Daily Archives: November 30, 2017

New Tale of Zatoichi (Shin Zatôichi monogatari)
Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka
Written by Minoru Inuzuka and Kan Shimozawa
1963/Japan
Daiei Studios
First viewing/FilmStruck

[box] “Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there’s a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.” ― Helen Keller[/box]

The first color film in the Blind Ichi series maintains the high standards of the two previous films.

Series keystone Shintaro Katsu continues in the title role.  Our blind masseur/swordsman is minding his own business as usual and decides to visit his old village and the Master who taught him swordsmanship.  He is pursued by the brother of one of his former defeated attackers, who has vowed vengeance.

The Master wants his sister to marry a wealthy man she does not love.  She has fallen for Zatoichi and asks him to marry her.  He is reluctant saying he is a bad man – killer, gambler, etc.  But he loves her too and vows to turn over a new leaf.  At first things work out in his favor, but circumstances just will not leave Ichi alone.

This series is becoming like an anticipated mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  It’s something I put on knowing I will be entertained and impressed.  Two more to go in 1963!

Trailer for the Criterion 25-film box set

Dementia 13
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by Francis Ford Coppola and Frank Hill
1963/USA
American International Pictures
First viewing/Amazon Prime

[box] Justin Caleb: Consider your mind as a bird in your hand.[/box]

A talented newcomer gives a low-budget horror movie some class.

Each year the Haloran family holds a memorial service for a daughter who died in childhood.  Eldest brother John and his wife Louise are slated to attend.  He reminds her that she stands to inherit nothing if he pre-deceases her and then promptly drops dead of a heart attack.  She scrambles to conceal his death and shows up alone, saying that her husband has been called away on business.

The rest of the film covers a series of axe murders.  Each person in the family and the family doctor is a suspect.

Francis Ford Coppola was working as an assistant to Roger Corman on another film when this was made.  He was allowed to use the same cast if he could shoot around the other production.  Considering the circumstances, Coppola did a good job with a bare-bone budget.  There are many nice shots.  The story is nothing special, though.  I guessed the identity of the killer almost immediately.