Zatoichi – The Blind Swordsman [The Criterion Collection]

Zatoichi – The Blind Swordsman [The Criterion Collection]

THE ADVENTURES OF THE LEGENDARY BLIND SWORDSMAN IN A KILLER, TWENTY-FIVE-FILM SET

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 honour and delivers justice in every town and village he enters. The films that feature him are variously pulse pounding, hilarious, stirring and completely off-the-wall. This deluxe set features the string of twenty-five Zatoichi films made between 1962 and 1973.

Includes 25 Films:

• THE TALE OF ZATOICHI
• THE TALE OF ZATOICHI CONTINUES
• NEW TALE OF ZATOICHI
• ZATOICHI THE FUGITIVE
• ZATOICHI ON THE ROAD
• ZATOICHI AND THE CHEST OF GOLD
• ZATOICHI’S FLASHING SWORD
• FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT
• ADVENTURES OF ZATOICHI
• ZATOICHI’S REVENGE
• ZATOICHI AND THE DOOMED MAN
• ZATOICHI AND THE CHESS EXPERT
• ZATOICHI’S VENGEANCE
• ZATOICHI’S PILGRIMAGE
• ZATOICHI’S CANE SWORD
• ZATOICHI THE OUTLAW
• ZATOICHI CHALLENGED
• ZATOICHI AND THE FUGITIVES
• SAMARITAN ZATOICHI
• ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO
• ZATOICHI GOES TO THE FIRE FESTIVAL
• ZATOICHI MEETS THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN
• ZATOICHI AT LARGE
• ZATOICHI IN DESPERATION
• ZATOICHI’S CONSPIRACY

BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New digital restorations of all twenty-five films, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
• The Blind Swordsman, a 1978 documentary about Zatoichi portrayer and filmmaker Shintaro Katsu, along with a new interview with its director, John Nathan
• New Interview with Asian-film critic Tony Rayns
• Trailers
• New English Subtitles
• PLUS A book featuring:
• An essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien
• Synopses of the films by critic, novelist and musician Chris D
• The Tale of Zatoichi, the original short story by Kan Shimozawa
• Twenty-five illustrations inspired by the films, by twenty-five different artists