Plot: What’s it about?
In his swordsman lifestyle, Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) is called on to dispense lethal doses of aggression, which doesn’t often sit well inside his mind. After so much death and violence, he seeks to return to his home village, bask in some peaceful times, and perhaps even begin a new life for himself there. But even as he journeys back to the village, he is shadowed by the brother of a man he has slain, which means trouble is guaranteed. As if that wasn’t enough, Zatoichi returns home to discover his mentor Banno has been working with a ruthless band of thieves, selling his swordsman skills out to the criminals. At the current time, Banno is involved in a kidnapping scheme with the thieves, but he plans to double cross them, keeping the ransom for himself. Soon enough, Zatoichi is drawn into a conflict of his honor, his loyalty, and his sense of justice, which is only made more complicated by a pending romance. Banno’s sister Yayoi seeks to win over Zatoichi’s affections and be his bride, but he knows the potential danger that would cause her. Can even Zatoichi balance all of these problems, with both physical & emotional risks involved?
The blind swordsman is back, thanks to this third installment of Zatoichi’s adventures, as released by Home Vision. In addition to the same brand of action & romance found in the previous volumes, this one stands out from those, as it is the first Zatoichi picture to be in color, which is a cool notion. While I loved the black & white visuals from those movies, this sequel still packs a visual punch, though a more colorful one, of course. The visual scheme may have changed, but the main element remains intact, as Shintaro Katsu returns in the title role. As usual, Katsu provides a good performance and combines action oriented moments with more reserved, even romantic ones, which is no small feat. New Tale of Zatoichi offers the same brand of entertainment as its prequels, which means a solid balance of action, swordplay, and romance, with good performances and an effective storyline. If you liked the other installments in the Zatoichi series, then I’m sure you’ll love this one, but if you’re not into them, I doubt this one will win you over. Even so, New Tale of Zatoichi is well recommended to those interested.
Video: How does it look?
New Tale of Zatoichi is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Home Vision opted not to enhance the previous two releases, but decided to with future installments, which is excellent news indeed. Thanks to Home Vision’s restoration work, this is one good looking presentation in all respects. The print still has some debris, but there isn’t too much and on the whole, the print looks very clean. The colors look bright and while not that rich, it seems to be as intended, as the hues are consistent throughout and don’t appear washed out, per se. No troubles with contrast either, as black levels look sharp at all times. I think fans of the series will be quite pleased, as Home Vision has done some fine work here.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Japanese soundtrack is preserved here, via a solid, but unremarkable mono option. A few minor defects aside, the material has held up well over the years and provides a more than adequate experience. The dialogue is clear and never muffled, while sound effects are well presented also, though limited to what mono allows, of course. The film’s superb musical score sounds good as well, with as rich a texture as mono can offer and since its such a good score, that’s wonderful news. In case you don’t happen to speak Japanese, you can enable optional, new & improved English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a gallery of theatrical stills.
