BLIND WOMAN'S CURSE (1970) 怪談昇り竜 directed by Teruo Ishii Production: Nikkatsu Distribution = Dainichi Utsuhai June 20, 1970 85 minutes Fujicolor Cinemascope Meiko Kaji as Akemi Tachibana Hoki Tokuda as Aiko Gouda Makoto Sato as Tani Shouichi Toru Abe as Dobashi Shiro Otsuji as Senba-tatsu Before Lady Snowblood and before Female Prisoner Scorpion movies - in fact, around the time she was first getting noticed in the Stray Cat Rock series, SOMEONE had already figured out that the soft spoken, demure Meiko Kaji had an onscreen intensity about her that was suited for the oncoming stylistic shift in Japanese cinema. (Meiko Kaji) Blind Woman's Curse is the story of Akemi (Meiko Kaji) who has assumed the role of her father's crime organization in pre-modern Japan. While fighting a rival clan, she accidently blind's the leader's sister. She notices a stray black cat lapping up the blood from it - cursing her... (Meiko Kaji ) After getting out of prison, she tries to tak...
BOHACHI BOSHIDO - CODE OF THE FORGOTTEN EIGHT (1973)
ポルノ時代劇 忘八武士道
directed by Teruo Ishii
Production: Toei (Kyoto studio)
Feb 3, 1973
81 minutes Color Widescreen
Feb 3, 1973
81 minutes Color Widescreen
Tetsuro Tanba as Shino the Assassin
Goro Ibuki as Kesazo
Tatsuo Endo as Shirobei Daimon
Yuriko Hishimi as Omon
This movie is everything exploitation is supposed to be!
(Tetsuro Tanba as Shino the Assassin)
Its the story of Shiro, a 17th century ronin, who comes into contact with the Clan of the Forgotten Eight. They're essentially pimps with a lot of time on their hands who come up with eight guidelines to their way of life (no god, loyalty, servitude, trust, property, justice, conscience, or shame), and they figure Shiro is just their kind of guy.
(Tetsuro Tanba as Shino the Assassin)
But he’s such a badass that he can’t even follow THOSE rules, so the big boss decides instead to employ him to go and destroy the clans enemies (i.e. Anyone ELSE who are selling women for money) and he does so with the calm, efficient manner of a steamroller set on automatic pilot.
(Tetsuro Tanba and Yuriko Hishimi)
Of course, they screw him over in the end and he has to make them pay, but all along the way it’s sex and violence galore - when they tell you a movie has a lot of nudity in it… well, no - THIS movie has a lot of nudity in it. You could create a drinking game call 'spot the maebari’ and you and your friends would never get bored.
(See the maebari?)
Legendary Japanese actor Tetsuro Tanba is perfect as the nihilistic, depressed, stone faced assassin Shiro, and Ultra 7’s Anne, Yuriko Hishimi, prances around naked throughout; but really the whole cast is excellent, including Gorou Ibuki as second in command, Endo Tatsuo as the despicable and evil boss.
(Yuriko Hishimi)
By accident or not, director Teruo Ishii has created art here - maybe the story could’ve been a bit deeper? And it never lags, but rather moves along at a nice steady gallop throughout.
“To Die is Hell. But to Live is also Hell.” - Shiro tells us a few times, surrounded in a world of scum, he has to slice his way through, only to be pursued by more people - is this his life or is he really in hell?
There’s a great interview with Yuriko Hishimi that you can watch on youtube, where she talks about being in this movie - it’s really entertaining.
Bonus Pics:
MAEBARI
No MAEBARI?
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