arching "frame" device to tie the stories together. All four films which make it up are essentially revenge plots: simple and straightforward, like most folktales, though I would like to mention a personal favorite: "Yuki-Onna," whose surrealist account of a female vampire awed me with its weird snow-scapes and eerie soundtrack. By all means, see "Kwaidan" if you have any curiosity at all about horror as viewed through the lens of an artistic master; I only wish American directors had a comparable interest in quality.

Masterful work!
Anthology of ghost stories adapted from Lafcadio Hearn , American writer who lived in Japan .
Visually stunning.
The third chapter is the best. It turns around a poet who must create a epic poem about an ancient battle dictated for the leader of this dead regiment, killed in action, who emerges from the ashes to find out someone who reminds always the echoes of that bloody combat.
Extraordinary!

Ok, I always get sucked into these ghost stories
Lesson 1, always look at the date of the movie and then read the premise. I always read the premise, get the movie and then once it's in, realize that it's more of a Sinbad Saturday Afternoon movie then the Sixth Sense. The last story was cool about the boy who is on the cover but the rest are boring.
Rent-Maybe
Buy-No

Four Japanese Ghost Stories
Kwaidan, though it has some flaws in regard to pacing (it moves just too slowly sometimes) is a visually striking, very colorful film that is a pleasure to look at. This print is crystal clear and very sharp; Criterion usually does a good job in that sense.
Surprisingly, these traditional Japanese ghost tales very much resemble the classic English ghost stories of writers like J.S. Le Fanu or M.R. James--more subtlety, less bombast, working by suggestion and atmosphere. Don't expect a whiz-bang, fast-paced film with a lot of shocks. It's a slow, quiet film.
In my opinion, the two best stories are the first two, "The Black Hair" (reminiscent of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily") and "The Woman in the Snow" (something like Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo"). ... Read more

Amazon.com

The film boasts the best of the Bond title songs (this one sung on a dreamy track by Nancy Sinatra), but the movie itself is one of the weaker ones of the Sean Connery phase of the 007 franchise. The story concerns an effort by the evil organization SPECTRE to start a world war, but the not-so-super villain behind the plot is the awfully civilized Donald Pleasence. The thin script is by Roald Dahl (shouldn't we have expected a better Bond nemesis from the creator of mad genius Willy Wonka?), and direction is by British veteran Lewis Gilbert (Alfie). But the movie can't hold a candle to Dr. No, From Russia with Love, or Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (156)

All the ingredients, but Connery's heart wasn't in it
This was the fifth in the Bond series, released in 1967. Producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli had quite a challenge on his hands outdoing the runaway success of "Thunderball". He undertook to surpass it by increasing the budget, trying more elaborate gadgets and stunts (an ultralight heavily armed one man helicopter being chased by 4 other helicopters), gargantuan sets (a launch pad inside a volcano) and exotic locations (Japan). At almost $10 million (that's about $50 million in today's dollars), this was one of the highest budgeted films at that time. The launch pad set alone cost over $1 million to build. Despite great box office results, ($110 Million worldwide in 1967 dollars) it fell short of Cubby's ambitions to exceed "Thunderball" financially ($140 Million worldwide) and it proved to be lackluster among the early Bond films.

Although having established himself as a pop icon in his 007 roles, Sean Connery was tired of being James Bond. Before the release of this film, he announced his intention to retire from the role. His lack of enthusiasm was evident throughout the film and his onscreen demeanor lacked verve. He didn't even show much interest in the love scenes, looking more bored than passionate. The critics declared that this would be the end of his career and the end of James Bond films, probably the worst twin predictions in the history of film. As it turns out, Connery returned to the role twice more in 1971 (Diamonds Are Forever) and 1983 (Never Say Never Again).

I have a great deal of respect for Sean Connery, indeed he is one of my favorite actors. His Bond films set a standard that was never equaled by any of the actors that followed. However, his performance in this film displayed so much ennui that it bordered on unprofessional.

This film had all the elements necessary to make it one of the better Bond films. It finally gave a face to Blofeld, and though the choice of Donald Pleasence was roundly criticized, I liked him in the role. The story was intriguing. Astronauts and their spacecraft were being abducted by a rogue predator ship that was gobbling them up whole. Bond was dispatched to find out who was behind the plot. The screenplay written by Roald Dahl was full of clever double entendres like Aki's (Akiko Wakabayashi) great line just as Bond swept her into his arms, "I think I will enjoy very much serving under you." It had majestic locations and great photography. However, the elements didn't gel, mostly because of Connery's Bond fatigue.

The DVD contains a good featurette that gives some interesting retrospective looks at the difficulties making the film and insight into what the producers were trying to accomplish.

Overall, this was a good Bond film, although it could have been much better but for Connery's malaise. Still, the story was stronger than contemporary Bond films, which have resorted to nonstop action and visual effects with flimsy scripts. I rated it a 7/10. If you want to see Connery at his best, see "Goldfinger" or "From Russia With Love".

The First Valley Of Bond!
The biggest problem with "You Only Live Twice" is that with Sean Connery wanting badly out of his 007 contract, his performance here is insipid and uninspired. As a result the film suffers in ways that its predecessors did not. Saddled with a mediocre screenplay, this is the weakest entry of the Connery era. Though its production is certainly of an epic nature, it simply lacks the entertaining quality of previous efforts. Not all is a misfire in this film however. There are certainly some impressive action set pieces, the best being the autogyro/helicopter dogfight. The locations are certainly exotic as practically the entire film takes place in Japan, and production Designer Ken Adam's set for Blofeld's Volcano lair is arguably the most fantanstic in the entire series. Lord knows "Austin Powers" borrowed a lot from this movie, including the physical blueprint of everyone's favorite megalomaniac of the absurd, Dr. Evil. Unfortunately the DVD, though packed with a few goodies, is also a bit of a disappointment as it lacks the number of extras that lesser films like "Live And Let Die" and "The Man With The Golden Gun" don't. We expect more from these DVD's, and certainly from Sean Connery.

