Zatoichi in Desperation

1972 1h 32m JA

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 38

AdventureActionDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After accidentally causing the death of an old lady, Zatoichi tries to do right by buying the lady’s daughter’s freedom from a brothel - but this causes more problems than solves them.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Zatoichi
Kiwako Taichi
Nishikigi
Katsuo Nakamura
Ushimatsu
Asao Koike
Boss Mangoro
Kyoko Yoshizawa
Kaede
Yasuhiro Koume
Shinkichi
Joji Takagi
Kamijo
Masumi Harukawa
Ohama

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Shintarō Katsu
Writers: Kan Shimozawa, Minoru Inuzuka
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

54 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Shintarō Katsu, shot by Fujio Morita. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Kunihiko Murai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Toshio Taniguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Shintarō Katsu and Kiwako Taichi and Katsuo Nakamura carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0201922 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 38 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Shintarō Katsu directs. Fujio Morita behind the camera. Kunihiko Murai scores. Toshio Taniguchi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

154 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Shintarō Katsu, shot by Fujio Morita. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Kunihiko Murai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Toshio Taniguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Shintarō Katsu and Kiwako Taichi and Katsuo Nakamura carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0201922 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 38 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Fujio Morita
Original score: Kunihiko Murai
Editing: Toshio Taniguchi
Runtime: 92 min · 1h 32m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Zatoichi in Desperation (1972)

Part of

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection

The colossally popular Zatoichi films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers justice in every town and village he enters.