Dai-bosatsu tôge (1966)

Through his unconscionable actions against others, a sociopath samurai builds a trail of vendettas that follow him closely.

Director:

Kihachi Okamoto

Writers:

Shinobu Hashimoto (screenplay), Kaizan Nakazato (novel)

Stars:

Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Yûzô Kayama

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Ryunosuke Tsukue
Michiyo Aratama	...	Ohama
Yûzô Kayama	...	Hyoma Utsuki
Yôko Naitô	...	Omatsu
Tadao Nakamaru	...	Isami Kondo
Kei Satô	...	Kamo Serizawa
Kô Nishimura	...	Shichibei, Omatsu's 'uncle'
Ichirô Nakatani	...	Bunnojo Utsuki
Kunie Tanaka	...	Senkichi
Toshirô Mifune	...	Toranosuke Shimada
Ryôsuke Kagawa	...	Dansho Tsukue
Kamatari Fujiwara	...	Omatsu's grandfather
Hideyo Amamoto	...	Shuzen Kamio
Akio Miyabe	...	Toshizo Hijikata
Yasuzô Ogawa	...	Yohachi

Storyline

Ryunosuke is a sociopathic samurai without compassion or scruples. When he is scheduled for an exhibition match at his fencing school, the wife of his opponent begs Ryunosuke to throw the match, offering her own virtue in trade. Ryunosuke accepts her offer, but kills her husband in the match. Over time, Ryunosuke is pursued by the brother of the man he killed. The brother trains with the master fencer Shimada. In the meantime, however, Ryunosuke earns the enmity of the band of assassins he runs with, and it becomes a question of who shall face him in final conflict.

---

Plot Keywords:

samurai | sword | samurai sword | duel | sword duel | 

---

Genres:

Action | Drama

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

During one scene Nakadai's character is stabbing the mats at his feet. This combined with the fact that real swords were used during filming, led cinematographer Hiroshi Murai to repeatedly remind Nakadai to not cut off his own big toe while filming.

---

Quotes

Ohama: Yes, do that! That's how you are! Kill Hyoma! Kill everyone! Kill everyone in the world!
Ryunosuke Tsukue: Not everyone...

---

Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Samurai Movies (2016)

User Reviews

A magnificently executed exploration of amorality.

"Sword of Doom" is an unusual film. Firstly, it is one of the most brilliantly photographed films I have ever seen, in composition, mise en scene, and the play of black and white.

Secondly, "Sword of Doom" is that rare film in which the aim of the director and the power of the lead mesh together to form an unforgettable portrayal.

Tatsuya Nakadai plays Ryunosuke, a skilled swordsman, who, from the opening moments of the film, proves also to be homicidally indifferent to human life. Ryunosuke is a strange and difficult character. His fighting style is passive, and he remains mostly uninvolved, both with the political turmoil surrounding him, and with his family - from his dying father, who fears the evil in him, to his lover (the wife of an opponent he kills) and his child. Nakadai's performance is magnetic, comparable to Montgomery Clift in it's singleminded, unyielding intensity.

While some of the subplots without Ryunosuke aren't quite as compelling, the ending is memorable and disturbing, and the direction will remind in some ways of Orson Wells.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

25 February 1966 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Sword of Doom

Filming Locations:

Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Takarazuka Eiga Company Ltd., Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1