02-28-2024, 09:43 AM
I was craving some Hiroyuki Sanada what with Shogun starting and me not having Hulu. This has been in my queue since Sonny Chiba died (also stars Tomisaburo Wakayama from Lone Wolf & Cub).
Wow. This movie is so D00M.
It starts with a battlefield filled with battlefield filled with slain Christians - men, women, children, elderly - with their heads on pikes. Amakusa Shiro, a Christian samurai and real historic figure, renounces God and becomes a demon. He recruits other historical figures, like Miyamoto Musashi to become demons. Together they wreak havoc on the Tokagawa clan. There's a lot of creepiness and lots of boobs, especially from a betrayed Hosokawa Gracia (also a real historic figure). There's a raping murdering Buddhist monk, Hozoin Inshun, another historic figure.
This film is amazingly gratuitous on so many levels. Blood. Boobs. Decapitated heads. At about the half hour mark, there's a crazy ninja battle. It is awesome - pure sanguineous chaos on a staggering level.
Made in the early 80s, there's not much in terms of special effects, some super imposed flames and force bolts. Most is in camera and the locations are gorgeous - old temples, waterfalls, beaches - the costuming too is excellent. You can tell those are geniune silks by the way they move and the details. There's lots of real fire scenes that are impressive, including a classic duel in a burning castle.
Wakayama plays Musashi rival, Yagyu Munenori, and delivers a swashbuckling sword slaughter scene. He is always surprising in how well he moves a katana.
I was totally captivated because I never knew where this film was going to go. It's strangely beautiful with the costumes, settings and overdone set pieces. It's also a strange take on how Japanese filmmakers saw Christianity.
So D00M it hurts. Highly recommended (but not something to watch with the spouses & gfs).
Watched on Freevee so there were commercials, a lot of commercials, but that's plenty of time to microwave another frozen burrito.
Wow. This movie is so D00M.
It starts with a battlefield filled with battlefield filled with slain Christians - men, women, children, elderly - with their heads on pikes. Amakusa Shiro, a Christian samurai and real historic figure, renounces God and becomes a demon. He recruits other historical figures, like Miyamoto Musashi to become demons. Together they wreak havoc on the Tokagawa clan. There's a lot of creepiness and lots of boobs, especially from a betrayed Hosokawa Gracia (also a real historic figure). There's a raping murdering Buddhist monk, Hozoin Inshun, another historic figure.
This film is amazingly gratuitous on so many levels. Blood. Boobs. Decapitated heads. At about the half hour mark, there's a crazy ninja battle. It is awesome - pure sanguineous chaos on a staggering level.
Made in the early 80s, there's not much in terms of special effects, some super imposed flames and force bolts. Most is in camera and the locations are gorgeous - old temples, waterfalls, beaches - the costuming too is excellent. You can tell those are geniune silks by the way they move and the details. There's lots of real fire scenes that are impressive, including a classic duel in a burning castle.
Wakayama plays Musashi rival, Yagyu Munenori, and delivers a swashbuckling sword slaughter scene. He is always surprising in how well he moves a katana.
I was totally captivated because I never knew where this film was going to go. It's strangely beautiful with the costumes, settings and overdone set pieces. It's also a strange take on how Japanese filmmakers saw Christianity.
So D00M it hurts. Highly recommended (but not something to watch with the spouses & gfs).
Watched on Freevee so there were commercials, a lot of commercials, but that's plenty of time to microwave another frozen burrito.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse