Kazuo Ikehiro
1929 (95 лет)Possibly his greatest achievement came with Raizo, when he played an instrumental part in the Nemuri Kyoshiro series. The first three movies had been fairly straightforward chambara adventures, but with 1964's Sword of Seduction, Ikehiro steered the series into the surreal and stylistically outrageous extremes that made the Son of the Black Mass so legendary.
ママいつまでも生きてね
Kazuo Ikehiro
Mitsuteru Nakamura, Munenori Oyamada
At school, Fumio is good in everything. His cheerful, out-going personality makes him a great favorite with teachers and classmates alike. He is in perfect health and there does not seem to be a single shadow to cloud his life. Then, one day, he feels a sudden pain in his shoulder. His parents take him to a doctor who tells them that their son has bone cancer and must be hospitalized. The parents cannot believe their ears, for Fumio had always been the picture of abounding health. The whole family with the exception of Fumio is cast into the depths of despair. They wonder why it had to happen to their Fumio and their happy family. The father who recovers first and decides to fight cancer to save his son's life.
Live My Share, Mother
おんな極悪帖
Kazuo Ikehiro
Michiyo Ookusu, Masakazu Tamura
Wicked woman Ogin is a concubine of a powerful feudal lord Tayu. At first Ogin gains power by poisoning lawful wife of Tayu. To gain more power Ogin let her lover Isogai Iori, kill whoever interrupts her. Film it is based on Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's novel "Kyofu Jidai".
Naked Ambition
素浪人罷り通る
Kazuo Ikehiro
Toshirō Mifune, Kahori Takeda
Reprising his role from the popular TV series "Koya no Suronin" (The Lowly Ronin), Mifune Toshiro stars in this full-length, stand-alone made for TV movie. The wandering ronin is reminiscent of his most famous role as the samurai without a name in Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro". He travels about Japan, and while he may seek happiness, violence and tragedy always cross his path. This time, he reluctantly agrees when a girl hires him to kill a local offical who has unfairly taxed her villagers. But he soon discoves that not all is at it appears when he finds a direct link to his past.
Lowly Ronin
雁
Kazuo Ikehiro
Ayako Wakao, Gaku Yamamoto
Otama, daughter of a poor candy vendor, becomes the mistress of a man whom she believes to be a widower and owner of a prosperous dry goods store. The man is in fact married with children, and is a despised loan shark who takes money from the poor without qualms. Totally enraptured with Otama, this usurer establishes her and her father in separate houses and generously gives them gifts including silk taken as interest from Oshige, a poor cloth dealer who does business with the sewing teacher, Otama's neighbor. Otama's satisfaction with her situation gradually crumbles as she discovers the truth about her benefactor.
Wild Geese
Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold
Kazuo Ikehiro
Shintarō Katsu, Shôgo Shimada
Ichi travels to the village of Itakura to pay his respects at the grave of Kichizo, a man he killed two years ago. When some tax money is stolen while in transit to the governor he is accused and sets out to find the money and clear his name.
Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold
Zatoichi's Flashing Sword
Kazuo Ikehiro
Shintarō Katsu, Tatsuo Endō
Blind masseur Zatoichi is nursed back to health by a young woman after he is shot by a gang member. Zatoichi, who had come to the village to repay a debt, now feels further indebted. He commits himself to use his amazing sword skills to help the young woman's father, whose river-crossing service is under attack by the same gang responsible for Zatoichi's wounds.
Zatoichi's Flashing Sword
Lone Wolf Isazo
Kazuo Ikehiro
Raizō Ichikawa, Mayumi Ogawa
Isazo is a traveling gambler and living legend in the world of yakuza, known for his swordsmanship and bravery, his impeccable manners, and his brilliant talent in gambling. One late fall at an inn in Kiso Fukushima, Isazo befriends a young boy whose mother turns out to be his old love Yoshino, with whom he was not unable to consummate a marriage due to the class differences between them.
