The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (Blu-ray)

By: Denis Blot

Blu-ray Features Video: 1.85:1 1080P Audio: DTS-HD 5.1,Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital Stereo Behind The Scenes Exclusive Interviews With Crew Theatrical release: 9/06/2003 DVD released on 9/15/2009 by Miramax Running time of 116 minutes Starring: Ittoku Kishibe, Yuko Daike, Guadalcanal Taka, Akira Emoto Director: Takeshi Kitano Plot: In an empire ruled by fear, the people’s only hope is the ultimate weapon: Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano) — a blind, nomadic samurai whose sword has made him a hero and whose courage has made him a legend. Determined to help the desperate residents of a village, Zatoichi seeks justice through revenge.

Zatoichi is a name that fans of the samurai film genre will readily know. For those of you new to the genre he can be labeled a blind swordsman whose character was first introduced on film in the early 1960s and continued through several films spanning three decades. After more than a decade without his notorious swordplay, “Beat” Takeshi Kitano’s 2003 film The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi re-launched the character. Kitano brought both his talents as director and actor into this film, making it a superb addition to the long running series.

As an actor, Kitano is known for his dead pan face that effectively works for both the cold-blooded and comedic characters he has taken on in his career. There probably has not been an actor who has managed to convey so much with an expressionless face since the “Stone-Face” of Buster Keaton in the days of silent comedy. Kitano’s acting method is perfect for the character of Zatoichi who appears as a helpless blind man yet transitions to a calculating deadly swordsman when needed.

As a director, Kitano’s style is a combination of the traditional Japanese style of the long take wide establishing shot which is then often punctured by an unexpected quick shot of action. However, in the case of The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, he has included more short and tight action shots in order to capture great swordplay. He still does have moments of the unexpected often with great comedic appeal. Indeed what Kitano brought to the Zatoichi series (besides his short blond hair) is a comedic sensibility to the part that provides additional vitality to the character and storyline not to mention relief to the viewer who is subjected to seeing lost limbs and spurts of blood as a result of well executed samurai fighting action.

This film deserves to be seen and certainly owned by fans of the genre, but is it necessary to have it on Blu-ray? I honestly can say that seeing the Blu-ray version reminded me of when I saw the film in the theatre, though disappointed when it came to the extras. The “Behind-The-Scenes” and “Interviews With Crew”, while informative, are exactly the same as what was offered on the DVD version. I was hoping Miramax would have tried to get a director’s commentary from Kitano, or maybe a mini-doc on the Zatoichi series, something other than the let down I received. Additionally the DVD version comes with Sonantine, a gangster film made by Kitano.

For samurai film fans, especially those who enjoy Zatoichi, keep your eyes open for Ichi (a female take on the Zatoichi role) coming out later this year on DVD. For those new to the genre, definitely consider picking up The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi on DVD which will allow you to get Sonantine and gain a further understanding of Kitano as actor and director. As for the Blu-ray version it really is only needed for the dedicated Blu-ray lover, for most who own the DVD already your best bet is to borrow it.

Reviewer’s Opinion: BORROW IT!!