meddlecore This action-horror-thriller from Japan begins with the main character, Akemi, leading an imperialist attack against the rival Goudan clan.Akemi is a master swordstress; the enforcer for a Yakuza-like clan known as the Tachibanas- of which she is second in line to inherit leadership of. One element of a five person team: all of whom are marked with a segment of dragon tattooed across their backs. Their collective technique and style, renders them best described as the Dragon Force. And, seeing as Akemi is their leader...she sports the head.While engaged in this opening battle, Akemi is about to strike down the Goudan leader...when his younger sister- Aiko- suddenly rushes to his side, in an attempt to beg for his life to be spared. But Akemi strikes without flinching. And when she does, she accidentally grazes the face of Aiko, as well. Blinding her in the process.At this moment a strange black cat appears, lapping up the blood oozing from Aoki's eyes...before leaping at Akemi.Whereas the Tachibana clan emerge from the battle largely victorious, most of their men are killed, or imprisoned- lncluding Akemi. While locked up, she suffers from recurring nightmares that haunt her with images of Aoki and the cat. Though, she still manages to use this oppourtunity to rebuild her fighting force in Orange-Is-The-New-Black fashion.Once Akemi is released from prison, the Tachibana clan confront a rival gang called the Azoras- who had taken control of their territory in her absence. The rival gang leader is a hilariously, bizarre character who walks around in assless chaps. If anyone has caught Guy Moshe's Bunraku, it's quite evident that Kevin McKidd's Killer #2 character (and his gang of redcoats) are based off this guy (and his gang).A local, social justice oriented, lone wolf-type, named Tatsu, intervenes in the confrontation on behalf of Akemi and the Tachibanas- though he does not represent any particular clan, himself. Either way, it is his intervention that helps run the Azoras off...and Akemi won't forget it- as she's become enamoured by him.Everything seems to be going well for the Tachibanas after this. That is, until a traitor named Aniki, aligns himself with the Dobashi clan- who are planning to rid themselves of the Tachibana's, once and for all. The Dobashi leader has been hatching a plot to manufacture a conflict between the Tachibanas and Azoras, with the hope they will severely weaken each other in a war- allowing their clan to move in and seize control in the aftermath.A mysterious blind woman suddenly shows up and presents herself to the Dobashis- seeking employment and wishing to join their cause. After testing her skills, their leader accepts her proposition- allowing her to join the ranks. Though, it quickly becomes clear that she is the one manipulating the Dobashi leader into acting on her suggestions.This mysterious woman is Aoki. She has become a witch, who uses a black cat- and madman that acts like a cat- to plague Akemi and the Tachibanas with her curse.This is where stuff starts to get a bit confusing and weird... After going to what has got to be one of the oddest stage-show attractions ever seen, some Tachibana members are found murdered...only to reanimate into what seems like a zombie-type state. While others are killed and left with the tattoos skinned from their backs.Only Akemi knows what is going on. As, in each instance, she witnessed the presence of a black cat and/or the madman. She is well aware that it is Aoki, out to reap vengeance on her and those she is close to- mainly, Tatsu and her clan. Hence why Aoki and the Dobashis use them against her.Inevitably, the whole story wraps up with an epically, atmospheric showdown where Akemi and Aoki go head-to-head with one another. However, --SPOILER-- it doesn't end in bloodshed. As, when Akemi slays the cat- who tries to blindside her at one point- Aoki snaps out of the demonic trance that had beholden her, and which was responsible for diving her toward rage and revenge.Seems Aoki wasn't doing the cursing after all. Rather, she had been the one who was cursed all along.This is a beautifully stylish film, with a great blend of action, mystery, horror and comedy. The characters are particularly excellent. Especially Kantoro, and the Azora leader- who is just wild. My biggest beef with this film would be the editing, which I found to be quite choppy and amateurish at parts (but that is really nitpicking). It's particularly worth watching for it's female-oriented cast- all of whom do a great job, other than at a few weak sword fighting scenes (though this is the fault of both the male and female actors). I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt, but I liked how Ishii wraps things up. Thoroughly enjoyed the film, overall.6.5 out of 10.

