come anticipate "zatoichi" with me

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yea so it opens here wednesday. there is dancing. kitano wears a powdered wig.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i missed "dolls" did i miss anything?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

yea verily

http://www.office-kitano.co.jp/zatoichi/

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I would anticipate this if I could get that page to load... so, Kitano plays the Blind Swordsman? Tell me more!

― sgs, Monday, 3 November 2003 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I missed "Dolls", too. It looked great!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 3 November 2003 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

SGS i don't know much about it aside from it's kitano's big commercial picture--after a fashion--after his weird, unsatisfying hollywood movie and "dolls" which by all reports was a maddening departure (some liked it, most didn't) into severe formalism and artiness. it's definitely the blind masseur/swordsman, and kitano for some reason is playing him as a milky blonde! there are dance sequences which were excerpted in the preview. dance sequences featuring samurai. ally take note.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 21:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i heart the cinema st germain des pres btw, the lineup is

this week: un film parle
next week: zatoichi
after that: no parasan album souvenir (austere documentary about concentration camps set up in western france for refugees from the spanish civil war)
after that: the return (la retour)--the russian film that won at venice

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

anyone know when/if zatoichi is playing in la? i am too lazy to find out myself.

― Dean Gulberry (deangulberry), Monday, 3 November 2003 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

june 2004 read it and weep

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

i will be over it by then. i can guarantee i will not see it.

― Dean Gulberry (deangulberry), Monday, 3 November 2003 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)

:-(

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 3 November 2003 21:30 (twenty-one years ago)

My brother has promised to take me to see this when I visit him a couple of weekends from now. Yay Beat Takeshi yay!

Dolls was gorgeous but a lot of people didn't like it: very disassociated and slow.

― cis (cis), Monday, 3 November 2003 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

gorgeous and dissociated sums it up. only one of the stories seemed even partially baked, and the bookend conceits are silly, but it was lovely and affecting anyways.

― dave k, Tuesday, 4 November 2003 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I anticipate this film with all of you

― s1utsky (slutsky), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 01:45 (twenty-one years ago)

even the music on the site has got me excited beyond belief.

― jed (jed_e_3), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 03:25 (twenty-one years ago)

The Cinema St Germain Des Pres!!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 03:35 (twenty-one years ago)

what about it?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Its on in the LFF tomorrow I think. But prolly not actually out here for ages.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

the music is by keiichi suzuki - sounds good on the trailer. cant find much online.

― jed (jed_e_3), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah so i saw this. it was a diverting piece of entertainment, with some near-experimental touches in the synchronization of music and editing rhythm. but just touches. overall i didnt get too excited by it. and...

SPOILERS

the only dance number was at the very end, it wasn't shot too well, and felt a bit...labored as a gesture of whimsy after a fairly straightfaced drama. but it was cool still, i was smiling.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 14 November 2003 11:58 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

I am reviving this because I still want to see it. It's playing at the BFI once on the 27th of Feb. (as part of a Chinese Martial Arts series--it's the only exception to the program) and is sold out, guh. I am planning to try for standby seats but have no great hope. Anyone else going to see it, or in the same standy boat?

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

STANDBY...sigh.

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Sarah, its out good and proper in the cinema a couple of weeks after (the 19th according to IMDB but i thought it was the 10th - back cover of Sight & Sound will tell you) and I'd be up for it then. It will be showing at the Renoir is a safe money bet.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

That's good to know--thanks Pete! In that case I will probably wait and continue to anticipate, and check the Sight & Sound reference :)

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay Zatoichi! I've been anticipating this for months. No idea when it will be around to the Detroit area, though.

― webcrack (music=crack), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:29 (twenty-one years ago)

this one definitely fell in the meh category

― amateur!st (amateurist), Thursday, 19 February 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

this is about to start here in glasgow. soon, jed.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 February 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

hi cozen - who are you again...?

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 28 February 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Missed it last night at the NFT to watch Infernal Affairs instead. Luckily it'll be opening in like three or four weeks anyway. Anyone catch it in London there?

― Girolamo Savonarola, Saturday, 28 February 2004 19:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Not yet--I decided to wait until it opens elsewhere and I can take advantage of my student discount, which wasn't available at the sold-out NFT show last night.
(And I decided to spend the money on seeing 'the 36th Chamber of Shaolin' tonight to compensate.)

― sgs (sgs), Saturday, 28 February 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't get it.

march some time anyway.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 February 2004 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, hello jed. I'm david.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 February 2004 20:11 (twenty-one years ago)

hi david - i remember you now.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 28 February 2004 20:28 (twenty-one years ago)

haha I still don't get it but - .

are you gunna go see this?

