Monthly Archives: October 2018

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

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen
Directed by Donald Brittain and Don Owen
Written by Donald Brittain
1965/Canada
National Film Board of Canada
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] “I have tried in my way to be free.” ― Leonard Cohen, “Bird on a Wire”[/box]

There are almost no songs and only a little poetry in this 45-minute documentary about Canada’s most famous poet.  Yet I came out of my viewing wanting to dig into a book of his poems.

The film follows Cohen to poetry readings and at home around Europe and in his native Montreal.  The writer proves to be thoroughly engaging in moods both philosophical and light-hearted.

I’ve always loved Leonard Cohen’s songs.  This film predates the 1967 launch of his musical career so, other than a minor little ditty, you won’t find any of them here.  Yet, the man is so charismatic that it didn’t matter at all.  Highly recommended to fans.  The complete film is available on YouTube.

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Story of a Prostitute (Shinpu den)
Directed by Seijun Suzuki
Written by Hajime Takaiwa; story by Taijiru Tomura
1965/Japan
Nikkatsu
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] “I’m just a musical prostitute, my dear.” ― Freddie Mercury[/box]

In this WWII film, Suzuki reveals his more melancholic and personal side while continuing his use of stunning imagery.

Harumi, a prosititute, is devastated when her lover marriage.  She decides to take off for a remote Japanese outpost in Northern China to work in a brothel of “comfort women”. Thirteen women service 1,000 men on an almost assembly-line basis.  Harumi becomes a favorite of the brutal adjutant who commands the post.

Disgusted by the adjutant’s abuse, Harumi falls for his orderly.  The orderly initially resists her advances but finally succumbs.  As the military situation in the area heats up the situation grows more and more tragic.

Usually, Suzuk tends toward edgyy, gonzo style entertainment in the yakuza genre.  Here he is almost lyrical, with an unsparing view of one of the horrors of war.  Perhaps the more thoughtful tone came from the director’s own experience as a soldier.  His unit of 12 men  had three dedicated comfort women when he was stationed in Taiwan.  Recommended.

Clip – no subtitles

The Human Duplicators (1965)
Directed by Hugo Grimaldi and Arthur C. Pierce
Written by Arthur C. Pierce
1965/USA
Woolner Brothers Pictures Inc./Hugo Grimaldi Film Productions
First viewing/YouTube

[box] It is always more fun to play a bad guy than to be yourself, as you can create a character unlike your own and be someone you are not for a change. — Richard Kiel[/box]

Richard Kiel is the chief of the charms of this early low-budget android picture.

Kiel plays Dr. Kolos, an alien who has been assigned by his masters to establish a colony on earth.  This he will do by “duplicating” humans, a process that leaves the person’s bodily shell resembling a cheep department store mannequin.  Failure is punishible by death.

Dr. Kolos is to be assisted in his work by earthling Professor Dornheimer (George McCready) who has  been experimenting with robots for years.  Kolos must resist the unseemly feelings elicited by the professor’s daughter Lisa.  In the meantime, the N.I.A., an intelligence agency is on the case.  With Hugh Beaumont as a big boss at the N.I.A. and Barbara Nichols as his right hand woman.

This mostly excellent cast does well with some absolutely dire dialogue and cheesy cheap production values – including a spaceship that greatly resembles a Christmas ornament.  I really liked Kiel in this one.  He seemed to have a twinkle in his eye as he recited his very odd dialogue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EY9VUIZAfw

Sword of the Beast (Kedamono no ken)
Directed by Hideo Gosha
Written by Hideo Gosha and Elizaburo Shiba
1965/Japan
Shochiku-Fuji Company/Shochiku Eiga
First viewing/FilmStruck

[box] Minister: Wait! We’re not connected at all. Why kill me?

Yuuki Gennosuke: No, we *are* connected because I’ll see you in hell.[/box]

The confusing and convoluted plot is punctuated by some exciting sword fighting, fine filmmaking, and excellent acting.

