This review may contain spoilers
"Even before we entered the world we were marked by karma."
Lady Snowblood is the film that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. Yuki's blood spewing revenge is a cautionary tale of feminine vengeance. Splendidly filmed with an impassioned OST, the unique style based on a manga, and the excellent acting make this film one worth seeking out if you enjoy this genre.Born to a dying mother in a prison on a snowy day, Yuki was charged with her family's vendetta against the villains who murdered her father and brother and viciously raped her mother. She grew up trained by a ruthless master to become the hand of death to the group that had decimated her family. One by one she hunts the villains down, in her lovely kimonos with a deadly umbrella to gracefully slash her way through the people who had inspired this life she'd never asked for. Beneath her beautiful veneer lay a dark and fiery need for payback for her dead family, one she had never known. Tasked with never feeling emotion, Yuki retains shreds of compassion as she interacts with those she comes across in her rampage. Ironically, she opens another cycle of vengeance by her actions.
The film lays the blood spewing on thick, every slash sends the gooey red paint flying everywhere. Puddles of blood enough for a slain army float around the unlucky bodies. As the story begins on a snowy day with a child born pure but commissioned with her first breaths with the bloody job of vengeance, so the ending scene leaves the beautiful assassin with her butterfly kimono covered in blood in the snow wondering if there is life after revenge.
There were some subtle and not so subtle political messages about corruption in the upper echelons of the military and government. And though the plight of the poor was pointed out, it dispelled the myth that the poor are always good hearted. I wish there had been more of an attempt to understand what a woman must feel growing up with brutal training and an unbreakable oath for people she had never met.
As many older martial arts films with swordplay tended to do, this one used the almost dance and slash technique. Best to not think too hard about the fight choreography from a realistic stance but to admire it for the stylistic forms.
Lady Snowblood was in many ways similar to other revenge fueled martial arts movies but elevated by the haunting music, colorful cinematography, and the stellar acting of Kaji Meiko. If eyes were knives, her targets would already be dead with the cold steely glare she honed in on them with. Kaji's expressive face and graceful moves enhanced the tension filled moments of her hunting her prey even when she had to settle for satisfaction instead of revenge.
If you are looking for a modern movie you may be disappointed. This is a film rich in character with old style effects. Revenge is a dish best served cold and Lady Snowblood served it on a silver blade.
"Forgive me! Spare me!"
"I shall do neither."
3/2/23
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For those familiar with the Kamimura Kazuo manga, this is the film adaptation that was given her blessing. You could even say it's among the very first manga into film adaptations that Japan has ever done! Which makes this film a treat.
Lady Snowblood is the story of revenge passed from mother to daughter, and artfully done. While it deviates from the original story from the manga, it still captures the main essence of the story and maintains all critical characters. Their are some minor adjustments made to everyone but Sensei, Mother, and Yuki (Lady Snowblood), but all are done in good taste to adjust to technology of times and time constraints. Be warned this is a SPLATTER FEST, with implied rape scenes. It wasn't for everyone then, it isn't for everyone now.
The music pulls from the original timeline of the manga, as well as current trends in music at the times. A little loud at times, but doesn't detract from the story or dialogue.
I adored the manga, and I adore this film. If you're looking for classic cinema from Japan, or are a fan of 'Kill Bill' please give Lady Snowblood a shot!
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I do not understand why this film score in under an 8 on MDL, so damn disappointing, it should be all the way up there, even though this film inspire Kill Bill, This movie is better.
Story: Not going to spoil much but the story is pretty much about a young woman who tries to track down the people who killed her mother, and mother's husband and son, the story is not so complex but it just makes the movie more awesome and a good length time, don't know why people rate movies that have come out the last past 10 years higher then the movies from the 90s and under, like really? Some of the movies from the past 10 years are great but the older Japanese movies are 1000x better and amazing in so many ways, like seriously! Even though this film is known for being really bloody and gory, it makes the movies even more amazing, with out the blood and gore, well... thats boring.
Acting/Cast: Kaji Meiko as Lady Snowblood = Super badass samurai girl, give this girl an Oscar for her amazing acting! She is an amazing actress, she totally fit the role as Lady Snowblood so well, with out her, the movie is gone, Lady Snowblood character is a serious woman who seeks for one goal but will stop anyone in her way, the other characters did their role really well to, old Japanese movies are always the best, especially the acting.
Music: I love the OST!!! It's really astonishing, Meiko Kaji - Flower of Carnage - Shura No Hana is a song that appear in Kill Bill and Quentin Tarantino just put in, what a thief, he directed some amazing movies but Kill Bill is pretty much a modern american version of Lady Snowblood, Lady Snowblood is the movie where Meiko Kaji - Flower of Carnage - Shura No Hana song first appeared in.
Rewatch Value: I re-watch my favorite Asian movies a lot, this is definitely part of the re-watch list because the story, acting, blood, and music is great.
Overall: For the overall, a 10 out of freaking 10, one of the best Japanese movies of all time, and everyone should give it a try if you like revenge, action, blood, and badass female leads, I'm glad that I found this film, its so great, I have the remastered version and it looks so much nicer then the original version, if you have not seen it people, stop what your doing and watch this now, you won't regret, I promise you!
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REVENGE!
REVENGE! that is the theme of this drama, so watch as karma removes bad people in the way of revenge, but do not look for a strong plot outside of REVENGE! cause there isn't any. Not super memorable out of any of the other female revenge killer movies. This is supposed to be the inspiration for the Kill Bill movies.This is like a super hero origin story. "Born in dark prison, father unknown, her destiny to carry out her mothers revenge for the death of her husband and son" . (Make sure to say that previous line with movie trailer voice over). She is then sent to train with JiJi hard-ass, master of making little girls stay in moving barrels. The Deaths are super hilariously over acted. Like VERY BAD. The blood color and thickness off even for the 70's.
Watch it if you liked Kill Bill or you crave ladies with Katanas and lotsa fake blood.
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