Director: Teruo Ishii
Starring: Meiko Kaji, Hoki Tokuda, Makoto Sato, Hideo Sunazuka, Shiro Otsuji, Toru Abe
Running Time: 85 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Extras: Audio Commentary by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, Original Trailer, Collector’s Booklet
BLIND WOMAN’S CURSE puts LADY SNOWBLOOD’s Meiko Kaji into her first major role, as a yakuza swordswoman. After the opening brawl, which defines the film’s unique style from the outset, Akemi (Kaji) finds herself locked away in prison where she soon makes friends with a group of fellow inmates. Upon her release and rejoining the yakuza ranks, Akemi is visited by her old friends, but will a possible ancient curse from that opening brawl find her friends being punished?
BLIND WOMAN’S CURSE is certainly not going to appeal to a wide audience due to its mixture of styles and genres. Not only is it an often confusing mix, but it takes many genres that are almost exclusive to Japanese cinema. Although this cavalcade of tones may seem intriguing, and to an extent it is, it also makes it hard to connect with the film in any meaningful way, with many of the scenes seeming forced together rather than having an organic feel.
Although on the surface this is a traditional jidaigeki (period piece), it also seems to take place in a strange time where kimonos and kitanas rule for one moment, before a trouserless bowler hat and sunglasses wearing gangster enters the frame. This makes the film come across as cartoonish at times, which is by no means a bad thing. Other points in the film are just raunchier Japanese variations on the CARRY ON franchise, with added swordplay. Fortunately that swordplay is epic at times, and the film also really comes alive when dealing with the more supernatural aspects of the plot.
Anyone looking for anything different could do a lot worse than this bizarre concoction, but others will find its incessant need to be different as a bit of a desperate turn off. Kajii is of course wonderful, as she always is, and fans will enjoy seeing her arrival as one of the best action starlets of all time. Some wonderful music and unforgettable sequences add up to create an often memorable, but uneven addition to sometimes a rather stilted and overly serious genre of period action films.
[usr=3]BLIND WOMAN’S CURSE is released on DVD/Blu-ray Dual Format on 31st March via Arrow Video.
