(Japan 1966)

Original Title: Kiba Okaminosuke 牙狼之介

 

Directed by Hideo Gosha Produced by Nobusaburo Honda, Norimichi Matsudaira Action by Kentaro Yuasa Starring: Isao Natsutagi, Ryohei Uchida, Tatsuo Endo, Kyoichi Sato, Shunji Sasaki, Ichiro Nakatani, Yuko Kusunoki, Ko Nichimura, Chiyo Aoi, Rumiko Fuji Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Chanbara / Action / Drama

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Rating - 4 / 5

Eureka Video Blu-ray Synopsis: A duo of chanbara masterpieces from one of the genre's greatest directors, Hideo Gosha! Out of a desire to make what he felt was a truly no-holds-barred sword-fighting film, Gosha took inspiration from the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa as well as the spaghetti Western sub-genre they had inspired. Working with a low budget to free himself from the restrictive oversight of his producers, the result was Samurai Wolf and Samurai Wolf 2, the story of a charismatic ronin named Kiba (played by Isao Natsuyagi). In the first film, Kiba wanders into a small town and ends up ensnared in a local conflict that is more than meets the eye. In Samurai Wolf 2, Kiba gets mixed up in a complex web of intrigue involving a crooked goldmine owner, a cynical swordsman, and an arrogant dojo master. With stunning black and white cinematography and ultra-stylish action sequences, the Samurai Wolf films are a lean, mean triumph of samurai cinema and the Masters of Cinema series is proud to present both films for the first time ever in the UK on Blu-ray. (74 & 72 Mins)

 

Views: Inspired by both Akira Kurosawa's samurai classics and Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns from a few years earlier, the Samurai Wolf films were considered B movies of their time, and although seemingly low budget, still prove to be highly-entertaining classics in their own right offering a live action manga-style approach in bold black and white. Similar in theme to Kurosawa's Yojimbo, that features the wonderful Toshiro Mifune as a wandering ronin, Samurai Wolf tells the tale of Kiba the Furious Wolf – a masterless samurai who travels the land working for free meals and putting a stop to wrong doers wherever he is needed. In part one, Kiba gets pulled into a conflict between officials at a waystation and soon learns of a murder plot by local gangsters who want to take over a local delivery route. And in its fast paced sequel, he is caught up in an intriguing feud between a crooked goldmine worker, a betrayed swordsman, an arrogant dojo owner, and a manipulative woman!

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Both underrated masterpieces were directed by Hideo Gosha; shot back to back and released across 1966 & 67 in Japan. At the time, Gosha was a popular television director who had made his incredible feature film debut with Three Outlaw Samurai, soon followed by the equally entertaining Sword Of The Beast, Cash Calls Hell and Secret Of The Urn. Here, Gosha would be on loan to the infamous Toei studio from Fuji TV, and would go on to continue in the genre for many years later offering up titles such as Goyokin, Yokiro, Hitokiri, and Shussho Iwai, as well as deliver the classic Yakuza gangster flick Violent Streets in 1974 and adult thriller Onimasa in 1982. Although he had been ill for many years, Gosha would hide his sickness and continue to work through to his last feature, The Oil Hell Murder, in 1992 before passing...

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Offering a great range of characters alongside its lead, the often humorous chanbara period pieces set in old Edo offer a shorter running time than many other samurai films of this time at under 75 minutes each, which are pretty much the length of a single episode of any popular K-drama today. Prolific actor Isao Natsuyagi stars as the charismatic titular character in what would have been, theoretically, his debut role. Impressing as the smiling, quick bladed ronin, Natsuyagi would go onto star in many hit titles including Eleven Samurai, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion, Yagyu Clan Conspiracy, Virus, Village Of Doom, 13 Assassins, Heaven & Earth, and again for Hideo Gosha in films such as Goyokin and Violent Streets, among others. Starring alongside him is a range of recognisable faces and big names from this era of Japanese cinema including Ryohei Uchida – star of over 180 features across 3 decades from the early 50s including the Blind Woman series, Stray Cat Rock, and Bodyguard Kiba to name but a few. Tatsuo Endo; an equally busy actor who appeared in many fun titles including the Lone Wolf & Cub series, Zatoichi, Daimajin, and Roaring Fire, to name but a few – Kyoichi Sato, who starred in films such as Kwaidan, Dragon Princess, and most of Gosha's earlier films, also stars with part two seeing the addition of actresses Ichiro Nakatani and Yuko Kusunoki, along with the prolific Ko Nishimura – star of over 240 movies including titles such as Zatoichi, Hanzo The Razor, Lone Wolf & Cub, 47 Ronin, and other Hideo Gosha movies.

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Fight choreographer Kentaro Yuasa provides some fun and brutal swordplay action, returning to work with Gosha once again having begun with him in the aforementioned Three Outlaw Samurai, delivering some fun battles with many effective moments of silence utilised throughout. It's also worth noting how beautifully shot the films are by prolific cinematographer Sadaji Yoshida who has captured over 100 films since the early 1950s including Bloody Spear At Mount Fuji, Bride Of Peacock Castle, Orgies Of Edo, Battles Without Honor & Humanity, Return Of The Street Fighter, and had worked with Gosha before this on Secret Of The Urn. The visuals are complimented with a great score from Toshiaki Tsushima, another prolific name of the industry who composed many great scores for most of the aforementioned titles as well as titles such as Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter series, Bodyguard Kiba 1 & 2, Yakuza Wolf, and The Fall Of Ako Castle with his score from the fantastic Yagyu Clan Conspiracy being reused in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 to great appraise.

 

While they may be ignored by many here in the west, hidden among the more critically praised and talked about films of Akira Kurosawa, the Samurai Wolf movies are just as entertaining and beautiful to watch over 50 years later – enhanced even more so by their recent restorations and Blu-ray releases by Eureka Video. Claimed to be, by many, the forerunner to the infamous Lone Wolf & Cub manga series – later adapted into one of Japan's most successful film series – Samurai Wolf makes for a compelling watch with plenty of blood-letting, slick direction, and excitement that will keep any chanbara fan happy during their short running time!

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Overall: Exciting, beautifully made, and well acted, Samurai Wolf 1 & 2 still stand strong today as two classic films of Japanese cinema that deserve to be seen – thanks to the wonderful direction and story telling of Hideo Gosha!

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Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: Samurai Wolf Audio Commentary with Chris Poggiali, Samurai Wolf 2 Audio Commentary with Jasper Sharp, Outlaw Director: Featurette on Hideo Gosha, Interview with Tony Rayns

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Watch my unboxing video for this Eureka release HERE​

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Watch my video retrospective for these movies HERE