Zatoichi・（座頭市）; Beat Takeshi’s new movie
By Oli
At 6:32 PM · Friday, 10 October · 2003
To Japan
Recently I went to see Zatoichi・「座頭市」 with Matt, Ma-chan and Miwa. This is Beat Takeshi’s・（武・北野） take on a legendary Japanese film empire; a series of 26 classic Samurai・（侍） movies that were hugely popular in Japan. The blind swordsman role was played for 25 years by Shintarō Katsu・（勝・新太郎）, who became so intimately connected with the character that after his fall from grace (busted at the airport with drugs in his underwear ;-) many doubted another Zatoichi movie would be made. Luckily, Beat Takeshi has been able to create a new take on Zatoichi, and live up to the imposing legend of Shintarō Katsu.
The new film sees Beat Takeshi as both the main character Zatoichi and the film’s director, with the excellent Tadanobu Asano・（浅野・忠信） playing Gennosuke Hattori・（服部・源之助） a lethal rōnin・（武士）. Zatoichi arrives at a small town run by rival gangs, and ends up with the gang who hired Hattori out to kill him. A fellow gambler, a mother figure, and a pair of murderous Geisha・（芸者）, plus lots of excellent villans, are also involved. The plot moves quickly leaving more time for sword fights, and these are definitely the film’s raison d’être. Although I found some of the special effects a little too melodramatic, the fight scenes rock.
My favourite aspect of the film is the use of music and rhythms to portray the world Zatoichi lives in. To convey his blindness ambient sounds are accentuated when he is the protagonist, and sometimes these ambient sounds become rhythmic music — people working in the field or building a house, for example.
This is an excellent movie, and has already won Takeshi the Silver Lion at the 60th Venice Film Festival. It’s showing with English subtitles in one Roppongi・（六本木） movie theater, so hopefully the Japanese DVD will include subtitles too (although the Japanese is surprisingly easy to understand — no period language). Highly recommended!
- Movie trailers (two trailers in large and small sizes, available in QT or WMP format)
- Time Asia review;
Striking a New Beat
