Director: Toshiya Fujita
MPAA Rating: NR
Run Time: 97 Minutes | 89 Minutes
Purchase: Amazon
If you’re a fan of Quentin Tarantino’s bloody martial arts revenge film Kill Bill, then you absolutely owe it to yourself to seek out director Toshiya Fujita’s 1973 classic Lady Snowblood now available on Blu-ray from the fine folks at the Criterion Collection.
The film stars Meiko Kaji as a young woman who was born into a life of murder and revenge, as she embarks on a blood-soaked quest to find the four individuals responsible for the death of her father.
Despite carrying some of the classic tropes of ’70s martial arts films (like the endless geysers of blood), Lady Snowblood separates itself from the rest by bringing stunning visuals and outstanding camerawork into a film that, by all accounts, could have just been another one of the random exploitation flicks that were being churned out by the bucketload during that time period.
Based on a manga by Kazuo Koike, the film would see a sequel the very next year, titled Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance, that, while not as narratively exciting as the first, was still a visual spectacle and a cult classic in its own right. Fortunately, this Blu-ray collection contains newly restored versions of both films.
As with every Criterion release I discuss, the packaging and cover art is superb. There is an insert that, on one side, is nice but is ultimately pointless due to the creases and mini-poster, and, on the other, is an essay from critic Howard Hampton and the video specs.
The new 2K digital transfers of both of the films is nicely done, although not amazing. A 4K transfer would have been outstanding, but it’s evident that some serious attention to detail was put into the restoration, with hardly a blemish or scratch to be seen in either movie. Both are presented in their original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and the sound was additionally re-mastered in 24-bit from original 35mm prints.
The menus are typically stylish and simplistic, again in line with Criterion’s many other releases, but the special features are somewhat lacking. There are new interviews with Kazuo Koike on the original manga that inspired the film and screenwriter Norio Osada, but that’s it, other than trailers for both movies. This lack in bonus content can be somewhat forgiven because the disc contains two restored feature films, but I’m a sucker for supplements.
As someone who experienced the trials of Yuki Kashima for the first time in this collection, it’s easy to recommend both these films and this Blu-ray to anyone with even a mild interest in classic Asian cinema. Brutal, bloody and badass, the Lady Snowblood saga is not one to be missed.
