BLACK HOOD MAN 2
(Gozonji Kaiketsu Kurozukin Dai-Niwa Shinsengumi Tsuigeki)
(1955)
It's a battle for
supremacy in this rousing action spectacular set during the final
days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. As the rebel forces try to raise a
war-chest to fund their war effort, the Shogun's militia (Shinsengumi)
attempts to keep the money from reaching Kyoto where it would be
used to topple the government. Everybody's favorite hero with a
secret identity is back as Kurozukin, the mysterious black-hooded
man helps transport the war-chest raised to fight against the
Shogunate and restore Imperial rule.
Cast: OTOMO Ryutaro, CHIHARA Shinobu, KITAGAWA Chizuru -
Directed by: UCHIDE Kokichi
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EIGHT
BRAVE BROTHERS TRILOGY (Satomi Hakkenden) (1959)
This remake
of Satomi Hakkenden is the most requested of all Toei movies and
features some of the greatest special effects ever filmed. Set in
the mountains of Awa Province, a monster bat from the heavens, a
monster eagle from the clouds, a killer amphibian man, and a
fire-breathing monster serpent! Mean-while being protected by the
black magic of two sorceresses, the army of Ogigayatsu Sadamasa
surges on! Young Satomi Yoshimichi stands up to the onslaught in
defense of peace and happiness. As incarnates of the loyal family
canine Yatsufusa, eight young warriors are bound by eight mystical
beads of virtue. These are the adventures of eight warrior brothers,
Satomi Hakkenden!
Cast: FUSHIMI Sentaro, SATOMI Kotaro, ONOE Koinosuke, SAWAMURA
Seishiro, MEGURO Yuki, KAGA Kunio - Directed by: UCHIDE
Kokichi
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KING AND HIS
VASSALS (Iemitsu to Hikozaemon to Isshin Tasuke) (1961)
This story begins in 1624 during the reign of Shogun Hidetada. The New Year's
greeting is the most important ceremonial event in Japan. The Edo government
decreed it a festivity of pomp and circumstance. It was meant to demonstrate the
power of the Shogunate, and every-one had to wait their turn to greet Shogun
Hidetada and his heir,
young lord Iemitsu. Even Tadanaga, the heir's step-brother had to wait his turn.
This led to his advisors plotting to usurp the heir and install Tadanaga as the
next Shogun. Little did they know of Isshin Tasuke, the fishmonger who was a
double for Iemitsu and the cunning way that Okubo Hikozaemon would use him to
save the succession in this highly entertaining motion picture.
Cast: NAKAMURA Kinnosuke, NAKAMURA Katsuo,
KOGURE Michiyo, SAKURAMACHI Hiroko, YAMAGATA Isao, KITAZAWA Noriko, SHINDO
Eitaro, SUSUKIDA Kenji - Directed by: SAWAJIMA Tadashi
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ODA NOBUNAGA
(1959)
Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) was a major daimyo during the Warring State
period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide,a
deputy military governor with land holdings in Owari province.
Nobunaga lived a life of continuous military conquest, eventually
conquering a third of Japanese daimyo before his death in 1582. His
successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a loyal Oda supporter, would
eventually become the first man to conquer all of Japan.
Cast: NAKAMURA Kinnosuke, NAKAMURA Kazuo, SATOMI Kotaro, KAGAWA
Kyoko, TSUKIGATA Ryunosuke - Directed by: KONO Toshikazu
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RIVER WASHES
AWAY THE MOON (Zangetsu Okawa Nagashi)
(1963)
Japan's most
beloved star Misora Hibari is back and better than ever in this tale
of love and action set against the beginnings of the Meiji era. In
1868 the Shogun had stepped down, transferring power back to the
Emperor. Shogunate forces were replaced by the triumphant allied
forces of the three clans, Satsuma, Choshu, and Tosa. When Ogin
picks the pocket of a man plotting to obtain 300 western muskets it
ignites a powder keg of excitement and drama. Can Ogin survive the
backlash and will she be able to give up her life as a thief in
order to pursue ultimate happiness with the man of her dreams?
Cast: MISORA Hibari, OGASAWARA Yoshitomo, TSUKUBA Hisako,
NISHIZAKI Michiko - Directed by: SASAKI Yasushi
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WIND, WOMAN AND
ROAD (Kaze to Onno to Tabigarasu)
A chance meeting
between two traveling gamblers leads to a case of mistaken identity
when the farmers transporting gold to the governor think they are
about to be robbed as the two gamblers face off against each other
swords in hand. Despite his attempt to return the gold, orphaned
gambler Ginji, who had previously been thrown out of the village is
called a thief and wounded by a bullet. Can Ginji and his newfound
friend Sentaro break up Hanzo the Shark's gang of thieves and save
the village? This is a great film from noted director Kato Tai.