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 February 2004 23:40 (twenty-one years ago)

im just saying i haven seen u for a bit!

yes ill go but i always say that and i usually don't.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 28 February 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

haha I still don't get it!! : P

oh you'll go.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 28 February 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

sgs - hoped you liked 36 Chambers. I have free comps at the NFT, so I chose to watch Pleasant Days there tonight instead. Damn fine film - I'm glad I missed Shaolin for it, though I'll definitely be at Return to the 36 Chambers tomorrow.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 29 February 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Zatoichi's getting a full release March 19th, right? I caught it in Paris a while back, but with French subtitles - my Japanese is marginally better than my French, but still a bit of a struggle for comprehension - so I'd like to see it again before I make up my mind about it. It didn't seem that stellar, but very watchable.

Girolamo, you saw Infernal Affairs? What did you think of it? (I'm so glad it's got a UK release: it's one of my favourite HK movies, and I was thinking I'd never get a chance to see it fullscreen. Now all I've got to hope for is IA II coming out here! ...uh.)

― cis (cis), Sunday, 29 February 2004 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, saw Infernal Affairs and liked it! Definitely up for the next two, whenever they roll around. I wouldn't worry about delays until #2 rolls up in London, though - I mean, #1 isn't even getting to the States for another six months! Poor bastards...

And Return to the 36 Chambers was both the funniest and most satisfying of the martial arts films I've ever seen. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to the original.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 29 February 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

36 Chambers was excellent! I'd seen it once before, 6 or 7 years ago, on video with the (wu-tang sampled) dubbing in place and it was even better than I remembered it! The print hadn't been restored but the original Chinese dialog was there and the subtitling was much better than on the other two I saw as part of the festival ('one-armed swordsman' and 'blood brothers'). Anyway, I really enjoyed it.

So, Zatoichi. Maybe we should have a Zatoichi FAP?

― sgs (sgs), Monday, 1 March 2004 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, the movie isn't as good as one would expect from kitano, but it's definitely very entertaining, and the final scene is fantastic. i recommend it for a good time: i saw it last night, perfect movie for a sunday night.

― joan vich (joan vich), Monday, 1 March 2004 11:13 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

I'm going to see this tonight. Should I be excited?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 22 March 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

well, i mentioned it at the last fap to blank looks from everybody within hearing distance... then they went and arranged a trip to see 'starsky and hutch' without inviting me. i was a) kinda miffed and b) relieved.

andy

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:12 (twenty-one years ago)

If were were to FAZ: I could FAZ on Thurs I think.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

You should have referred to it by its official title, Blind Samurai Motherfucker.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 22 March 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay that was fucking awesome on almost every conceivable level. And also very funny indeed, which I really wasn't expecting. I'll post more in the morning once I've got over the buzz of the last scene a bit...

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 22 March 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Bah humbug I want to see this. And it's on at the Renoir now, so can we can we can we have a FAZ? Pete? Sarah? Andy?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 10:40 (twenty-one years ago)

For those of you who haven't seen it and know what to do with this sort of thing:

― Dan I., Tuesday, 23 March 2004 11:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm in on the FAZ idea! Thursday's good with me.

― sgs (sgs), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude! Will discuss at Freaky Trigger if you is there. Which I hope you is, as it will be fun.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 90 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

ok, now I'm confused. I thought it was significant that we see the stick-guy beating people up in the gambling house on the orders of his master, but with his sword in its case (i.e. still a stick) and then in his next showdown with sick wife guy, he loses and dies because he fights with his sword out? I guess I am comfusing similar-looking actors. But they had the same(ish) scruffy hair?

Like Pete, I was also disappointed that Zatoichi didn't show up at the end to bust a move. I got all psyched when it cut to his shuffling feet--not the ending I expected, but a satisfying one nonetheless.

― sgs (sgs), Friday, 26 March 2004 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

wait, who died?

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 26 March 2004 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

the Japanese guy.

― sgs (sgs), Friday, 26 March 2004 19:41 (twenty-one years ago)

they were not the same guy, no (unless I am totally wrong).

we only saw the stick-guy once, in the movie's present. he was lying on his back, like he was crippled or something, after the bodyguard had been directed away from the training school (or whatever) and found him in the hospital (or whatever).

I think he's being confused with the other guy because the other guy was kinda bored-looking but not sick. he was just doing his job, too, I guess.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 26 March 2004 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah well, they are probably separate guys then, and my nice little subplot is non existent. We did also see him disgracing the bodyguard in the first place, hard to fit in with the timeline of the story since we know so little about the bodyguard's past/training/how he got so good. (Those bokkens hurt if you get beat with them. They are heavy, and those scenes made my cringe even more than most of the slicing and blood fountains.)

