I just had to write something when I saw that the current spotlighted user's comment calls this movie merely "decent." I just got back from seeing it on the big screen, and believe me, it's WAY more than "decent." More like amazing. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to see it. I'll be the first to admit that it's at times narratively challenging, and that the main character is fairly one-note. But it really compares in many respects with classic westerns like The Searchers. Plus a truly inventive, exciting, and striking climax. Full of visual poetry. Ten lines really does seem like a bit much to require people to write. Would six be so awful? All I really wanted to do was provide some balance to the "decent" comment. Wow. I'm still just at nine lines. Okay. See this on the big screen if you have a chance. It's truly a widescreen picture that uses the frame quite inventively at times. And that's eleven lines, so I'm done.
19 Reviews
Wanted to like it but....
mmushrm1 December 2010
After reading all the raves about this movie I was looking forward to finally watching it. I have to admit to being somewhat let down. Mind you it is a good movie with Nakadai putting in a great performance as a haunted samurai. Maybe I have seen too many samurai or movies from the east but the story seems formulaic for me (I am also watching it over 40yrs since it was made and the movie is older then I am). I still give this movie a 7 rating as it is a good movie but there definitely are better ones. Note: I watched Goyokin after The Sword of Doom. Nakadai's performance is better in this movie but I enjoyed The Sword of Doom more as a whole.
Superior samurai film
jamesrupert201422 January 2022
A remorseful samurai struggles to reconcile clan loyalty with honourable behaviour after turning a blind eye to the massacre of innocent villagers to cover up the theft of gold intended for the Tokugawa shogunate. Thematically similar to director Hideo Gosha's other chanbara, this film takes a hard look at the unquestioning obedience demanded of underlings in feudal societies and how the honour and fidelity can be manipulated to dishonorable and wicked ends. The three leads, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kinnosuke Nakamura, and Tetsuro Tamba, all well-established actors in Japanese cinema (both in jidaigeki and other genres), are excellent. The cinematography, which includes some fanciful imagery is great, the story interesting, and the 'action sequences' well-done and entertaining. All in all, a great entry in the popular genre from a top Japanese director.
"It's a funeral for us samurais"
chaos-rampant27 April 2008
Goyokin is one of those movies that I wanna scream from the rooftops just how incredibly awesome they are. The kind of film I wanna grab every person I know by the neck and force them to watch it with eyes wide open, Clockwork Orange style. It's really a cinematic crime that Goyokin is not as widely seen and regarded as the works of more famous Japanese directors, like Kurosawa. It might be a genre movie and as such attract mostly chambara fans, but this really deserves to reach more mainstream audiences. Put simply, if you like beautiful movies, you have to see this one.
The plot concerns a clan that is struggling financially who schemes to steal a shipment of the Shogun's gold and silence the nearby villagers who witness the crime and the ronin Magobei (played by the unparalleled Tatsuya Nakadai) who makes a moral stand and decides to go against his former clan. I won't go too far into plot details, but let's just say Goyokin is an anti-samurai film at heart. Like the best work of that other great jidai-geki director, Masai Kobayashi, Hideo Gosha doesn't try to pass moral judgement on his characters and treats them with compassion and affection. We're in 1830 and these are hard times for samurais as Japan finds herself on the brink of change. As one character realises in the end, "We sit here and die in the cold, and what does the Shogunate do? They get fatter in the heat". Gosha doesn't condemn the samurais for their soon to be obsolete code, rather puts things into perspective and shows us that desperate people will do desperate things. Innocent people die but who is really responsible for these crimes? It plays out like a good ancient Greek tradegy, minus the melodrama. Every emotion is incredibly nuanced here, every glance, move and frame. Gosha wisely lets the visuals tell the story.
And that brings me to the next point. The visuals. I am not exaggerating when I say that Goyokin is one of the most beautiful movies ever conceived. Yes better than most Kurosawa films, if the comparison has any merit. The colours are like small strokes of a brush on a white canvas as most of the film was shot outdoors in snowy landscapes. The rugged terrain is a pivotal character here, from the stormy sea to the blizzards to the open vistas. The cinematography and the way Gosha treats the locations as an integral part of every scene, reminded me of the spaghetti westerns of the great Sergio Corbucci (Django, The Great Silence). The muddy streets of a small town (as in Django). The snow blizzards and the cold, hostile terrain (as in The Great Silence). Samurais trying to prevent frostbite from setting in before a duel, unable to pick up their swords and fight. That nature is so tightly interwoven to the plot is another testament to Gosha's attention to detail. His cinematography is truly outstanding. I simply can't stress how visually awe-inspiring this movie is. Every frame is a painting. In a way it brought to mind the maestro Sergio Leone. After all the jidai-geki and the spaghetti western are very similar in the ways they depict their scarred heroes, the duel and the terrain.