Twice Is the ONLY Way to Live!
Forgive me if I am more of a Bond-Movie aficionado than one of Ian Flemming's original works. Perhaps it's because I am a Sir Sean fan more than anything. But I have come to conclude after watching "You Only Live Twice" twice, three and four times - and beyond! - that no one beats Sean Connery's 007. Donald Pleasance's sets the standard for the aristocratic, diabolically calm Blofeld. The action grabs you from the get-go. Considering this was Mr. Dahl's first movie script, I felt he stayed truer to his late friend's stories than the more recent, poorly contrived 007 plots (and since "Goldeneye" Pierce Bronsan's Bond deserves much better scriptwriting). The Special Edition DVDs feature a real treat for Avenger fans: the behind-the-scenes stories narrated by the seductive voice of Patrick Macnee, the original John Steed. Add to this the original trailers and audio commentary of the director and actors, and you have a fitting tribute to one of the 20th century's great movie legacies. But as a woman of color, my main appreciation is that, unlike "Dr. No," "You Only Live Twice" features authentic Asian actors and actresses, and is the first Bond film in which the Bond girls do more than sleep with 007: they actually are working agents who can steer a getaway car and shoot to kill! Granted, I'll always be a Cathy Gale/Emma Peel Avengerwoman fan, because, unlike Bond girls, they had superbadness AND relational integrity. But for my money You Only Live Twice rates as a film worthy of its place in the 007 legacy...and as the trailers aptly state, "Twice is the ONLY way to live!"

th rot sets in
the true beginning of what bond has become; a two demensional popcorn cartoon fluf franchise.

beginning of the plastic 'franchise' and the end of connery
this was the bond film in which it became soooo evident where the films were headed (into gadgets over plot, style over subtance, decortaive women and decorative locations) that connery understandably decided to take a hike.
sure, he was talked back into one more shot (the really awful diamonds are forever) but really thunderball was the last bond with an enthusiastic performance connery (and thunderball lacked the tightness of the first three).
the bond films ceased to be small gritty edgy thrillers and instead became a merchandising haven.
only briefly did this film series try to get back to its original inception (the two with dalton). it has been forgotten that living daylights did very well, but the new producers panicked after license to kill's weak box office (the summer of batman) and predcitably went straight back to the easy.
but, in the long run, they may have killed the future of the franchise by their unwillingness to shake the formula. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Malayan Adventure
Better than average adventure/drama and romantic triangle involving an American rubber plantation owner, Malay school teacher turned political activist and the daughter of a British diplomat. Lots of beautiful scenery showing the plantation and jungle. William Holden fans and those who like stories/films that take place in exotic locales will enjoy it. Although Capucine did an admirable job as the Malay school teacher, I've always found it distracting to use a European or American actress to play the part of an Asian - when there are so many extremely talented and beautiful Asian women. But alas, this was filmed in the early 60s, before we "discovered" that the best person to play the role of an Asian is an ASIAN! That's just a personal complaint of mine for all movies that did this and not a slam on this particular movie. As I mentioned, Capucine does a very convincing job and if you can convince yourself that she's perhaps Eurasian, then you're home free. I had seen the movie a couple times (theater, TV) and found it interesting enough to buy it on VHS, so that every few years we can slilp it into the VCR for another viewing. If you like movies like: The Year of Living Dangerously; Elephant Walk; The Naked Jungle; The Emerald Forest; - you'll enjoy this film. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Gosha Hideo's best work in the 1970's
I like many of Gosha Hideo's work in the 1960's, such as Three Samurai(Sanbiki no Samurai), Goyokin, and the one-eyed swordsman Tange Sazen. In the 70's he produced a few ambitious works and the results varied, I found "Hunter in the Dark" to be the most successful among them. It tells a story of love and betrayal, friendships and ambitions. The characters are satisfactorily developed; they are varied, interesting and well presented - Sonny Chiba's overwhelming ambitions, Nakadai Tatsuya's commitment to the clan code of honor and friendship, Harada Yoshio's tragic past and confusions, and Kishi Keiko's helplessness and loneliness. Gosha did an excellent job in casting the movie, and all were excellent in their roles. At the end men died for their ambitions and their believes, while women gave up their lifes for love. It echoes the very primitive curses in our genetic code.

I saw the Far East DVD release in 2002, the transfer of video and audio were not very good. I look forward to a better transfer work in the U.S. DVD release.

One of the most beautiful, intense films ever made
I have seen many Japanese films but this one really stands out along with Gosha's own classic, Goyokin (1969) and Tenchu (1969). If you think samurai movies deal with nothing but sword playing, you'd better try Hunter in the Dark. The plot and main characters are as rich and complex as Godfather, and its beautiful, haunting images will grab your attention like no other films until the last scene where two opponents (played by Tatuya Nakadai & Sony Chiba) take their one final moment in a great fight. All the action sequences are extremely well done and the story plumbs into the mythic legends of the dark side of Samurai era. The acting, screenplay, cinematography, and lighting all go hand in hand to create one of the most beautiful yet intense films ever made. This is Hideo Gosha at his best. It is urgent to issue other Gosha masterpieces as well, preferably on DVD.

