An Evil Soul Wields An Evil Sword

I like Japanese cinema - particular the Chanbara and Jidekai or swordplay and period drama films. Most will associate Japanese cinema with Akira Kurosawa and we've all come across one of his films either being paid homage to or remade and there is no denying the visual and emotional power of his films. We're all largely familiar with Toshiro Mifune through his close association with Kurosawa and also through his appearances in some western movies but I thought I'd occasionally recommend some of the lesser known films and the stars and directors of this vitally important cinema. I'll try and avoid lengthy synopsis to avoid spoiling the watching of these films.


1.SWORD OF DOOM
Directed by Kichachi Okamoto, its stars Tatsuya Nakadai as one of the most evil men to ever grace the silver screen, a samurai named Ryunosuke. Ryunosuke is a man bent on the destruction of anyone that dare show weakness before him. The film charts his descent into hell and is beautifully shot in black and white. Nakadai is incredibly intense as the lead role - his stare cuts straight through the screen as boldly as the blade of his Katana. If you like a classic revenge tragedy then this is for you. Western equivalents would be the lone gun revenge western or perhaps Lee Marvin's performance in 'Point Blank' but this film does not assume any knowledge of the proud and regimented way of the swordsman - rather it forms a morality tale that soon slides into altogether darker territory.

Ryunosuke is an exponent of the 'Silent Form' - a graceful sword style that quickly and quietly dispatches those who oppose him and we see this demonstrated in a scene where he moves through a band of Ronin on a forest path strewn by fog. With none of the bombastic sound effects of modern cinema we hear the barest of swishes as his sword cuts through each wave of attackers till the silence of the forest overpowers the scene.

I'm at great pains to point out that this shouldn't be regarded as a chop-socky actioner. Every shot is perfectly framed (it should be no surprise that the Japanese are responsible for the widescreen ratios of 2.35 and 2.40 which were inspired by the width of the theatrical stage used in Japanese theatre). The tone is thoroughly chilling and the moments of extreme violence that sporadically occur are entirely devoid of glamour. It is a film that has been crafted from a simple story (incidentally a very popular novel in Japan) into a gripping sensory experience that leaves you questioning the nature of the evil in man.

This film has finally been remastered and released by the Criterion Collection.