I don't know what else to say about Goyokin. The performances are great all around with Ruriko Asaoka stealing every scene she's in, not least thanks to her drop dead gorgeous looks. Tatsuya Nakadai is once again outstanding in the lead role. The swordplay is fantastic, quick and brutal thrusts of the sword with an emphasis on the ritualistic aspect of the duel. The silence before and after. Although not as bloody and action-oriented as something like Lone Wolf and Cub, Goyokin left me more than satisfied in that department.
There's not much else to add, except that Goyokin is criminally underseen (judging by the amount of votes here). Maybe in the years to come western audiences will open up their horizons and realize what they've been missing. In the meantime if you're reading this, seek this movie out. You won't regret it.
The plot concerns a clan that is struggling financially who schemes to steal a shipment of the Shogun's gold and silence the nearby villagers who witness the crime and the ronin Magobei (played by the unparalleled Tatsuya Nakadai) who makes a moral stand and decides to go against his former clan. I won't go too far into plot details, but let's just say Goyokin is an anti-samurai film at heart. Like the best work of that other great jidai-geki director, Masai Kobayashi, Hideo Gosha doesn't try to pass moral judgement on his characters and treats them with compassion and affection. We're in 1830 and these are hard times for samurais as Japan finds herself on the brink of change. As one character realises in the end, "We sit here and die in the cold, and what does the Shogunate do? They get fatter in the heat". Gosha doesn't condemn the samurais for their soon to be obsolete code, rather puts things into perspective and shows us that desperate people will do desperate things. Innocent people die but who is really responsible for these crimes? It plays out like a good ancient Greek tradegy, minus the melodrama. Every emotion is incredibly nuanced here, every glance, move and frame. Gosha wisely lets the visuals tell the story.
And that brings me to the next point. The visuals. I am not exaggerating when I say that Goyokin is one of the most beautiful movies ever conceived. Yes better than most Kurosawa films, if the comparison has any merit. The colours are like small strokes of a brush on a white canvas as most of the film was shot outdoors in snowy landscapes. The rugged terrain is a pivotal character here, from the stormy sea to the blizzards to the open vistas. The cinematography and the way Gosha treats the locations as an integral part of every scene, reminded me of the spaghetti westerns of the great Sergio Corbucci (Django, The Great Silence). The muddy streets of a small town (as in Django). The snow blizzards and the cold, hostile terrain (as in The Great Silence). Samurais trying to prevent frostbite from setting in before a duel, unable to pick up their swords and fight. That nature is so tightly interwoven to the plot is another testament to Gosha's attention to detail. His cinematography is truly outstanding. I simply can't stress how visually awe-inspiring this movie is. Every frame is a painting. In a way it brought to mind the maestro Sergio Leone. After all the jidai-geki and the spaghetti western are very similar in the ways they depict their scarred heroes, the duel and the terrain.
I don't know what else to say about Goyokin. The performances are great all around with Ruriko Asaoka stealing every scene she's in, not least thanks to her drop dead gorgeous looks. Tatsuya Nakadai is once again outstanding in the lead role. The swordplay is fantastic, quick and brutal thrusts of the sword with an emphasis on the ritualistic aspect of the duel. The silence before and after. Although not as bloody and action-oriented as something like Lone Wolf and Cub, Goyokin left me more than satisfied in that department.
There's not much else to add, except that Goyokin is criminally underseen (judging by the amount of votes here). Maybe in the years to come western audiences will open up their horizons and realize what they've been missing. In the meantime if you're reading this, seek this movie out. You won't regret it.
Among the best of the genre
shinobirastafari9 July 2001
From the truly creepy opening to the climax, this movie holds your attention, both with its cinematography and (more preciously) a gripping and coherent storyline.
Excellent filming techniques in this film hold your attention, when the suspense (yes! actual suspense!) doesn't. The acting (by Nakadai Tatsuya, one of Japan's greatest actors -- far better than Mifune Toshiro, IMHO) is top notch. Finally, the violence (though there's plenty) never degenerates into splatter. The violence appears much more disturbing (intentionally so) and much less titillating than in many "chambara" movies.