Film by an unjustly neglected great director
I saw that the review already posted here was wrongly attributed to this movie.This is actually a Yakuza/Samurai film set in mid 18th century Japan and is a beautifully filmed and powerful film on corruption and double dealing in a world where the underworld simply mirrors the manipulative ways of the ruling class. A samurai carrying a traumatic secret becomes the yojimbo of a gang boss (played by Tetsuya Nakadai) involved in a power struggle with a rival gang boss. The new yojimbo is enticed with offers to betray his new patron but chooses to remain loyal, thus setting into motion a tragic chain of events. Hideo Gosha is one of the world's great directors and it is unfortunate his films Tenchu and Goyokin are not more readily available, as well as his early classics such as Three Outlaw Samurai and Sword of the Beast.

Great
One of Michelle Yeoh's early efforts finds her as a bush pilot flying a bi-plane in 1930's China, running guns to the villages opposing Japanese occupation. Yeoh's character is brave and resourceful... and can she ever kick butt!Very well directed, with awesome martial arts fights. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

ULTRA-COOL SPOOKFEST FOR ANY ANIME FAN
THIS MOVIE IS BASED ON THE ANIME SERIES "DOOMED MEGALOPOLIS". THE STORY IS ABOUT A MAN NAMED KATO WHO COMMUNICATES WITH THE DEAD. HE IS HELL-BENT ON REVENGE TO DESTROY TOKYO FOR REASONS THAT I WILL NOT GIVE AWAY. A LONE FAMILY HAS MANY STRUGGLES AGAINST HIM THROUGH SUICIDE, INCEST, DEMONIC POSSESSION, AND DEITY INCARNATIONS. THOUGH SLOW AT FIRST, IF YOU GIVE IT A CHANCE YOU WILL SEE THAT IT IS A MUST-HAVE! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In A Taxing Woman's Return, we get a reprise of Nobuko Miyamoto's role as Ryoko Itakura, that indomitable Japanese tax collector who stops at nothing to get her man. In this story she is after the Chief Elder of one of the country's 180,000 registered religions. Onizawa (Rentaro Mikuni) prays for the souls of the sick and the dead with one hand and rakes in billions of yen with the other.

His cult, Heaven's Path, has its fingers in several rice bowls, including a huge land scheme involving political graft. Ryoko is on the case, trying to prove that Onizawa is not paying his fair share of taxes, but she gets herself in trouble by working outside the rules.

Itami's habit of following the lives of several characters shows itself to good advantage in this film. His use of visual symbolism also seems stronger and more accomplished. For example, Onizawa has recurring dreams of a sheer rock wall crumbling down on top of him. This image alone helps us to feel his terror and serves to make him a more sympathetic character even though he does some very unsympathetic things.

Unfortunately, Miyamoto's character seems almost incidental to this story. Itami, as usual, introduces her in the first scene and then forgets about her until the end of Act I. It's the tremendous performance of Rentaro Mikuni and the insightful look into the problem of corruption in Japan that makes this film worth viewing. --Luanne Brown ... Read more

Reviews (2)

one of my favorites
This is one of my favorite movies. Its hilarious and has an amazing amount of creative energy squeezed between its first and last murder victims (not major characters, this isn't a spoiler). It's very different from the first Taxing Woman movie, which I liked but wouldn't rent again. The movie is a beautifully executed exercise in style, with a quirky sound track that keeps the story moving.

There's a lot of ground covered and it took two or three viewings before I could appreciate all the parts of this movie. It's a much bigger story and has much more ooomph than the first movie. It's hard to describe...maybe a Japanese Monty Python's Meaning of Life that's better sewn together and faster moving.

when the sequel isn't the equal
Japanese writer director Juzo Itami's sequel to his 1987 A Taxing Woman again features Nobuko Miyamoto as the title character, only this time she isn't around as much. The charm of the original film, apart from Itami's attempt to present modern Westernised Japan and deliberately despoiling the traditional stereotype, was Miyamoto. A descendant of Giullietta Masina in Fellini's La Strada, her child/woman with freckles and a Louise Brooks bob was both clown and a perfect antidote to the patriarchy of her society, as the sole female Tax Officer in Tokyo's Tax Inspection Bureau. Her relationship with the main villian also allowed her a romantic interest. However, although here she has moments of inspiration - her writhing when pretending to be in cultist's trance, the dance step she takes as she walks down a corridor, and the way she responds to a knife being drawn on her - Itami isn't interested in simply repeating the formula of the original, so we have to endure long periods without Miyamoto.
Itami's point of view this time is more cynical, as opposed to the success of the raid that was the highlight of the first film. Perhaps this might work better for those who haven't seen the first, but as I had, I was awfully disappointed, since none of the business machinations presented here - whether they involve real estate forced evictions or corrupt religious leaders - not even the Bureau's investigations, can match Miyamoto or the original.
Itami brings in a sidekick for Miyamoto but soon abandons him, imitates Grace Kelly being strangled in Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder, and uses the Toshiyuki Honda's music score sparingly. (In the original it aided the long surveillance and raid sequence). ... Read more

Description

A sensuous and arresting use of color, set design, and wide screen cinematography create four heart-pounding ghost stories from Masaki Kobayashi (Harikari, Samurai Rebellion), one of Japan's most stylized filmmakers.Each lyrical vignette is intensely composed in the style of an ancient scroll painting, but it's the tone emanating from the editing, eerie soundscape, and the characters' mythical nature that make Kwaidan a truly haunting experience.Winner of the International Jury Prize at Cannes in 1965, the film has since become a cult classic on home video.If there were ever instructions assigned to watching at home, Kwaidan's would read 'best when viewed alone, late at night, in the dark.' ... Read more

