![]() The first film, Sword Of Vengeance, was one of three shot and released in 1972 and I can’t even imagine what it would’ve been like seeing it back then (although the visual impact of the new Blu-Ray discs certainly gives you a taste). ![]() Initially he used this to make more Zatoichi films but, when Wakayama pitched the Lone Wolf movies, they both knew they were onto a winner. Yakuza plots were popular and he was acting in films that, in his own words, he “wanted to burn” so he set up his own company – Katsu Productions. Wakayama’s brother Shintarô Katsu (famous for playing Zatoichi, the blind samurai) had recently become jaded with where he felt Japanese cinema was headed. He then put on a demonstration of swordplay and acrobatics that convinced Koike that he was indeed the right man for the job, and the rest was history. The imposing figure of Tomisaburo Wakayama – a popular actor of the time, known for his jidaigeki (period dramas) – paid a visit to Koike begging to be allowed to play Lone Wolf, despite being somewhat more heavyset than the character in the comics. The comic was a phenomenal hit and it wasn’t long before Japan’s film industry came knocking on Koike’s door. Koike came up with the idea because he wanted to take the typical story of a ‘superheroic’ samurai but one with a vulnerability – hence the addition of an infant son who travels everywhere with him. Lone Wolf & Cub’s origins lie in manga which, in the early ’70s, was in something of a golden age. In addition to Lone Wolf & Cub, Koike created other popular characters like Hanzo the Razor, Lady Snowblood, Crying Freeman, and, by extension of this, Quentin Tarantino (but then nobody’s perfect). The influence of its creator Kazuo Koike on worldwide pop culture can’t be understated either. The series is not just some of the finest Japanese cinema of the ’70s but also possibly the first comic book movie franchise aimed at adults.įor my money, it’s still the best one too. ![]() This changed with the dawn of DVD, when some so-so quality releases emerged but now, thanks to Criterion, viewers can finally view the entire uncut franchise (with the added bonus of the Shogun Assassin cut) in the truly beautiful 2K Blu-Ray restoration it deserves. Of course, Shogun Assassin also found its following because it was, for a while, difficult to find the original Lone Wolf & Cub series in the West. In fact, the introductory monologue has the honor of being the sample that kicks off one of the greatest albums of all time ( Liquid Swords by GZA) and you can’t argue with that. The narrative is driven by a voiceover from a character who says literally just two words throughout the original six films, but it sounds so rad so you won’t even care. The inappropriate score is a joyful synthesiser meltdown and the spirited dub goes full-pelt, even if what they’re saying is quite different to the original Japanese dialogue. While it may seem criminal now to butcher a pair of bona fide Japanese classics and completely change their meaning and tone, Shogun Assassin got away with it by being so vibrant and hyperactive.
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