Also noteworthy, this movie plays on the "loyalty vs. morality" theme that Gosha seems so fond of hammering. In this particular movie, however, he really pulls it off with some intelligence. Though I'm a big fan of Gosha, I have to admit that not everything he touches turns to "gold" (Get it? You will...).
Even so, if you're going to sample from the "chambara" genre, this is among the best (my other nominee would be "Hitokiri/Tenchu" (1969). Frankly, I think it's among the best Japanese films, period.
Excellent filming techniques in this film hold your attention, when the suspense (yes! actual suspense!) doesn't. The acting (by Nakadai Tatsuya, one of Japan's greatest actors -- far better than Mifune Toshiro, IMHO) is top notch. Finally, the violence (though there's plenty) never degenerates into splatter. The violence appears much more disturbing (intentionally so) and much less titillating than in many "chambara" movies.
Also noteworthy, this movie plays on the "loyalty vs. morality" theme that Gosha seems so fond of hammering. In this particular movie, however, he really pulls it off with some intelligence. Though I'm a big fan of Gosha, I have to admit that not everything he touches turns to "gold" (Get it? You will...).
Even so, if you're going to sample from the "chambara" genre, this is among the best (my other nominee would be "Hitokiri/Tenchu" (1969). Frankly, I think it's among the best Japanese films, period.
Hauntingly beautiful samurai redemption story
vegas-sickboy17 March 2006
Goyokin is a hauntingly beautiful story of a Magobei Wakazaka a samurai turned to a drunk guilt ridden ronin after taking part in the slaughter of some innocent people because he was following orders from his brother in law in a plot to steal some official gold (Goyokin). When his brother in law decides to steal more gold and kill more people some assassins come for Magobei to silence him forever. This causes Magobei to throw down the bottle of sake and take up the sword once again. He decides to journey back to stop the slaughter and seek redemption.Gosha tells the classic story of a samurai and his giri-ninjo conflict, that is his struggle against following orders which is the way of the samurai, or doing what he believes is right. He uses his trademark crows as symbolic supernatural supervisors of karma and in such a way it eerily beautiful and unforgettable.
Original, yet Flawed.
aureliofindunio1 December 2020
It offers something new to the classic premise of the Samurai movie, and delivers some cool moments. But the direction and camera movements aren't very good and the passing is too slow, and stops when you are about to get invested in the action. Also I think it could have used music better.
Absolutely gorgeous images that stay with you forever!
drwnutt30 December 2004
I saw this film in the late 1970s. It was called "Goyekin - The Emperor's Gold". As I watched our guilt-ridden hero return to fulfill his promise, really a threat, to punish his family if they repeated their crime. I still see the image of him striding along the beach with a conical hat pulled low. The shadow on his face made his eyes glow under the hat and the shot was taken with a telephoto through wispy beach grass. Completely memorable. Then the scene in the forest with the horsemen riding through. It looked like an ancient Japanese painting with hazy colors and an other-worldliness that was amazing. Then the concluding duel in the snow. Two brilliantly attired samurai dueling in a pure white, glistening environment. So many great images from one film!
The film itself is a pretty typical revenge film with some twists. When Tom Laughlin tried to redo it as a Mexican western,"The Master Gunfighter", it just fell flat. But the samurai movie has an entertaining plot and good action characters with beautiful settings. I think this film is a special case of cinematographic excellence. See it and enjoy the beauty.
The film itself is a pretty typical revenge film with some twists. When Tom Laughlin tried to redo it as a Mexican western,"The Master Gunfighter", it just fell flat. But the samurai movie has an entertaining plot and good action characters with beautiful settings. I think this film is a special case of cinematographic excellence. See it and enjoy the beauty.
One of a kind...
OttoVonB6 May 2004
This is a special beast of a samurai film because of several things.
For starters it is often compared unfavorably to "Sword of Doom" (completely nihilist B&W psycho samurai also starring Tatsuya Nakadai as a clone of his Yojimbo character). Quite frankly, Goyokin is far superior in nuance, photography and character depth. It holds that edge and an inherent darkness that is exquisitely explored visually over most samurai films in existence: more poetic than Zatôyichi (2003, Kitano), better filmed and written than Sword of Doom (1966, Okamoto), less remote than Ran (1985, Kurosawa) and darker and deeper than Yojimbo (1961, also Kurosawa); the only samurai to best this is Seven Samurai.
