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Touches You

So much average

Excellent but underrated film

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Usually long film series see a gradual development or deconstruction of the main character simply because either the character changes or the environment does. Most often our heroes are marched through various situations, numerous more often than not, and only when the ticket sales start to diminish there's usually a twist in the hero's personality or identity.There's a third way, too. It has to do with the filmic problem of presentation, and usually this happens when the film is made during a historically significant technological paradigm shift. Sound was one, and nowadays it's most likely 3D, although more because of the commercial powers behind the technology. In the 1960s it was colour.With Zatōichi its introduction in this third film becomes deliciously ironic, since in the first two films there have been several japes different people play on Ichi because he's blind. In those moments we, the audience, have been able to see it with them, making us part of the bad guys' gang as well. This cinematically fruitful branch of narrative play extends here to the very form of the film itself – its colour.As a colour film this a very beautiful one. It's more inclined towards the subdued than the showy, and that's commendable. It's also more interested in characterization, really casting the second film in more realistic light as an afterthought. What's so striking is that while it's customary to have the hero denounce his craft and want to lead a normal life, it's usually fluff that lasts only a while. Not so here: Ichi really wants to quit, and promises to. It's made feasible, it makes sense. It feels like the right thing to do. But still we know that won't happen, that the torment will continue, and in part that's why we cheer for Ichi, that he might go on. They manage to make Ichi's torment our own. It really is expertly handled.Among the best in the series so far.

In "Zatôichi: The Blind Swordsman's Return" (a film that seems to have a bazillion alternate titles--like most of the films in the series), Zatôichi is back for a third film. Here we see a very tired man who is sick of his violent life and wants to make amends. Apparently, when he was younger and dumber, he was with the Yakuza (organized crime) and did much he is ashamed of doing. However, stupid people keep challenging him and he is forced to kill them again and again.In the midst of one of these fights, Zatôichi's old sensei (master) shows up and this becomes an eye opening experience (so to speak) for this blind swordsman. It has been four years since they last met and much has changed. While you would assume that the sensei would be a wonderful guy, you slowly see that he's a jerk. First, the sister of this sensei has a conversation with him about a marriage proposal--at which time the sensei throws his drink in her face because she doesn't want the man he picked for her--not exactly a chivalrous thing to do on his part. Later, this same lady tells Zatôichi that she loves him and wants him to marry her. However, when she asks this brother permission, he angrily refuses and curses Zatôichi--even though only moments earlier he had this blind guy put on a demonstration to his pupils to show off his talents! Eventually, it becomes obvious that the sensei is bought and paid for by the forces of evil and this puts him into conflict with the good guy, Zatôichi. So what is our beloved swordsman to do--show his loyalty and gratitude to his master or break with him--no matter the consequences? And, if he does break, what chances would Zatôichi have against the very man that taught him IF they come to blows? And what will happen with his lady love? Will he finally be able to settle down and stop this aimless wandering life? This film might just be the best in the original series. That's because although all his films feature wonderful swordplay and action, this one has a lot more depth. You learn much more about Zatôichi other than he's a nice guy. His past, his roots and his future all come into much sharper focus here than in the other films--giving the series greater context and richness.By the way, this third film is also noteworthy because it's the first color one in the series. Even after all these years, the color looks beautiful. The rich musical accompaniment sure helped as well to make this an exceptional film in every way.

The third installment of the Zatoichi series is the best one I have ever seen. While not as exciting as some of the other action packed entries (Chest of Gold, Zatoichi's Revenge) in terms of character development this film had the most impact on me. The stakes just seem to be higher in this entry than in most. Make no mistake, Ichi's life is on the line in EVERY other installment, but this centers on how Ichi really wants to quit his swordsman lifestyle and take a wife. To live the rest of his days in peace is all he wants and that is taken away from him. Ichi is forced to not only see how terrible the people he trusts can be, but how much he brings upon himself. This film really drives home how much Ichi loses each time he takes a life. A new friend, a new aquaintence or a new lover is almost always instantly taken away from him, either by an enemies hands or by his own. But the single greatest scene in this film is not any of the sword fights, like in other entries, the best scene is the evens/odds scene in this film. If you're a fan of this series at all please see this entry.

This is the third entry in the popular Zatoichi series, and as usual it features an outstanding performance from Shintaro Katsu as the blind masseur who is also a master of sword play. This time he takes on a gang of thieves who are marauding the countryside. Of particular note is Akira Ifubuke's brilliant and evocative score, reminiscent of his best work from kaiju.