Ronin Gai
A powerful remake of a popularjidai geki(period drama) that was first filmed in 1928,Ronin Gaialso marks the final appearance of Shintaro Katsu, the Japanese actor best known for his title role in the long-lastingZatoichifilm series. Also known asStreet of the Masterless Samurai, this intensechambera(swordplay) drama is set on the outskirts of Edo in the 1830s, where aimlessRoninwaste what's left of their obsolete careers, drinking sake in a shabby restaurant where prostitutes provide cheap sex while hoping to marry out of their miserable fate. When a rogue band of the local shogun's retainers start slashing the prostitutes in a ruthless, self-righteous murder spree, the drunken samurai must sober up and retaliate, leading to a climactic showdown in which the traitorous bodyguard named Bull (played by Katso) gets a chance to redeem himself in true samurai fashion. Produced to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of Japanese film pioneer Shozo Makino,Ronin Gaiis primarily a tale of downtrodden people finding new purpose and hope amidst severe disadvantage, but director Kazuo Kuroki is equally adept with nihilist attitude and swift, bloody action sequences that are unflinchingly violent and not for the faint of heart. (Future cult director Takashi Miike served as assistant director here; he obviously learned from the experience.) Parallels to Clint Eastwood'sUnforgivenare readily apparent, butRonin Gaicame first, and it's a must-see for fans of the samurai genre.--Jeff Shannon