Tatsuya Nakadai comes across as three-dimensional, which is a departure from most chambara film heroes, and tormented but eminently likable. Every character is given sufficient growth and motive. Masaru Sato gives us one of his finest scores ever (the other being that of Yojimbo). The photography defeats any samurai film that could possibly cross your mind (yes, even Ran and by a narrow margin Seven samurai's stark B&W beauty)! The fights have a sincere brutality and make the most of their environment... There is little else to add... well no maybe there is. Don't go in expecting pop-corn entertainment but rather something deeper more complex.
I've heard that Inagaki's Samurai trilogy was Japan's "Gone With the Wind", Red Beard it's "Titanic" and Seven Samurai its ultimate western... if so, "Goyokin" is its "Lawrence of Arabia"!
For starters it is often compared unfavorably to "Sword of Doom" (completely nihilist B&W psycho samurai also starring Tatsuya Nakadai as a clone of his Yojimbo character). Quite frankly, Goyokin is far superior in nuance, photography and character depth. It holds that edge and an inherent darkness that is exquisitely explored visually over most samurai films in existence: more poetic than Zatôyichi (2003, Kitano), better filmed and written than Sword of Doom (1966, Okamoto), less remote than Ran (1985, Kurosawa) and darker and deeper than Yojimbo (1961, also Kurosawa); the only samurai to best this is Seven Samurai.
Tatsuya Nakadai comes across as three-dimensional, which is a departure from most chambara film heroes, and tormented but eminently likable. Every character is given sufficient growth and motive. Masaru Sato gives us one of his finest scores ever (the other being that of Yojimbo). The photography defeats any samurai film that could possibly cross your mind (yes, even Ran and by a narrow margin Seven samurai's stark B&W beauty)! The fights have a sincere brutality and make the most of their environment... There is little else to add... well no maybe there is. Don't go in expecting pop-corn entertainment but rather something deeper more complex.
I've heard that Inagaki's Samurai trilogy was Japan's "Gone With the Wind", Red Beard it's "Titanic" and Seven Samurai its ultimate western... if so, "Goyokin" is its "Lawrence of Arabia"!
Great film
emboggs6 August 2000
An outstanding, visually stunning film with images that will haunt you long after the film is over. The beginning is straight out of Hitchcock, The Birds have nothing on the horror of the crows. My biggest wish is for this to be available in the US on video or DVD.
Predictable, shallow, and boring....
Zoomorph26 November 2023
I had high hopes for this film based on the other reviews and ratings, and was shocked at how terrible it turned out to be. The story was completely predictable and cliche. The characters were as thin as cardboard, with no personality or intrigue. The cinematography was average. There was nothing at all in it to challenge the intellect.
So what are we left with? Watching a superhero kill the bad guys for 2+ hours, knowing well in advance how it will go. Extremely tedious and banal. This is far from a great film, it is not even mildly entertaining despite all the action. It was a chore to stay awake until the end.
So what are we left with? Watching a superhero kill the bad guys for 2+ hours, knowing well in advance how it will go. Extremely tedious and banal. This is far from a great film, it is not even mildly entertaining despite all the action. It was a chore to stay awake until the end.
I saw this awesome film as an American in Japan in 1969!
deanok111 May 2002
I saw "Goyokin" in 1969 at a small theater in Yokohama, Japan. It was in Japanese, of course, but the evolution of the story was understood. The film was so well done, and beyond what I was used to as an American watching Japanese movies in Japan. The acting was superb and the tension was palpable. The story was unique and its presentation was gorgeous. It's not hyperbole to say I was awestruck. With the advent of VHS I began searching for this movie as a video. After years of searching, I bought a barely watchable re-re-re-reprint with multiple subtitles. I was happy to HEAR the movie again! Tom ("Billy Jack") Loughlin made the putrid, displaced "The Master Gunfighter" but it was ludicrous as a Western. I will never understand why this classic has not been produced as a Video! Obviously, many people know about it, and it appears on wish lists throughout the world. It deserves the full DVD treatment and, PLEASE, while the great Tatsuya Nakadai is still alive to provide commentary on it.