Reviews (38)

One of the greatest fims of all time.
This film is so utterly magnificent, it's on eof the greatest films of all time. It has the most gorgeous art work, dream-like visuals, color photography I've ever seen in film. This is based on tales by Lafcadio Hearn. A bizzare, eerie and horrifying musical score by Toru Takemitsu works exellently with the beautiful visuals. This video also has a gorgeous color Cinemascope widescreen presentation. The first tale Black Hair, is a bit slow, but's it's so worth it in the unbelievable horror climax. The second tale, Woman in the Snow, is one of the best and most beautiful in the whole film. Masaki Kobayashi uses just all white during the blizzard sequinces with some blood reds, lush greens, dream like blues, and odd purples. The third story, Hoichi, the Earless, begins with one of the most beautiful scenes in the film. An epic sea battle between the Heikie and Genji clans. This scene feautures all kinds of bizzare and beautiful colors including a firey red sky. The rest of the film concerns a young blind man's horrifying ordeal with ghosts. I can see some references to this segment in Akira Kurosawa's Ran. The final segment is called In a Cup of Tea and is the weakest. It's too short, and too fast moving. It does feature lots of gorgeous visuals to make up for it. I recommend this film to anyone, if you haven't seen this film. CLICK BUY RIGHT NOW!

The Greatest "Art House" Horror Film
"Kwaidan" is a cinematic masterpiece of the horror genre which, unfortunately, is not nearly as well known to genre fans as it should be. In my view it ranks with Werner Herzog's 1979 re-make of "Nosferatu" as the finest horror film ever made in color. Part of the reason for "Kwaidan"'s obscurity is its national origin (though, strangely enough, the Japanese folktales which form its basis were written by an American expatriate, Lafcadio Hearn). Yet even in Japan, the film was a commercial flop, despite superlatives from critics. More likely, the obscurity of "Kwaidan" derives from its artistry; viewers who come to it for the first time will probably be only marginally aware that they're seeing horror at all. Search in vain for gore and special effects; the film almost recalls Val Lewton's old classics in its reliance on suggestion. As an anthology, moreover, "Kwaidan" is in the same league as the 1946 British film, "Dead of Night," except that it has no over-arching "frame" device to tie the stories together. All four films which make it up are essentially revenge plots: simple and straightforward, like most folktales, though I would like to mention a personal favorite: "Yuki-Onna," whose surrealist account of a female vampire awed me with its weird snow-scapes and eerie soundtrack. By all means, see "Kwaidan" if you have any curiosity at all about horror as viewed through the lens of an artistic master; I only wish American directors had a comparable interest in quality.

Masterful work!
Anthology of ghost stories adapted from Lafcadio Hearn , American writer who lived in Japan .
Visually stunning.
The third chapter is the best. It turns around a poet who must create a epic poem about an ancient battle dictated for the leader of this dead regiment, killed in action, who emerges from the ashes to find out someone who reminds always the echoes of that bloody combat.
Extraordinary!

Ok, I always get sucked into these ghost stories
Lesson 1, always look at the date of the movie and then read the premise. I always read the premise, get the movie and then once it's in, realize that it's more of a Sinbad Saturday Afternoon movie then the Sixth Sense. The last story was cool about the boy who is on the cover but the rest are boring.
Rent-Maybe
Buy-No

Four Japanese Ghost Stories
Kwaidan, though it has some flaws in regard to pacing (it moves just too slowly sometimes) is a visually striking, very colorful film that is a pleasure to look at. This print is crystal clear and very sharp; Criterion usually does a good job in that sense.
Surprisingly, these traditional Japanese ghost tales very much resemble the classic English ghost stories of writers like J.S. Le Fanu or M.R. James--more subtlety, less bombast, working by suggestion and atmosphere. Don't expect a whiz-bang, fast-paced film with a lot of shocks. It's a slow, quiet film.
In my opinion, the two best stories are the first two, "The Black Hair" (reminiscent of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily") and "The Woman in the Snow" (something like Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo"). ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A movie so bad that it's entertaining.
....Riki-Oh: The story of Ricky is a B movie beyond any B movie I've ever seen.As a movie, it gets 1 star,as a form of visual entertainment for the morbid,and/or people with strong stomachs looking for a movie to make fun of,a full 5 stars.The dubbing is bad,the music is bad, the plot is full of holes,and ridiculous things happen in his movie that could never occur in real life,but all this does not matter,because the gore and violence are so over the top. If you have a morbid sense of humor, this movie will definitely do. There are tons of graphic scenes of major mutilation and death.I found it so funny that I often had to replay the scenes in slow motion to see how they did it,and when you slow it down,it looks even funnier.This movie is crazy,and doesn't make a ton of sense,but I find it very entertaining.If you've got that "special sense of humor",you owe it to yourself to buy this DVD,and gross your friends out with it.I have to find/make a T shirt that has the DVD box art on it! Too funny.

