IMDb >
Zatôichi (1989)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsZatôichi (1989) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
4 February 1989 (Japan)
more
Tagline:
The final and most savage installment of the series. more
Plot Keywords:
Martial Arts
|
Sword
|
Sword Fight
|
Katana Sword
|
Zatoichi
more
User Reviews:
Excellent; Shintaro Katsu's masterpiece! Surpasses last Kurosawa samurai films.
more (11 total)
Cast
(Credited cast) more
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi (USA) (DVD title)
Zatôichi 26 (Japan) (informal title)
Zatoichi Twenty Six (Australia) (DVD title)
Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally (USA) (informal title)
more
Zatôichi 26 (Japan) (informal title)
Zatoichi Twenty Six (Australia) (DVD title)
Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally (USA) (informal title)
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
116 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Australia:MA |
Canada:13+ (Québec)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
On the morning of Monday 26 December 1988, in the movie village (eiga-mura) located in the mountains of Kanami, Ryuutarô Gan (age 24) - eldest son of Shintarô Katsu - stabbed Yukio Katô (age 34) in the neck with a katana long sword, while performing in an action scene for this film. Katô was taken unconscious to the Okayama University Hospital (Okayama Daigaku Igakubu Fuzoku-byôin), where he died as a result of massive blood loss from the neck wound. Hiroshima Prefectural Police determined that the incident was one of professional negligence causing death (gyômujô-kashitsu chishi).
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Devil's Den (2006)
more
Soundtrack:
Tsugaru Jongara Bushi
more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (11 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Zatôichi (1989) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Shin Zatôichi monogatari: Oreta tsue | Zatôichi monogatari | Shin Zatoichi monogatari | Zatoichi kyojo tabi | Shin zatô Ichi: Yabure! Tôjin-ken |
|
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Action section | IMDb Japan section | Add this title to MyMovies |
The best of the Zatoichi series, with Shintaro Katsu appearing very spry for someone who was almost sixty at the time. If you watch expecting non-stop swordfight pyrotechnics, you're going to be disappointed -- although there are several spectacularly choreographed swordfights, especially the massacre at the climax as well as some surprisingly bloody gore (it should be remembered Katsu produced the Lone Wolf and Cub movies starring his real-life brother, Tomisaburo Wakayama). This is very much a saga type picture, with blind masseur Ichi approaching elderly status but still wandering the backroads of 1860's Japan, gambling and being pursued by bounty hunting yakuza and lone wolf killers. One of the rewarding things about the film is that Katsu encounters old friends like beachcomber Norihei Miki. He also befriends a destitute artist samurai (Ken Ogata) who is conflicted by the bounty on Ichi's head but dismayed because fatalistic, wisecracking, warmhearted Ichi is the only person he can relate to! There are many other great character actors here such as pockmarked Yuya Uchida as one of the craven yakuza bosses. Katsu's real-life son, Takanori Jinnai appears as the scarfaced young upstart rival boss out to take control of the whole territory. A beautiful film that is very poetic and poignant as well as being exciting. Very evocative of the period, unlike many other samurai films made since the mid-80s, and, in my opinion, far superior to Akira Kurosawa's final samurai pictures, KAGEMUSHA and RAN. Contrary to one of the other reviews here, this is anything but a mishmash of elements from earlier entries.