The Sword of Doom, Blu-ray (1966/2015)
Director: Kihachi Okamoto
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshiro Mifune
Studio: Toho/ The Criterion Collection 280 [1/6/15]
Video: 2.35:1 for 16:9 widescreen 1080p HD b&w
Audio: Japanese PCM mono
Subtitles: English
Extras: Audio comentary track in English by film historian Stephen Prince, Theatrical trailer, Illustrated booklet with essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien
Length: 121 minutes
Rating: *****
This may be one of the greatest samurai films, if you can stand it. It is bloodier than any of the others, even Kurosawa’s, and uses an entrancing often deep-focus black & white widescreen image in ways clearly influenced by Orson Welles and not seen anymore. Supposedly way ahead of what Hollywood was doing with widescreen at the time. But it would be entirely too much in color.
The anti-hero of the film is the evil samuri Ryunosuke, who I would peg as a sort of Japanese Robert Mitchum. The film takes place in the 1860s when the samurai code of Bushido was dying out and guns were coming in (we see one pistol briefly displayed, and a samurai says he wouldn’t dishonor himself by using it). Some of the samurai begin to get into a more corrupt lifestyle with honor no longer a part of their way. Ryunosuke portrays a real depth to his villianous self, who kills people just for the kick it gives him, and can’t stop. His father comments that Ryunosuke is fascinated with evil, has sought it out, and now it has totally overcome him.
There are three major fights, actually massacres, in the film, all set in different environments and most skillfully done. This film must have kept a bunch of fading kirayakus (actors who specialized only in expressive on-camera deaths in samurai films) very busy. Mifune has a lesser role as a fencing school master who trains a samurai with a vendetta against Ryunosuke, who will likely also kill him. But Mifune shines in his role with plenty of charisma. This was supposed to be the first of a trilogy of films, just as the complexities of the general plot have been presented over and over in numorous other films and TV series in Japan, but the sequels were never made. The film ends with a sudden still of Ryunosuke, crazily cutting down everyone in sight.
Of course the Criterion restoration is gorgeous and much appreciated, but I was surprised there were no extras in addition to the English soundtrack commentary. However, that proves extremely useful and Prince doesn’t speak during some important sections, and usually allows vital parts of the film’s soundtrack to be heard, which along with the English subtitles aids greatly in appreciation of the film.
—John Sunier