Ridiculously violent masterpiece of bloodshed and mayhem.
OK, this is either the worst movie ever made, or the best, depending on how you look at it. By normal standards upon which most movies are reviewed, it doesn't get much more terrible than this. However, based upon sheer violent content that reaches such an unbelievably, unimaginably, outrageously graphic level it achieves comedic sickness whether its meant to or not, it is the best movie ever. Riki Oh is by far the bloodiest, goriest, and sickest film ever concieved. Imagine the game Mortal Kombat... and make it 50x bloodier. Holes are punched through people, heads are crushed, tendons are ripped and tied, intestines are pulled out and used as weapons, body parts fly, eyes shoot out from the sockets, and people are shoved into meat grinders. That is only half of it. Blood flows like water. Watch it, you'll have a good time doing it. You'll be watching the fight scenes over just to make sure that, yes, you really saw Ricky tie his own tendon with his teeth. Watch it with a group of friends, you'll all be laughing your butts off, either that or vomitting profusely. Riki Oh is a tremendously enjoyable experience, however those who are weak of stomache should stray away from this movie at all costs. If you are a gore freak, or just looking for a good distraction from your woes, by all means get Riki Oh. If you are looking for depth of plot and heartfelt acting, avoid Riki Oh no matter what. Again, it cannot be stressed how insanely violent this movie is.

So bad it's funny
Story of Riki is a must see.
It is so bad it's funny. Especially the laughable dubbed version of the film.

The plot is pretty dull but still holds a grudge.
The film is very very Cheesy too.

The violence is over the top but very unrealistic but Still over the top such as the part were Riki pumbles through a guys stomach or of course the part were riki smashes through a guys hans. This film is very very violent and graphic but in a funny way.

The music was acctually pretty good! The story of Riki Rules! And I recomend this too some one who just wants to see some thing F-d up.

Over all this is a horrbily but funny movie even though it's not tended to be funny.

Get it...NOW!!!

Later

Ricky's Great! Ricky's superb!!!!
Recently I've been reading up on Horror movies while on the internet, which naturally leads to discussion of gory films. Not too many non-horror movies would generally come up, except for this one, which was referred to repeatedly. Still, I wasn't too interested til I came across it in a store, and noticed the 'features the hilarious exploding head from the daily show' sticker.

Clearly, this was a film I had to see.

Normally, I write long, tedious reviews, but really what can you say about Riki-Oh. This is the height of camp entertainment. It is compulsively watchable, including the non-action scenes which still have immeasurable camp appeal. The ultra-cheap, inappropriately brightly colored sets are delightful, and the subtitles are absolutely atrocious, both of which add to the film's appeal. Honestly, this movie would be pretty damn amusing even without the delirious effects.

The effects are the real star, and they are fall-down hilarious. Contrary to what you may think, there isn't much kung-fu in this film, especially on the part of Ricky, who generally just lands a single, explosive deathblow with his mighty fist. There isn't all that much variety in the gore fx, but the sheer absurdity and audacity of the bare-handed-explosive-mutilations maintains interest throughout. Despite the general technical incompetence of the film they manage to pace it pretty well, not overdoing the violence early, but not having too little happen either, so it entertains well continously.(And they still save most of the best effects for the final act) Personally, I found the funniest effect one to be the least graphic one: Ricky's girlfriends staggerinly unrealistic plummet from a rooftop. The film falters slightly at the very end. The fight with the warden goes too far over the top, but their doing so was pretty much inevitable considering the nature of the film, so I applaud them for managing to delay this inevitablility until the very end.

This is an utterly bare-bones dvd, which looks pretty much like a tape. A nice digital make-over wouldn't be appropriate for this picture, but it's annoying to have to pay nearly 30 bucks for something so cheaply done. Really, this should only cost half of it's suggested price. But what can I say, it's worth it.

RIKI SET ME FREE!!!
If you deal opium, oppress old men who build toy trains, fillet the skin off of poor mutes, get in Riki's business, or otherwise piss Riki off: YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!!! This movie is totally ridiculous and wild! Bad dubbing, cheesy fx, and over-the-top gore will have you rolling! The only reason this isn't getting five stars is because of my dissappointment that the warden's fat, annoying boy didn't get pummeled. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very good film. Not so good video
This is a very good film. Unfortunately this video is not very clear and it is dubbed in english. The worst is that some scenes were cutted. The cuting was well made in the sence that if a person did not see the original film he/she will not notice that some scenes are missing.
Even so the film is so good that I recomend it entusiastically ... Read more

Description

When mild-mannered Ricky takes revenge on the drug pushing thugs who killed his girlfriend, he is sentenced to a maximum security prison. Within these walls lies a penitentiary like no other, run by a host of evil characters. A sadistic warden, his sniveling assistant, and the powerful Gang of Four all control the inmates through terror and brutal death! ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A movie so bad that it's entertaining.
....Riki-Oh: The story of Ricky is a B movie beyond any B movie I've ever seen.As a movie, it gets 1 star,as a form of visual entertainment for the morbid,and/or people with strong stomachs looking for a movie to make fun of,a full 5 stars.The dubbing is bad,the music is bad, the plot is full of holes,and ridiculous things happen in his movie that could never occur in real life,but all this does not matter,because the gore and violence are so over the top. If you have a morbid sense of humor, this movie will definitely do. There are tons of graphic scenes of major mutilation and death.I found it so funny that I often had to replay the scenes in slow motion to see how they did it,and when you slow it down,it looks even funnier.This movie is crazy,and doesn't make a ton of sense,but I find it very entertaining.If you've got that "special sense of humor",you owe it to yourself to buy this DVD,and gross your friends out with it.I have to find/make a T shirt that has the DVD box art on it! Too funny.

