Movielogr

Rating: 7.5 stars

Tags

Japan samurai bandits ronin betrayal double cross sword swordfight ambush

All movies seen on 12/31/2013

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Incident at Blood Pass (1970)

Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki

Action | Drama

Most recently watched by sensoria

Overview

In the Edo period, a nameless ronin accepts an assignment to go to a mountain pass and wait. Near the pass he stops at an inn where a collection of characters gather, including a gang set on stealing shogunate gold that’s soon to come over the pass. When the Ronin’s assignment becomes clear, to help the gang, he’s ordered to kill the inn’s residents, including a woman he’s rescued from an abusive husband. He’s reluctant to murder innocent people; then he learns that the gold shipment is a trap and he’s part of a double cross. How he sorts through these divided loyalties tests of his samurai honor, and perhaps of his love for a woman.

Length 118 minutes

Actors

Toshirō Mifune | Yûjirô Ishihara | Ruriko Asaoka | Shintarō Katsu | Kinnosuke Nakamura | Chûsha Ichikawa | Ichirô Arishima | Mika Kitagawa | Yoshio Tsuchiya | Jotaro Togami | Chieko Nakakita | Ryunosuke Yamazaki | Seishirô Kuno | Yasuo Araki | Hiroshi Tanaka

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

Officially my last movie of 2013~! This is really a western set in the Edo Period (even has an excellent western soundtrack). I considered selecting that genre because it is almost more western than samurai film. The first 90 minutes set up for an incredible chain of events in the finale that makes it all worth it. Lots of drama and interaction in primarily one location, the small inn at Sanshuu Pass.

At least in the first hour I was wondering where this was going and whether this really would pay off. It does. Mifune, in his last take on the yojimbo character, is in fine form but the real standout is Shintaro Katsu. Man can he do evil and sinister well. Almost unrecognizable from his Zatoichi character. So damn good is that second hour.

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