― sgs (sgs), Friday, 26 March 2004 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

ME. Not my.

― sgs (sgs), Friday, 26 March 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I have to say I think sgs is right on this subplot. p.s. I'm still at work.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 26 March 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I know but what do you really think?

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 26 March 2004 21:08 (twenty-one years ago)

whether it's possible or not to receive oral sex whilst swordfighting

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 26 March 2004 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

How come you bitches get to see this before I do?

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 26 March 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF EMPIRE

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 26 March 2004 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

it opened in paris before anywhere else (except japan duh), that's how i got to see it (and, i must say, mostly forget it soon after)

my favorite kitano films are still 'a scene at the sea' and 'boiling point', both of which are a world apart from 'zatoichi'

SPOILERS

the samurai with the sick wife scenes were beautifully handled, although perhaps space too far apart for the final conflict to have much impact. it's brevity seemed in keeping with kitano's aesthetic though, lots of build up followed by exceedingly fast, sometimes elliptically presented, violent resolution (this takes a certain aspect of kurosawa's style to absurd levels)

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 26 March 2004 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Empire only opened for 120 years Mark. (since 17th April 1884)

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 27 March 2004 03:13 (twenty-one years ago)

finally saw this at the 10:50am showing in shepherd's bush on sunday (it's cheap before midday. not that that gimmick had helped to draw in the punters - i was one of 7 people there). was good.

hated the cartoony font that the subtitles were in, only one step up from comic sans.

i liked the final comment by Zatoichi, almost the exact opposite from the end of 'The Man With X-Ray Eyes'.

one of the seven people there walked out after Z killed the villian and therefore missed a) Z killing the real villian and b) the tap dancing.

went home afterwards and dug out 'Hana-Bi' that's been sat there on video for about 4 years but only got as far as watching the Takeshi documentary that was on the tape before it. turns out that that's him presenting 'Takeshi's Castle' that turned into such a family favourite at christmas (challenge tv about 6pm, imagine 'It's A Knockout' in japanese). i guess that makes him the japanese Stuart Hall.

i'm also more scared of liz and sarah after reading this thread than i was before 8)

andy

― koogs (koogs), Monday, 29 March 2004 08:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Just because we like the hackslashstab? Only if it's artistic, dahling!

(I want Kill Bill vol. 2 NOW)

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 29 March 2004 09:20 (twenty-one years ago)

haha thanks to bittorrent i just watched also some old black and white film of the tale of zatoichi.. he must have been a young version though (only lost his sight 3 years before) and i thought he was gonna get some ACTION (some girl totally wanted his ass)

watched infernal affairs too well good, and also shaolin soccer! haha i'm getting back to my hong kong roots.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 31 March 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Zatoichi has consistent weaknesses for gambling and women, and the ladies love him in return. I think he's on the make in almost every old Zatoichi movie I've seen.

Guh, must still see Infernal Affairs before my US trip where it won't be playing within hundreds of miles of my house, if at all.

― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 31 March 2004 10:55 (twenty-one years ago)

and if you're lucky infernal affairs 2 will be on the plane (it was on mine!! although that plane *was* hong kong bound...)

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 31 March 2004 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Apparently Takeshi is a big fan of tapdance, hence the ending; I rather wish he had joined in, as someone said upthread.

The use of sound and music in that film - so beautiful!!!

I wonder if he's going to go the whole hog and do a full-blown musical next time around.

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Friday, 2 April 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw it last night and I am far more confused about all the characters since reading this thread! However I am not going to dwell on it.

I liked that it was funny. I liked the flashbacks which told the kids' story and I particularly liked the cross-dressing son for some reason. I loved the music. I sort of enjoyed the tap-dance finale but kept thinking about Blue Peter. I am not totally struck on the supersensitiveblindmanbuthahanotreally trope.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

But yesreally! That's the best bit! I love Zatoichi (at least in this film).

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw Takeshi's Castle the other night. He wears a cool jacket.

― robster (robster), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I like his crazy hair... why does he have a facial tic and that laughing thing though? Is it all part of the 'so blatantly a disabled, possibly mentally challenged loser that he poses no threat' schtick? Or is it Acting?

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:48 (twenty-one years ago)

he has a facial tic because he was in a motorcycle accident, i believe, in the 1980s and several of the muscles in his face are palayzed

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

i.e. it's a real tic, not a performance

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Well that is good to know. Henceforth I will leave that out of any critical judgements...