Ridiculously violent masterpiece of bloodshed and mayhem.
OK, this is either the worst movie ever made, or the best, depending on how you look at it. By normal standards upon which most movies are reviewed, it doesn't get much more terrible than this. However, based upon sheer violent content that reaches such an unbelievably, unimaginably, outrageously graphic level it achieves comedic sickness whether its meant to or not, it is the best movie ever. Riki Oh is by far the bloodiest, goriest, and sickest film ever concieved. Imagine the game Mortal Kombat... and make it 50x bloodier. Holes are punched through people, heads are crushed, tendons are ripped and tied, intestines are pulled out and used as weapons, body parts fly, eyes shoot out from the sockets, and people are shoved into meat grinders. That is only half of it. Blood flows like water. Watch it, you'll have a good time doing it. You'll be watching the fight scenes over just to make sure that, yes, you really saw Ricky tie his own tendon with his teeth. Watch it with a group of friends, you'll all be laughing your butts off, either that or vomitting profusely. Riki Oh is a tremendously enjoyable experience, however those who are weak of stomache should stray away from this movie at all costs. If you are a gore freak, or just looking for a good distraction from your woes, by all means get Riki Oh. If you are looking for depth of plot and heartfelt acting, avoid Riki Oh no matter what. Again, it cannot be stressed how insanely violent this movie is.

So bad it's funny
Story of Riki is a must see.
It is so bad it's funny. Especially the laughable dubbed version of the film.

The plot is pretty dull but still holds a grudge.
The film is very very Cheesy too.

The violence is over the top but very unrealistic but Still over the top such as the part were Riki pumbles through a guys stomach or of course the part were riki smashes through a guys hans. This film is very very violent and graphic but in a funny way.

The music was acctually pretty good! The story of Riki Rules! And I recomend this too some one who just wants to see some thing F-d up.

Over all this is a horrbily but funny movie even though it's not tended to be funny.

Get it...NOW!!!

Later

Ricky's Great! Ricky's superb!!!!
Recently I've been reading up on Horror movies while on the internet, which naturally leads to discussion of gory films. Not too many non-horror movies would generally come up, except for this one, which was referred to repeatedly. Still, I wasn't too interested til I came across it in a store, and noticed the 'features the hilarious exploding head from the daily show' sticker.

Clearly, this was a film I had to see.

Normally, I write long, tedious reviews, but really what can you say about Riki-Oh. This is the height of camp entertainment. It is compulsively watchable, including the non-action scenes which still have immeasurable camp appeal. The ultra-cheap, inappropriately brightly colored sets are delightful, and the subtitles are absolutely atrocious, both of which add to the film's appeal. Honestly, this movie would be pretty damn amusing even without the delirious effects.

The effects are the real star, and they are fall-down hilarious. Contrary to what you may think, there isn't much kung-fu in this film, especially on the part of Ricky, who generally just lands a single, explosive deathblow with his mighty fist. There isn't all that much variety in the gore fx, but the sheer absurdity and audacity of the bare-handed-explosive-mutilations maintains interest throughout. Despite the general technical incompetence of the film they manage to pace it pretty well, not overdoing the violence early, but not having too little happen either, so it entertains well continously.(And they still save most of the best effects for the final act) Personally, I found the funniest effect one to be the least graphic one: Ricky's girlfriends staggerinly unrealistic plummet from a rooftop. The film falters slightly at the very end. The fight with the warden goes too far over the top, but their doing so was pretty much inevitable considering the nature of the film, so I applaud them for managing to delay this inevitablility until the very end.

This is an utterly bare-bones dvd, which looks pretty much like a tape. A nice digital make-over wouldn't be appropriate for this picture, but it's annoying to have to pay nearly 30 bucks for something so cheaply done. Really, this should only cost half of it's suggested price. But what can I say, it's worth it.

RIKI SET ME FREE!!!
If you deal opium, oppress old men who build toy trains, fillet the skin off of poor mutes, get in Riki's business, or otherwise piss Riki off: YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!!! This movie is totally ridiculous and wild! Bad dubbing, cheesy fx, and over-the-top gore will have you rolling! The only reason this isn't getting five stars is because of my dissappointment that the warden's fat, annoying boy didn't get pummeled. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Poor Quality Recording
My complaints are not with the film itself but with the quality of the VHS recording. I ordered this tape brand new and paid full price, but the cassette I received was clearly used and recorded over. The soundtrack from some old news/interview program could clearly be heard overlapping the film dialogue throughout the tape. It's annoying to the point where the tape is unwatchable.

Save your money and don't buy this tape.

Travesty is putting it kindly!!!
Simply put, this film is garbage. I rented it because I love samurai films. I saw that the cast included the great Toshiro Mifune, and assumed that it had to have some worth. Boy was I wrong!!!

Incredibly American ego-centric poo-poo. The film's main character is an American marine who is working with Admiral Perry. In order to seal the treaty between America and Japan, a sacred blade was to be given to America as a gift of allegiance from Japan. The Bushido Blade is quickly stolen so that the deal cannot be completed. Although the Americans fail to see the importance of such a gift, they send the marine to retrieve it from the evil samurai who had stolen it. Constantly insulting the Japanese for holding a mere object in such high regard, the film shows its small mindedness and lack of appreciciation for Japan's culture and the high art of sword making. The story goes on with the typical plot twists and some disgustingly unrealistic battles. Namely a fight between the American marine and the best swordsman of a lethal Samurai clan. Of course the American wins. That should give you a pretty good clue about his movie.

!!!STAY AWAY AT ALL COSTS!!! Don't even rent this piece of crap. It will sap the intelligence straight out of you brain and rob you of 100 minutes that you can never have back. If there's one thing in my life I regret, it is watching this idiotic film.

