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...
BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY: FINAL EPISODE (1974)
仁義なき戦い 完結篇
directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Production: Toei (Kyoto Studio)
June 29, 1974
98 minutes Fujicolor Cinemascope
June 29, 1974
98 minutes Fujicolor Cinemascope
Bunta Sugawara as Hirono Shozo
Akira Kobayashi as Takeda Akira
Kin'ya Kitaoji as Tamotsu Matsumura
Joe Shishido as Katsutoshi Otomo
Hiroki Matsukata as Turukichi Ichioka
Takeda (Akira Kobayashi) has turned his family into a political coalition, to try to change public perception, but the underlings of all parties are still restless and fighting. Opposing this way of doing things is the just out of jail old school boss Terukichi Ichioka (Hiroki Matsukata). Note: Matasukata is on his third character in the series! He died as Shoichi Fujita in the previous movie and was assassinated as Tetsuya Sakai in the first movie!).
(Bunta Sugawara as Hirono Shozo and Hiroki Matsukata as Turukichi Ichioka)
Making things difficult within his own camp is Takeda’s Hot Headed Vice Chairman Otomo (played with fire by an older Joe Shishido) who is ready to fight back after Ichioka has one of their accountants killed (Sugita).
(Joe Shishido as Katsutoshi Otomo)
But Takeda is thrown in jail on a weapons charge and he names Matsumura (Kinya Kitaoji - also on a second character in the series - he was Shoji in Deadly Fight in Hiroshima) as his replacement. Otomo is furious and tries to have Matsumura killed, but fails. Ichioka senses this infighting and offers to be sworn brothers with Otomo.
(Kin'ya Kitaoji as Tamotsu Matsumura)
Yes, it’s the same type of thing weve seen in each of these movies, but I’ve followed it so closely now, I want to know where it goes! If I had to rate them on how I personally enjoyed them all, from best to worst in order, it’d be 2, 3, 4, 5, 1.
Two things: This movie is about Matsumura’s transition to power (and the new generation replacing the old) - how the whole area prepares for Shozo’s release from prison - and where things are at right up to the present times…or 1970 anyway.
Two things: This movie is about Matsumura’s transition to power (and the new generation replacing the old) - how the whole area prepares for Shozo’s release from prison - and where things are at right up to the present times…or 1970 anyway.
(Akira Kobayashi as Takeda Akira and Bunta Sugawara as Hirono Shozo
Also of note: Yumiko Nogawa (Story of a Prostitute, Gate of Flesh) has a small part as Kaoru, the daughter of Sugita, and girlfriend and then wife of Matsumura…
(Yumiko Nogawa as Kaoru)
and Maki Tachibana (The Story of a Nymphomaniac) has a small part in one quick scene as Yamamori’s mistress.
(Maki Tachibana as mistress)
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