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Synopsis:
Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi’s recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel. Through friendship with Denroku, a local dice thrower and devoted father, Ichi uncovers an unholy alliance between the governor and the area strongman: among their scams is falsifying tax records to put farmers in debt, then forcing their daughters into prostitution at the boss’s brothel. With help from Denroku’s daughter, Otsuru, Ichi comforts Osayo until he can provoke showdowns with the villains and their henchmen.Read More »

Synopsis:
Blind swordsman/masseur Ichi (known as Zatoichi, or “Masseur Ichi”) angers a local yakuza gang when he defeats several of them in a wrestling match. When he finds that his long lost love Tane is nearby and romantically involved with a tough samurai in the employ of the gang, he remains in the village. Meanwhile, the young heir to the leadership is forced to confront his own fear and weakness when the gang insists he fight Ichi.Read More »

Synopsis:
Blind masseur and master swordsman, Zatoichi, is tired of killing. He journeys to his old village looking for peace, but is pursued by the brother of Boss Kanbei, a man he’s killed. Back home, Ichi connects with Banno, his teacher, who seeks prestige and has arranged for his younger sister, Yayoi, to marry into a wealthy samurai family. Ichi and Yayoi realize they are in love, but Ichi’s request for her hand meets with Banno’s derision. Ichi is also drawn into Banno’s plot to kidnap the son of a wealthy man, ostensibly to aid the Mito Goblins, a gang of thieves on the run; but Banno wants to keep the ransom. Ichi wants harmony and love, but can he escape a destiny of violence?Read More »

Synopsis:
Blind swordsman/masseur Zatoichi is pursued by the retainers of a lord who fear that he will reveal a secret weakness of their master. Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love: his own brother. He must face in combat not only the pursuing retainers but his own flesh-and-blood.Read More »

Synopsis:
A coffin-dragging gunslinger and a half-breed prostitute become embroiled in a bitter feud between a Klan of Southern racists and a band of Mexican Revolutionaries.Read More »

Synopsis:
An impoverished blind masseur becomes a mercenary swordsman, to gain basic respect. The first of novelist Kan Shimozawa’s Zatoichi series: 26 films, a TV series and a play, all but two starring controversial singer/producer/director Shintaro Katsu. First of six Zatoichi films directed by Kenji Misumi. The shrewd Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighboring town’s smaller gang is brewing. The broke ex-masseur “Ichi” immediately wins big, by taking advantage of local bakuto’s cheating, after they scoff at his asking to join a dice game. The larger horde, who have been given carte blanche by the local governor, summoned Zatoichi. Zatoichi hates the fact that he’s become an outlaw, so he strikes up a friendship with the other gang’s honorable hired samurai, who has TB.Read More »

A slow-simmering, Western-style action drama of blood feud, misfired machismo, and spiritual quest spread across Tibet’s rolling steppes and scorching deserts, “Soul on a String” follows the travails of a hunter led by fate to deliver a sacred stone to a mythic mountain despite motley foes at his heels. Chinese director Zhang Yang (“Shower,” “Sunflower”) eschews the thrill of propulsive duels for a discursive allegorical approach, serving up picturesque visuals, highland-dry humor, and karmic plot twists. While the nearly two-and-a-half-hour running time is sure to hamper theatrical release prospects, Zhang’s quirky blend of genre and art-house elements should ensure considerable fest play.Read More »

A young gung fu student named Kao Chien (Yuen Te) saves the life of a man whom he later finds out is the famous gung fu master, Chin Tien Yun (Chen Kuan-Tai). Chin Tien Yun senses that Kao Chien is a good lad and asks if he could teach him some of his gung fu and breathing techniques. Kao Chien realizes this is against school rules, but agrees anyway to be taught. During his training, Kao Chien is told the story of a infamous gang called the “3 Evils” who terrorize the lands. Shortly, Kao Chien is expelled by his Sifu (Lau Hok Nin) for being a traitor, and then shortly later Chin Tien Yun meets his match and is killed by the “3 Evils”. The “3 evils” then take over Kao Chien’s school and make it a home base to plan their evil deeds along with forcing the remaining students and Kao Chien’s Sifu to act as their servants. Kao Chien, armed with new gung fu and breathing techniques, decides to take on the “3 Evils” one by one until all are dead.Read More »

Synopsis:
Cat Vs. Rat follows Chao aka The Cat (Adam Cheng) and his struggles with fellow student Yu Tang aka The Rat (Alexander Fu Sheng) and both attempting to prove who is the better fighter. Their long suffering master (Lau Kar Leung) tells them that they are equally matched but both sides wish to better the other, with Yu Tang willing to go to ridiculous lengths. When the Emperor (Gordon Liu) is rescued by Chao and rewards him the title of Royal Cat, Yu Tang kicks the feud into overdrive and events are set into motion where the two martial brothers may have to rely on each other.Read More »