Scarecrow-88 Akemi Tachibana(Meiko Kaji)attempts to the keep the wishes of her slain father by not allowing her clan to continue the blood shed that is known to occur when rival Yakuza families desire total control. That becomes impossible when rival godfather Dobashi(Toru Abe)uses a traitor amongst the Tachibana clan, Tatsu(Shirô Otsuji), and his thugs to kill off certain of their members while also planting narcotics within their village shops using the police to imprison many of the workers. What Akemi doesn't expect is another rival joining forces with Dobashi, a blind female master swords-woman, Aiko(Hoki Tokuda)seeking revenge for the murder of her brother(..Akemi also blinded her accidentally at the beginning of the film when Aiko attempted to save her brother during a sword battle between the Yakuza clans out of retribution for the slain leader of Tachibana's family). Another less intimidating Yakuza clan(..which is still a powerful, influential clan)operated by the Aozora(Ryohei Uchida; a source of comedy relief, wearing a bowler hat and loin cloth whose body odor is used as an object of scorn)also make occasional appearances in the village which works as an epicenter right in the middle of the various Yakuza clans. With Aiko assisting Dobashi and Tatsu in eliminating members of the Tachibana clan, Akemi, having withstood much strife due to the attacks against her people, vows revenge while also disbanding her Yakuza family so that they can live without harm. But, Dobashi soon realizes that Aiko is much more honorable than she first appears and he will also have to contend with another emerging adversary, Tani Shouichi(Makoto Satô), a wandering loner who has disdain for injustice, whose rage is fueled by Tatsu's violence towards a kind restaurant owner, Ojiki(Yoshi Kato) and his daughter Chie(Yôko Takagi).Director Teruo Ishii fuses the Samurai and Yakuza genres into a blood-soaked tale of violence, betrayal, and revenge with lots of animated characters. Kaji is the beautiful Yakuza leader who attempts to attain the peace in a ruthless society vying for more and more power. She's haunted by the image of the black cat, how such a feline was licking the blood from the slashed eyes of Aiko. Hoki Tokuda holds a blank expression yet equally impresses due to her masterful skill at realistically presenting a blind woman with intense concentration who defends herself well against opposing forces. What's really interesting is how you sympathize with both females, understanding Aiko's desire for revenge yet, thanks to Kaji's charm and likability, wish for her no harm. Satô is a welcome presence as an honorable sojourner who moves from village to village, town to town, fighting corruption and standing against wrong-doing, falling in love with the sweet/stunning beauty Takagi. Takagi is the virginal innocent who works dutifully for her soft-spoken and courteous father, Kato who stands against Abe's sadistic Dobashi and treacherous slimeball Otsuiji paying the price when doesn't serve or recognize them as respectable customers despite the obvious results for not doing so. Ishii brings back Tatsumi Hijikata as another lunatic, this time a hunchbacked performer who slaves lovingly(..and obsessively)for his master, blind Tokuda. After several Tachibana clan members fall to her sword, Hijikata skins the dragon snake tattoos from their backs!Abe perfectly embodies the diabolical crime-lord, a loathsome piece of work with a den of opium-addicted forced prostitutes and a gambling trade that swindles customers. Otsuji is just as contemptible and malicious as he is, seizing upon elder Kato with extra thugs..many against one old man, and that was through a blind attack with Kato unable to properly defend himself. There's no need to worry because the finale allows Kaji, Satô and her fellow sword-fighters a showdown with Abe, Otsuji, and their army of hoods, in a grisly climax where lots of slicing leads to blood spray. I especially enjoy how the dual between Kaji and Tokuda ends, a proper close to a much anticipated sword-fight.Busy plot, plenty of unique characterizations, some of the usual Ishii depravity(..how he uses a black cat and Hijikata, in regards to the tattooed flesh skinned from victims has to be seen to be believed), interesting sword-fights, beautiful Asian women, some nasty villains to cheer against, and the expected blood shed all make BLIND WOMAN'S CURSE a must-see for fans of the Samurai/Yakuza genres.

Simon Booth Meiko Kaji spends 3 years in jail for avenging her Yakuza father, and on her release she inherits the leadership of the Tachibana gang. They're quite a nice bunch, for Yakuza, but a nasty rival gang are bent on taking over their territory. As if that wasn't bad enough, she appears to be under the curse of a black cat that got a taste of her victim's blood...The film takes a broadly familiar period-Yakuza story and mixes it up with elements of horror and... strangeness, making for an intriguing cocktail of styles, moods and ideas. Teruo Ishii was one of the premier visual stylists of the Japanese exploitation wave, and this film shares the style even though it's relatively light on the exploitation. The plot is straightforward but the details make it interesting, and having Meiko Kaji as the lead actress certainly helps there too.Good stuff!

turvy It's been a long time since I've seen this movie but I remember the plot as follows;A woman in a cell in jail is being assaulted by other women inmates who draw back in fright when they rip her kimona off to reveal a tattoo of the head of a dragon, recognised by the inmates as having extraordinary significance.She is the "Head" of an infamous group of swordfighters.All the other inmates want to know how she ended up imprisoned. The remainder of the movie recounts the exploits of a band of brigands who fight together against overwelming odds always starting and regrouping by standing together shoulder to shoulder, kimonos down, wriggling shoulders to make the full dragon tattoo (of which they each have a portion thereof) wriggle. The story is interspersed with various sexual exploits and goofy slapstick comedy, yet maintains a tense action-packed roller coster ride right to the end. I only saw it the one time and yearn to see it again.