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

i meant to type "paralyzed", sorry

― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 2 April 2004 12:55 (twenty-one years ago)

It's focus on the supporting cast, and whether they'd fall foul of, or under the protection of, Zatoichi's blade, reminded me a lot of Lone Wolf & Cub. It is to be understood that this is not an insult.

The comedy in the first scene set it apart from other Samurai films I've seen. I've seen slapstick, but I've never seen slapstick with near-fatal damage as a result before. Fate usually protects fools.

I think Samurai films have trouble with endings because the genre already contains, in The Seven Samurai, probably the best ending ever. This was a nice side-step of that.

The actor who played Ginzo has the most amazing voice.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Sunday, 4 April 2004 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

It was okay, I liked the dancing at the end.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 April 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

When I was reading this thread I thought 'confusing plot line' and then I watched this last monday I just thought how there wasn't anything to be confused about.

I think RJG is correct about the bodyguard, also the exchange between cozen and RJG as to how violent it is reminded me of the first scene, when he slashes these two people from the gang. I just laughed out loud, and seemed to be the only one to do so in the movie theatre (I guess there was about 20 people in there).

The dancing scene was wonderful way to end, maybe not as well shot but more than that I was waiting for zaitoichi to appear at the end, and like most here, disappointed when he didn't.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 11 April 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, I totally wanted the Z-man to get down and funky, oh well.

I also think Z and the samurai could have been pals, but talking wasn't their strength.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The Z-Man was going to get down and funky but tripped over, surely?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, he was just going to 'see' who he could chop up in the next town.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 April 2004 08:49 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

This was great. Totally different animal than the originals (or the seven or so of them that I've seen) but really fun in a tongue in cheek way.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:14 (twenty years ago)

I am going to see it tonight.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:33 (twenty years ago)

The scene with the geisha practicing their music and dancing - with the flashbacks to them doing the same as kids - was incredibly touching. I loved the movie in general, but that scene really got me.

LOVED the tapdancing. So many movies would benefit from either that, or the hippogriff from the latest Harry Potter.

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:32 (twenty years ago)

did anyone see the twilight samurai? the fight scene at the end of that movie is astonishing. I'm not going to check upthread but I've an awful feeling I've already said this, before, on here.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:50 (twenty years ago)

Ooooh, we saw that Saturday. SO GOOD. Marvelous fight scene.

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:52 (twenty years ago)

Yes, I saw it with Leee! It was v. good.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:53 (twenty years ago)

**the twilight samurai: spoilers**

it just is, isn't it? really tense. I'm not sure I can put into words exactly what's so good about it. a mix of the realism and the fact that the film's been building quietly up to this really intense set-piece. he gets all cleaned up and goes out for a day's fighting, then it looks like he won't fight and then he does, all the um-ing and ah-ing about the last scene, it's wonderful.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:55 (twenty years ago)

plus they actually look physically tired (which you should!) running around the house, chasing the fight.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:56 (twenty years ago)

I think that might be it: the progressive tiring of the fight scene, combined with its (relative) sloth and understatedness lends it a different air of elegance than the usual 'elegant samurai' (wht is it with high-grade killers [hitmen, samurais] being portrayed this way?!) mode.

― cºzen (Cozen), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:57 (twenty years ago)

c*zen, you should write more about film.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Monday, 9 August 2004 15:58 (twenty years ago)

The best part of the dancing scene was the audience's reaction, just sitting there dumbfounded.

For some reason the crowd was a bunch of senior citizens (did De-Lovely sell out or something?) and the old guy nearest me spent most of the film explaining it to his wife and telling her to cover her eyes before fight scenes. "Masseur - you know, like massage."

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 16 August 2004 00:13 (twenty years ago)

Someone may have said this upthread, but that dance number had the GODDAMNED YOUNG KIDS MORPHING INTO THE OLD!!! So terrible.

― dean? (deangulberry), Monday, 16 August 2004 00:29 (twenty years ago)

Ah, so it was THIS thread that caused me to wonder where I had heard of this film before...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 August 2004 00:40 (twenty years ago)

thirteen years pass...

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

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Monday, 11 December 2017 10:17 (seven years ago)

I can't work out what that is while I'm at work

Kitano's version is probably in my top 3 of his films, and I really really love his films.

― The Dearth of Stollen (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 December 2017 10:36 (seven years ago)

it's an astonishingly well-made fan film that takes quite a turn around the 6-minute mark

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Monday, 11 December 2017 10:51 (seven years ago)

will watch tonight!

― The Dearth of Stollen (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 December 2017 10:54 (seven years ago)

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