Zatoichi and the Doomed Man
Directed by Kazuo Mori
Written by Shozaburo Asai from a story by Kan Shimozawa
1965/Japan
Daiei Studios
First viewing/Netflix
[box] None so deaf as those that will not hear. None so blind as those that will not see. Matthew Henry Read[/box]
The classic Zatoichi story line is marred this time by excessive “comic relief”. Then the film is rescued by a most awesome sword fight.
Blind swordsman/masseur Zatoichi is on the road again. He comes upon a man condemned to death and agrees to try to find evidence to save him. As usual, our hero is harassed by various gang bosses. In the meantime, he must cope with an extremely annoying thief and a pushy admirer.
Something about most Japanese comedy is lost on me and these particular comics just got on my nerves. I was about to give up and then for the ending the director pulls out the single greatest sword fight yet in the series. Zatoichi takes on at least 50 men in the fog! Half the time he is handicapped by being caught in a fishing net! So these films are batting 1000 in the recommendation department.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwhUCura04M
Final fight clip starts at approx. 12:50