Saw it first 35 years ago; and the second time tonight
foal28 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I remember going to see Goyokin because of a movie review. The film critic called it an anti- samurai samurai film. And that's exactly what it is. While I'm not very knowledgeable about the genre, I've seen enough to know the form. This one's different! I'm going to digress. If you're acquainted with a short story by the Russian writer Dostoyevsky called the Grand Inquisitor, Christ returns to earth just in time for the Spanish Inquisition. He experiences a church in his name completely removed from his example. That's the spirit which inspires Goyokin. It's simple, literate story telling with plenty of significant detail and dialogue to make the plot of a very Japanese film comprehensible to more Occidental sensibilities. A tale of revenge set in a cultural context of official greed in the last years of the Tokugawa era.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS The opening scenes establish the degree of criminality to which some samurai resort to meet the burden of taxes imposed by a corrupt government. The rest of the movie devotes itself to one man and his helpers seeking to prevent a repeat of that history. END SPOILERS END SPOILERS END SPOILERS
After 36 years, this film is finally available as a DVD import. It's bare bones. English subtitles only (with no options on my copy for other languages). Plus chapter headings. That's it. But the film transfer is gorgeous; its rich colors which once I could only try to recall came alive again and the cinematography is spellbinding. Out of sheer curiosity, I wish I knew some background of Goyokin's story. If it's indicative of director Hideo Gosha's work in general, he's a real original. Watching it again this evening, I couldn't help but wonder who Gosha watched to develop his own style of storytelling, or is it just practice, practice, practice?
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS The opening scenes establish the degree of criminality to which some samurai resort to meet the burden of taxes imposed by a corrupt government. The rest of the movie devotes itself to one man and his helpers seeking to prevent a repeat of that history. END SPOILERS END SPOILERS END SPOILERS
After 36 years, this film is finally available as a DVD import. It's bare bones. English subtitles only (with no options on my copy for other languages). Plus chapter headings. That's it. But the film transfer is gorgeous; its rich colors which once I could only try to recall came alive again and the cinematography is spellbinding. Out of sheer curiosity, I wish I knew some background of Goyokin's story. If it's indicative of director Hideo Gosha's work in general, he's a real original. Watching it again this evening, I couldn't help but wonder who Gosha watched to develop his own style of storytelling, or is it just practice, practice, practice?
See this film if you get the opportunity
Er_ebo3 October 2004
Saw Goyokin at Cinemateket in Oslo recently, and was really amazed. Already from the hauntingly beautiful beginning, with the young girl returning to her village, I was completely captured by the stunning cinematography (never has mud been so pretty) and music.
The story is alright, and the fight scenes are more realistic than usual in this genre, which fits the film well. The costumes and sets also seems realistic, though I'm not an expert on that. But it is the visual beauty, with many scenes in a snowy winter, and the music, that sets you in a in a wonderful, melancholic mood.
9/10
The story is alright, and the fight scenes are more realistic than usual in this genre, which fits the film well. The costumes and sets also seems realistic, though I'm not an expert on that. But it is the visual beauty, with many scenes in a snowy winter, and the music, that sets you in a in a wonderful, melancholic mood.
9/10
Magnificent! One of the best samurai films ever!
Feng20 February 1999
Three years waiting for a final Redemption !!!
elo-equipamentos3 June 2019
After DVD's advent many samurai's picture were bring to Brazilian's market in Box-set in especial edition, since then l had all them, now l've been put the Japanese's cinema as the fifth best in the world, Goyokin is a near masterpiece, the story of a minor Clan that had financial trouble and decided stolen a ship's gold from Edo's Shogunate, and killing around 30 fishermen on seashore, a proud Samurai refuses do it again, he left the group and disappears for three years, wandering without destiny, when hears that all it gonna happen again, he starts his redemption, fine piece of the art, colorful, strong, in a stunning visual neither, among the white snow in contrast with blood, however has a bit influence from Italian spaghetti style, shot on location on a frozen seashore, the leading actor Tatsuya Nakadai was fantastic and Tetsuro Tamba was his brother in law and his unfaithful opponent, the climax took place a little fishermen's village where the ship's gold has to reach signaled of a huge bonfire, this picture stays in same level as others successful picture as Yojimbo, Sword of Doom, Rashomon just named a few them, the whole concept of the man's redemption!!!
Resume:
First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 9
Resume:
First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 9
One of the greatest Japanese films of all time
ametaphysicalshark31 May 2008
"Goyokin" is passionate, poetic, beautiful, colorful, thrilling, and brilliantly-filmed. It would be an understatement to say that "Goyokin" is one of the best-looking films I've seen in a long time. Hideo Gosha is one of the most under-appreciated Japanese directors and I say this purely on the strength of this one film because it is a true masterpiece.
