Zatoichi and the Fugitives
| Zatoichi and the Fugitives | |
|---|---|
| Japanese | 座頭市果し状 |
| Hepburn | Zatōichi hatashijō |
| Directed by | Kimiyoshi Yasuda |
| Produced by | Ikuo Kubodera |
| Written by | Kinya Naoi |
| Based on |
Zatoichi by Kan Shimozawa |
| Starring |
Shintaro Katsu Takashi Shimura Yumiko Nogawa |
| Music by | Hajime Kaburagi |
| Cinematography | Kazuo Miyagawa |
| Edited by | Kanji Suganuma |
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Running time
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82 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Zatoichi and the Fugitives (座頭市果し状 Zatōichi hatashijō?) is a 1968 Japanese chambara film directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda and starring Shintaro Katsu as the blind masseur Zatoichi. It was originally released by the Daiei Motion Picture Company (later acquired by Kadokawa Pictures).
Zatoichi and the Fugitives is the eighteenth episode in the 26-part film series devoted to the character of Zatoichi.
Zatoichi comes to a village which is the local hub of family farms in a silk growing region. The most prominent villager is Matsugoro who apparently will stop at nothing to bring all under his control. The small village does have a kind doctor, Dr. Junan, who lives with his daughter Oshizu.
Boss Matsugoro appears to be very prosperous. As a minor gangster he has a large retinue of toughs he uses to bully and intimidate others and he owns a silk weaving factory where at least some of his weavers work to service debt and are actually in bondage. He has also acquired some appointed local political position from which he plans to gain more benefits.
Into this situation enters a group of fugitives - criminals who have caused a lot of trouble elsewhere and have a reputation for shocking and unnecessary cruelty. Amongst this group of men is one woman - Oaki. Also amongst these men is Ogano, the disowned son of Dr. Junan from whom he's been estranged since Ogano killed a man 5 years ago in the town of Edo.
The fugitives and Boss Matsugoro reach an arrangement where he will allow them to hide out above his weaving factory and they will do some unnamed strong arm favors for him when asked.
Zatoichi and the fugitives have some minor clashes due to their pugnacity but Ogano prevents these situations from escalating as he knows Zatoichi could easily kill his fellow ruffians if provoked because he witnessed Zatoichi slice a snake in half as it fell through the air from a tree branch when he happened to pass Zatoichi eating his lunch in the woods previously.
Zatoichi and Boss Matsugoro have a final falling out when Zatoichi compels him to allow a sick weaver to return home with her father, release her from compulsory service and burn her bond papers. Matsugoro orders his henchmen to get rid of the troublesome Zatoichi and they wound him severely but he escapes and goes into hiding.
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