Cheeseball is being kind
This hackneyed excuse for a samurai film is an example of great actors (excluding Frank Converse) needing work. The action sequences are laughable and if you may not have noticed, this is an Arthur Rankin/Jules Bass production, famed American cartoon producers, Frosty the Snowman being one of their most well-known works. Someone should have told them to "thumpity, thump, thump" back to Saturday morning fare. This one reeks about as much as the scene where the sailors refuse to take baths. Shogun may have been melodramatic, but there isn't an ounce of drama used here. Buy this one at your own risk. Only thing of value is the plastic box it came in. You can use it for another DVD and the DVD as a frisbee.

What's going on?
I have reviewed this travesty of a film. Why haven't you printed my reveiw? ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Off beat, strange at times, but it's worth watching
Miike is known for him graphic violence, strange sense of humor, and shocking imagry, but claymation and musical numbers?!
This is strange movie told from the point of view of the little girl in the family and the story revoles around a the guest that stay(and die) at the quiet little inn they own. In about 4 or 5 different times the movie goes into claymation with live action infused too, it's odd but kind of funny in way. But don't let the claymation scare you the movie is accually toching in a way because it show the struggles of a family to strive and be happy in the world and as in real life it's not a very easy thing to do.
So if your looking for something different and you have an open mind pick up this movie and other Miike films, you may just enjoy them.

This is one crazy Japanese film
With this film, Avant-guarde Japanese director Takashi Miike shows that he still has a sense of humor. The film is a remake of a Korean film called "The Quiet Family" and is about the Katakuri family, the father of which was laid off from his job as a shoe salesman. The family decides to start over by starting a bed and breakfast in the mountains. However, the place seems to be cursed as all of the guests begin to die in bizarre ways, though the Katakuri Family is not at fault. Rather than running the risk of bad press for their business, the family decides to hide the bodies, and in doing so, they rediscover their lust for life. To top off all of the weirdness, there's claymation and the film is a musical as well as the family deals with the stress by singing like no one is listening and dancing like no one is watching! Not even in the nightmares of Tim Burton could he make a film so deliriously weird, funny and entertaining.

The Zombies are doing the Twist--and it goes like ths
Katakuri-ke no kôfuku is an exceedingly inventive and entertaining film that exploits a wide range of film techniques to often stunning effect. For quite a bit of this film, it looks and feeis very much like Peter Greenaway's "Drowning by Numbers". Director Takashi Miike goes way over the top to create an emotionally rich and deeply sentimental portrait of the spirit of love.

Overall, the musical numbers lift this film into a strange and magical realm. Songs about rotting corpses and romantic longing are perfectly compatible. The film exists in a perpetual dreamlike state that is quite intoxicating. The whole film is romantic--from the longing to run a mountain guesthouse as a family to Shizue's longing for love in the guise of a conman (Kiyoshiro Imawano).

I must admit to spending quite a bit of the film swooning over the heavenly Naomi Nishida, who plays the lovelorn Shizue. She's exquisite--sort of a cross between a young Mia Farrow and Delphine Seyrig. The rest of the cast is quite good as well. Although this isn't a film made by the acting, necessarily, the performances are all expertly utilized and fit into the film's overall structure.

It really is an insane romp in this film. Bodies pile up and they must be disposed. This film alternates between being scary, gross, hilarious, heartwarming, goofy, philosophical, demented, sick, melodramatic, effervescent, ribald, and crude. The songs are lovely and the sentiments are tender and sweet. This is a family that is seeting with potentially devestating chaos just under the surface. Instead of celebrating the dysfunctional aspects, this film focuses on the commonalities that serve as inspiration for the family members in their quest for a happy life. The overall result is delightful, despite and maybe because of the all-singing, all dancing zombies.

Quirky Fun
* In Takashi Miike's THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS (THOTK), we meet
the Katakuri clan: grandpa Jinpei, the old crusty family patriarch,
and his little Benji-style mutt Pochi; Masao (Kenji Sawada), an
ex-shoe salesman, and his wife Terue (Keiko Matsuzaka), who met at
work, fell madly in love with each other and stayed that way; their
divorcee daughter Shizue (Naomi Nishida), a pretty and sweet girl who
unfortunately is unbelievably gullible, making her a complete pushover
for every lying jerk that comes around; their son Masayuki (Shinji
Takeda), who has a bit of an attitude problem and a history of
problems with the law concerning lifting wallets and the like; and
Shizuo's little daughter, who is something of an observer to the
family's eccentricities.

Masao, having been laid off from work, invests in a country house to
rent rooms to vacationers, bringing together his semi-dysfunctional
family in an earnest attempt to get things back on track.
Unfortunately, they can't seem to get any guests, driving everyone to
distraction; and so when a gloomy stranger shows up and asks for a
room, everyone is ecstactic. They are distressed, then, when he
commits suicide during the night. Instead of reporting the incident
to the police, Masao decides that it would be healthier for business
if they simply buried the poor fellow in the woods, and manages to get
everyone to agree. However, this turns out to be only the beginning
of a streak of really terrible luck, which just seems to go from bad
to worse ...

As this description suggests, THOTK is a quirky film, made all the
more quirky by the fact that it is a musical. As if to emphasize its
quirkiness, it often lapses into "claymation" style animation, though
this sometimes seem to be less an attempt at quirkiness than a dodge
to avoid expensive special-effects shots (and a way of doing violent
and gory scenes without ruining the goofy effect of the whole).