The year is 1857, shortly after Admiral Perry opened Japan. Ace swordsman Yuuki Gennosuke (Mikijiro Hira) is on the run after having killed his clan’s counsellor on the false claims of a clansman that the assassination will pave the way to reform and, most importantly, will get Gennosuke a retainer with the clan.  Now the counsellor’s daughter, her fiance, and a bunch of ninja are on a vendetta to kill him.

Simultaneously, Gennosuke teams up with a thug who wants to poach gold from the shogun’s mountain.  Gennosuke learns that rival swordsman Junata Yamane and his wife have already amassed a large amount through panning.  He figures it is easier to steal it than to pan for it. Gennosuke’s multitudinous enemies engage him in a series of elaborate sword fights throughout.

I never did get a complete grasp on the story but it is secondary.  Hiro is really superb and the direction keeps things moving and interesting.  I love the part where he tests out his hiding place for room to perform various sword maneuvers.  Recommended to fans of this sort of thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_eddPRh5eY

Trailer – no subtitles

Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster 
Directed by Robert Gaffney
Written by George Garrett
1960/USA
Futurama Entertainment Corp./Vernon-Seneca Films
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Princess Marcuzan: We have won the war, but we have no women. We have come here to this plaent for one purpose only: to acquire breeding stock to repopulate our planet.[/box]

I was looking for something to cheer me up.  WINNER!

Story starts out looking like your typical “Mars Needs Women” plot with Princess Marcuzan and right-hand-man Dr. Nadir in a space ship scouting Earth for a potential solution to the planet’s problem.  The princess runs a tight ship and she punishes “failure” with a visit to half-alien, half-gorilla space monster “Mull”.

Simultaneously, the U.S. is attempting to launch a space ship of its own.  The princess and co.  mistake the rockets as missiles and shoot them down.  The U.S. retaliates by manning a ship with a life-like robot.  He turns into a monster when an explosion burns his circuits.  The movie follows Frank as he rampages through town and the Martians as they kidnap bikini clad girls from pool and beach parties.

Things I love about this movie:

1.  Poster is truth in advertising.  It makes the movie sound as cheesy as it actually is.
2. Completely ridiculous space monster used mostly in extreme close-ups in hopes of disguising the minuscule special effects budget.
3. Effective Frankenstein attire.
4. Lou Cutell as Dr. Nadir.  Seriously … his line readings and facial expressions must be seen to be believed.
5. Every minute inside the space ship with Dr. Nadir and Princess Marcuzan.
6. All the dialogue.
7. It is never boring except during the musical sequences see below.  You will never see anything quite like it.

Things that mark this as a “bad” movie:

1.  Seemingly interminable filler in which scenes of auto trips, dance parties, etc. are used over a background of faux-British Invasion American pop rock musak.
2. Everything is laughably over-the-top.

On balance, obviously a must-see for fellow fans of the genre.  I see that the complete film is currently available on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9It2mr5hP8

The Brigand of Kandahar
Directed by John Gilling
Written by John Gilling
1965/UK
Hammer Films/Columbia Pictures Corporation
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] Captain Boyd: It’s ironical that your husband should volunteer for special mission with your lover, don’t you think?[/box]

There may be such a thing as having seen too many movies.

Lieutenant Case is a mixed-race officer stationed at the British colonial fort at Kanadahar. His commanding officer despises him but finds him useful.  Case is sent with another officer to spy on war lord Ali Kahn (Oliver Reed) who is revolting against the British.  It just so happens that Case is having an affair with the officer’s wife.  Through no fault of Case’s, the officer is captured.  Case is imprisoned but freed by one of Ali’s spies.  Thereafter, he fights on the side of the rebels.

I felt like I had seen the story many, many times before.  Usually it is a Western.  The film is most notable for its battles and fist fights but these are nothing special. Lately it seems like 1965 isn’t offering me much.   I’m going to watch a couple of “bad” movies today in hopes of getting my mojo back.

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