"Goyokin" has a sense of theatricality about it that fits better than even many of Kurosawa's films. "Rashomon" for instance features performances completely unsuitable for the film's general mood (in my opinion), but in "Goyokin" the nature of the film fits perfectly with the mood and atmosphere Gosha creates. It's almost operatic in many ways, most noticeably so in the exquisitely-filmed sword fighting scenes. The story itself is also fitting of an Opera or an ancient Greek or Roman tragedy. In the tradition of many chambara films the film is reminiscent in sensibility to a revisionist Western, which can either come off as interesting or forced and in this case reminded me of some of the great American and Italian Westerns that came after the genre's popularity started dying.
Gosha's work here is spectacular. The selection of shots and his coordination with the camera operator are brilliant. The cinematography by Kozo Okazaki displays a fine and mature understanding of the mechanics of photography for film and captures the landscape of the film brilliantly. All the acting is good but Tatsuya Nakadai is truly memorable in the lead role.
I find it exceptionally hard to write extensively about movies I truly love because I find it hard to articulate my thoughts. I'm not sure I have much to say about this film since it struck me on such an emotional level and because it only matters that it is a passionate, poetic, and stunningly well-filmed movie that stands as my favorite movie in the genre quite easily and has immediately become one of my all-time favorites.
10/10
"Goyokin" has a sense of theatricality about it that fits better than even many of Kurosawa's films. "Rashomon" for instance features performances completely unsuitable for the film's general mood (in my opinion), but in "Goyokin" the nature of the film fits perfectly with the mood and atmosphere Gosha creates. It's almost operatic in many ways, most noticeably so in the exquisitely-filmed sword fighting scenes. The story itself is also fitting of an Opera or an ancient Greek or Roman tragedy. In the tradition of many chambara films the film is reminiscent in sensibility to a revisionist Western, which can either come off as interesting or forced and in this case reminded me of some of the great American and Italian Westerns that came after the genre's popularity started dying.
Gosha's work here is spectacular. The selection of shots and his coordination with the camera operator are brilliant. The cinematography by Kozo Okazaki displays a fine and mature understanding of the mechanics of photography for film and captures the landscape of the film brilliantly. All the acting is good but Tatsuya Nakadai is truly memorable in the lead role.
I find it exceptionally hard to write extensively about movies I truly love because I find it hard to articulate my thoughts. I'm not sure I have much to say about this film since it struck me on such an emotional level and because it only matters that it is a passionate, poetic, and stunningly well-filmed movie that stands as my favorite movie in the genre quite easily and has immediately become one of my all-time favorites.
10/10
DECENT movie but...
AkuSokuZan30 July 2001
lacking in the character and story department. First of all the movie was predictable, protagonist involved in conspiracy to steal government gold and massacre of innocent witnesses/ accomplices, protagonist feels guilty and seeks justice and revenge. What saves it from being a mediocre movie is some attention to setting an atmosphere. For example, an aqua blue sky speckled with cackling ravens, a fire storm during an avalanche, a snow covered background married to the rhythms of masked drummers and a very elegant scene involving small daggers thrown between opponents. Actors and actresses gave this movie their all but it is not as memorable as other films from this genre. If you want to see a really GREAT movie check out SWORD OF DOOM (Bosatsu Toge) also starring TATSUYA NAKADAI.
Excellent
roykaku1 June 2004
Saw the movie when it was originally released in limited distribution in San Francisco. Video release has been difficult to get in the Unite States, I guess because the rights to the movie was sold to Tom Laughlin who made a western version of the story titled "The Master Gunfighter."
Excellent cinematography, colors, acting and all-around artistry. Other movies of the genre are better for pure action, violence, etc. but this movie remains one my all-time favorites.
I see similarities with the recently released "The Last Samurai" where Tom Cruise's life degenerates into a side-show sharp-shooter only to redeem himself by righting old wrongs.
Excellent cinematography, colors, acting and all-around artistry. Other movies of the genre are better for pure action, violence, etc. but this movie remains one my all-time favorites.
I see similarities with the recently released "The Last Samurai" where Tom Cruise's life degenerates into a side-show sharp-shooter only to redeem himself by righting old wrongs.
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