It is hard to make recommendations about quirky movies. Many people
hate such things, and such folk will not like THOTK at all. Some
people love such things, and they will love THOTK. Me, quirky movies
are just another genre of movie, like sci-fi flics or horror flics or
war flics, and I tend to like them or not on their own merits --
they're far from anything new, folks. I can definitely say THOTK is
well-produced, well-acted, and fun, though whether it is more original
than some of the musical productions MAD magazine wrote up in my youth
many decades ago is arguable.

I'm not sure I'd call it memorable, and I did find it overlong (it
could have been edited down to better effect), but it certainly does
have its moments. I liked the "MTV music video" style number the
family put on when they find the suicide's body, and in particular the
"nightclub duet" number Masao and Tenuo put of when they express their
love for each other. They looked really good -- though of course,
almost anyone looks good in evening clothes in soft lighting with
laser lights and disco balls. Overall, I hate to praise THOTK too
much or too little, so I'll just have to provide a description and let
the readers take their own chances on it.

What in the hell is going on?
My lovely fiancee introduced me to this movie fairly recently, and it's not that often that a film has me thinking for hours after it's over, 'What in the hell was all that about?'

being an avid lover of the cinema, I have always had great respect for directors that like to push the envelope and do something unique as well as creative. This movie goes above and beyond the call of duty to accomplish that. I am of two minds about this movie, I'm not saying I don't like it, in fact I think it's one of the best foreign films I've ever seen. Yet at the same time I feel like going up to Takashi Miike and saying 'What kind of a sick freak are you?' It's amazing how a movie can pull your feelings in different directions.

This film seems to defy all the conventions of genre and/or style in regards to movie making, because it seems like Miike threw all of the rules right out the freaking window.

The film is indeed a feel-good black comedy, it's also a musical, a horror film, a romantic comedy, and a family film. It's strange how one film can be all of these things at one time, and yet be none of these things at the same time.

i swear, sometimes I felt like I was watching a Japanese version of Monty Python's The Sound of Music. That is essentially the best way I could ever describe this film. The film also incorporates avant-garde and absurdist slapstick situational comedy along with other great stuff thrown in, including moments of claymation thrown in for good measure.

It is the sort of film that you can't help but get drawn into, not just because of everything that I just mentioned above, but also thanks in large part to the incredible performances by the actors and actresses involved. Because in a film that seems so completely outrageous, you would think that the actors would be tempted to camp it up and do it over the top, fortunately they don't. Their performances are honest and sincere, and THAT is what makes this film work.

If you happen to be walking in a video store and pass by a foreign film section or a section of Japanese movies, do yourself a favor, check out this film. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Emanuell
It was so cool i loved it i had seen it with all of my friend they even loved it was a wonderful movie ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Sonny Chiba Brutality at its best
I think a few qualifiers are needed before viewing a Sonny Chiba film. Personally I love this film, but I also realize many other people may not. Sonny Chiba at the time this film came out was hyped as the heir to Bruce Lee when truth is he isn't even close. Don't get me wrong the martial arts technique and choreograghy is brilliant in spots, but these films emphasize raw and I do mean raw brutality. If excessive blood and seeing people literally having body parts ripped out turn you off then don't buy this movie. On the plus side for me the dialog in this film is classic its one those film every time you see it you say lines right along with the character. The DVD itself is great because you get two remastered movies for ten bucks. I wish more studios did this. This is basically a bare bones DVD with no extras, my only complaint is that they should have included the original theatrical trailer, but then the movie cost ten dollars , so what do you expect. One last things the soundtracks on these these films are pretty cool with the jazz and synth beats.

The One
The Streetfighter starts out with a relatively confusing encounter between what appears to be a prisoner and a priest (played by Chiba). The action heats up faster than a leaky lighter. Before we know it, Chiba has the sole of his foot (upside down no less) in the mouth of this outclassed opponent. The movie ends in one of the great windy, rainy, pre-Lethal Weapon 2, showdowns. Sonny Chiba fills the screen with intensity, purpose and keeps us at the edge of our seats. Why didn't they get better looking babes and make it a full platter?

Shogun's shame
Why was this movie so terrible? It started at first glance; the title. A Shogun is Japanese, whereas a Ninja is Chinese. A Shogun would never associate with a ninja, as ninja are without honor. A Shogun would only associate with Samurai.

Now we can get past this glaring error to the cheesy schlock that was the rest of this movie. From the soundtrack reminiscent of lower quality 70's porno flicks, to the unentertaining, poorly choreographed battles, poor acting, etc... do not waste precious minutes of your life watching this movie. After watching this movie I am honor-bound to commit Seppuku. Goodbye, cruel world.

Too bland a kung-fu title
There are two problems with this movie: 1) It is way too mediocre and has the usual cliches, and 2) the villain is by far much more competant than the hero and certainly takes up more screen time since he is deservedly so.

Any way, get this only if you like the Kung-fu films...a lot. I mean Kung-Fu fanboy like. It has no real innovative, provocative plot, the fights are so-so, and the characters are killed off discriminantly. Pretty much your average kung-fu fair.

bone-crunching fun for martial arts cinema fans!
Forget all the countless knock-offs and recycled versions that are out there, this is the version to pick up. Not only are both films presented in their original aspect ratio (Actionscope aka 2.35:1) but these are the uncut versions as well! Watch as Sonny Chiba gleefully gouges, pokes and tears into his enemies.

The plot is a bit hard to follow but who cares? So long as Chiba is on screen, grimacing, giving his best Clint Eastwood stare and beating the poop out of somebody.

STREET FIGHTER is arguably, Chiba's best movie to date and it is great to see it given such a glorious digital treatment. You can throw away your crappy pan and scam VHS copies for this bad boy. ... Read more