Lone Wolf Isazo
中山七里
Kazuo Ikehiro
Raizō Ichikawa, Tamao Nakamura
When a corrupt magistrate rapes Oshima, Masa (Raizō Ichikawa) avenges her by killing the officer, becoming thereby a fugitive, haunted and grief-stricken by the fact that Oshima committed suicide. Going underground in the gambling world, perpetually hiding from the law, Masa eventually meets a young woman named Onaka, who looks exactly like Oshima. Tales having two look-alike heroines are a commonplace in Japanese period films, a plot affectation inherited from the kabuki theater. Based on a novel by Shin Hasegawa, Nakayama shichiri was already twice filmed in 1930, one version directed by Namio Ochiai, and from which less than 40 minutes survive, the other directed by Kyotaro Namiki. Both are silent films, preserved by the Makino film institute.
Seven Miles to Nakayama
沓掛時次郎
Kazuo Ikehiro
Raizō Ichikawa, Michiyo Aratama
One of Japan's most popular stories is the tale of Kutsukake Tokijiro, a traveling gambler who finds that he must take care of the wife and child of a yakuza he had been forced by the code of the gamblers to fight man to man. In a brilliant performance from super-star Ichikawa Raizo, with strong support from two of the greats from Toho, Shimura Takashi (7 Samurai) and Aratama Michiyo (Sword of Doom) the heartfelt story reaches new heights. Tokijiro, having learned the true nature of the boss to whom he was obligated for having spent a night and eaten at the gang's headquarters takes up arms against them in a running battle fought across the back roads of the entire nation. Another powerful rendition of this superb story, it is not to be missed!
The Gambler's Code
忍びの者 続・霧隠才蔵
Kazuo Ikehiro
Raizō Ichikawa, Tomisaburō Wakayama
[Period covered: 1616] On May 8th, 1615 the summer campaign of Osaka has reached the climax. This film takes place immediately following 'Ninja 4: Mist Saizo, Last of The Ninja'. Staying one step ahead of the Shogun’s forces, “Mist” Saizo tries to save the Sanada Clan, and avenge the death of his lord by assassinating the first Tokugawa Shogun. Following the first four films in this remarkable series, more previously unknown Ninja skills are shown to the world for the first time. The action heats up as Saizo single-handedly attacks the Shogun’s Palace!
Shinobi No Mono 5: Return of Mist Saizo
無宿人御子神の丈吉 黄昏に閃光が飛んだ
Kazuo Ikehiro
Yoshio Harada, Hajime Araki
In feudal Japan, women are vulnerable, in need of protection, and capable of deception. Jokichi of Mikogami, a drifter, has not yet fully revenged the death of his wife and son. He searches for Kunisada Chuji, who in turn has hired the knife-throwing Windmill Kobunji to kill him. Kobunji and Jokichi meet in the winter, near Sasago Pass, when both have rescued women: Jokichi has saved the lute-playing Oyae whose clan and whose lover want her dead; Kobunji has rescued Oharu, a well-born woman married to an innkeeper. Is this rescue a whim or something deeper? And why does Jokichi become the consumptive Kobunji's protector? What ultimately will Jokichi do about Oyae?
Slaughter in the Snow
眠狂四郎 女妖剣
Kazuo Ikehiro
Raizō Ichikawa, Michiko Ai
A fugitive christian "saint" (female, of course!) and a sadistic drug-addled princess both have their eye on Kyoshiro. The fact that a bunch of ruthless smugglers also want him dead is the least of his problems!
Sleepy Eyes of Death 4: Sword of Seduction
Broken Swords
Kazuo Ikehiro
Hiroki Matsukata, Kōjirō Hongō
The tragic, yet exciting story of the friendship between Nakayama Yasubei, a member of the 47 Ronin, and Tange Tenzen, a relative by marriage of the vile Lord Kira. Remake of Hakuôki AKA Samurai Vendetta (1959).
Broken Swords