Hitokiri
Tenchu!
- Release Date
- August, 9th, 1969
- Running Time
- 140 min
- Genre
- Feature
- Color
- Color
- Screening Format
- -
- Screen Size
- Cinema Scope (1:2.35)
[ Directed by ]
[ Cast ]
[ Staff ]
- HASHIMOTO Shinobu ── Screenplay
- SATO Masaru ── Music
- MORITA Fujio ── Cinematography
[ Production Company ]
Fuji Television Network,
[ Distributor (Japan) ]
DAIEI
[ Story ]
It is 1862. For hundreds of years under the irontight rule of the Tokugawas, Japan's door has been virtually closed to the world.
But it was no longer possible to continue a policy of isolation and under pressure, the Tokugawa Shogunate concludes treaties with the United States, Great Britain, Russia and the Netherlands.
Harassed by the demands of foreign powers there is also pressure building up within, as more and more patriots envisage the dawn of a new era. They join hands in their struggle to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate and return sovereign power to the rightful hands of the Emperor.
Outwardly the men from the Tosa, Choshu and Satsuma Clans are a closely-knit group of patriots working for the same cause but beneath it all, there is a strong undercurrent of suspicion and rivalry. Hampeita Takechi (Tatsuya Nakadai), leader of the Tosa group, is devoid of kindness or mercy but conceals this under a quiet mien and his eloquence as a speaker.
lzo Okada (Shintaro Katsu) falls under the spell of this ruthless and power-hungry leader. A simple-minded man, Hampeita becomes his idol and nothing he does can be wrong. Like a faithful dog, lzo follows him and kills all who stand in Hampeita's way, for he has been told it is for the sake of his country.
lzo becomes famous but feared, as Killer lzo. But one day, Hampeita is reminded that too much open killing is bad for the cause.
Serving a long prison term, even the good-natured lzo has ample time to regret his blind devotion to Hampeita and all his meaningless killings. After he is released, he makes a clean breast of everything to the authorities. He hopes justice will prevail, but he is totally unprepared for the lengths Hampeita will go to and is forced to commit harakiri.
【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1969.12.4】
[ Contact (International) ]
KADOKAWA CORPORATION
International Sales, Motion Picture Business
2-13-3 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8177
Rep: NATSUNO Takeshi (President)
Attn: MORI Chiyo
tel: +81 50 1746 1220
E-mail: mori-c@kadokawa.jp
http://www.kadokawa.co.jp