Cast: NAKAMURA Kinnsuke, HASEGAWA Yumiko, OKA Satomi, MIKUNI
Rentaro, SHINDO Eitaro, USUDA Kenji - Directed by: KATO Tai
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AN OUTLAW (Nazarumono)
(1964)
Intrigue and mystery surround a cold-hearted assassin who must keep
one step ahead of the Hong Kong police as he tries to find out who
framed him for the murder of a woman and set him up as the fall guy
in a complicated drug scheme. Starring Takakura Ken as Nanjo the
assassin and directed by the critically acclaimed Ishii Teruo, this
is a journey into the dark underside of Asia's most exciting city.
Will Nanjo be able to find the solution and exact revenge for the
terrible situation he finds himself in?
Cast: TAKAKURA Ken, TANBA Tetsuro, SUGIURA Naoki, EHARA Shinjiro,
KAGA Mariko, MIHARA Yoko - Directed by: ISHII Teruo
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BRIDE OF PEACOCK
CASTLE (Kujakujo no Hanayome)
(1959)
The delightful and ever popular Misora Hibari stars as Princess Kazu,
the daughter of Shogun Ienari, who is sent to marry Matsudaira
Nobunao, master of Peacock castle in Kozuke province, a domain of
17,000 koku. When the procession carrying her sizable dowry was so
large that it was expected to take 30 days to reach the castle the
members of the clan were surprised to learn that it contained only
her barest essentials! Would her presence create a problem too large
for the clan to deal with? And having been trained by Lord Yagyu
himself, will her martial skills ruin the marital plans set forth
for the couple, or can she be tamed in time for the wedding?
Cast: OTOMO Ryutaro, MISORA Hibari, OKOCHI Denjiro,
NAKAMURA Katsuo, SAKURAMACHI Hiroko, YAMAGATA Isao - Directed
by: MATSUMURA Shoji
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EXCURSION TO
TREASURE ISLAND (Takarajime Ensei)
(1956)
A long, long time ago, there was a lovely and peaceful village
called Peach Tree Village. A peaceful village it was, with fields of
hay to be mowed, cloth to be woven on handlooms, wash to be done in
the river as ducks swam by, Life was pleasant and tranquil at Peach
Tree Village. This is an extra-vaganza of song and dance, starring
the great Misora Hibari along with the musical styling of the famed
Shochiku Musical Troupe (a rare occurrence in a Toei film). The
story is a dramatization of the Japanese folklore legend of Momotaro,
the Peach Boy, who with his trusted companions of dog, monkey and
pheasant fought against evil in olden times.
Cast: MISORA Hibari, ENOMOTO Kenichi, NISHIMURA Ko
and Shochiku Musical Troupe - Directed by: KOBAYASHI Tsuneo
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OFFICIAL WITH A
TATTOO (Gozonji Irezumi Hangan)
(1960)
After intervening to save a defenseless woman from a band of drunken
rogue samurai, the famed Toyama no Kinsan is confronted with the
news that his father, a clan lord, has been wrongfully accused of a
crime and may have to commit seppuku. While pride will not allow the
elder to ask for his son's help in clearing his name, Kinsan must
set out on a private mission in order to solve the mystery and save
his father from a terrible fate!
Cast: KATAOKA Chiezo, OKA Satomi, KOGURE Michiyo, YAMAGATA Isao,
TSUKIGATA Ryunosuke, SHINDO Eitaro - Directed by: SASAKI
Yasushi
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SAMURAI HAWK (Hatamoto
Kenka Daka) (1961)
In 1716 Tokugawa Yoshimune became the 8th Shogun. At the same time a
number of high officials were attacked. Among them Lord Hotta was
kidnapped and Lord Matsudaira was shot at. While the government
tries to keep these incidents under wraps, they must take any means
possible to get to the bottom of this mystery and find out who is
behind them. The great Ichikawa Utaemon is a young hata-moto who
dislikes the bureaucratic lifestyle, but is called upon to join the
Shogunate in order to crush this plot and save the Shogun.
Cast: ICHIKAWA Utaemon, HASEGAWA Yumiko, YAMAMURA So, SUSUKIDA
Kenji, KUROKAWA Yataro - Directed by: NAKAGAWA Nobuo
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NEW PRISON WALLS
OF ABASHIRI 3 (Shin Abashiri Bangaichi Saihate no Nogaremono)
(1969)
It's a battle of good versus evil in the frozen north when former
prison inmate Katsuji takes on Boss Tamaru who forcefully took over
the area's fishing business. Although he is raising Sho-Boy, a young
child whom he took under his wing, Katsuji must break his word and
get into a violent confrontation that can have only one conclusion.
Will Katsuji be able to survive against the evil Tamaru and his men?
Brilliant and powerful drama mixed with ultra-violence is a winning
combination!
Cast: TAKAKURA Ken,
HOSHI Yuriko, TANI Hayato - Directed by: SAEKI Kiyoshi
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