The Sword of Doom (1966)

A classic Samurai picture that is as confusing as it is violent. Ryunosuke Tsukue is the main character, a Samurai with a dark and merciless nature. You might even call him evil. The path he takes (with multiple subplots that don't always seem to be resolved) leads him to madness. The confusing aspects may be due to the fact that there were supposed to be sequels, as well as the fact that the story was a famous one in Japan and hence, certain parts were to be assumed by that audience. Nonetheless, it was still a fairly compelling watch, especially with the action, a precursor to the violence in such films as the excellent Lone Wolf and Cub series. Hands and fingers are cut off, blood is shed, and the climatic ending features a body count along the lines of The House of Blue Leaves!

Fmovies: It captures the feel of Feudal Japan very well. Samurai of that period were so involved with their sword style and technique that it seeped into there personality and very soul. Most upheld strict conduct in their technique. This story is about a man whose style is so devious and frankly brutal that it turns him into a mirror image of his technique. Think Lord of the Rings and Frodo's battle with the ring or Star Wars and the battle betweeen Light and Dark forces. It is much better than Star Wars and is just as deep and creepy as Lord of the Rings. Nakadai' acting is flawless and he draws you right into the story. Toshiro Mifune also has a few good parts and a great battle scene. I have let many friends watch this movie (almost none of which had ever watched a subtitled movie) and every one of them Loved it. It's also one of those movies that draws you you in even more with repeated viewings, as you catch a lot of little things that are integral with the story. BUY IT and watch repeatedly!

"Sword of Doom" is an unusual film. Firstly, it is one of the most brilliantly photographed films I have ever seen, in composition, mise en scene, and the play of black and white.

Secondly, "Sword of Doom" is that rare film in which the aim of the director and the power of the lead mesh together to form an unforgettable portrayal.

Tatsuya Nakadai plays Ryunosuke, a skilled swordsman, who, from the opening moments of the film, proves also to be homicidally indifferent to human life. Ryunosuke is a strange and difficult character. His fighting style is passive, and he remains mostly uninvolved, both with the political turmoil surrounding him, and with his family - from his dying father, who fears the evil in him, to his lover (the wife of an opponent he kills) and his child. Nakadai's performance is magnetic, comparable to Montgomery Clift in it's singleminded, unyielding intensity.

While some of the subplots without Ryunosuke aren't quite as compelling, the ending is memorable and disturbing, and the direction will remind in some ways of Orson Wells.

The Sword of Doom fmovies. Imagine Nakadai's murderous Onosuke from Yojimbo; then raise the level of his single-minded purpose an order of magnitude to the fated dancer of The Red Shoes and you get a vague idea of Ryunosuke, a psychopathic samuari hunted by the righteous and villainous alike. Hiroshi Murai's gritty B& W photography is awesome; and the choreography and staging of the swordfighting sequences are far and away the most rivetting I've ever seen (and I think I've seen most of them) -- not romantically stylized as in Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy -- something like the subtlety of Kurosawa meets the textured action of John Woo. The characters are intense and memorable. The final freeze frame may put you in mind of Butch Cassidy. You'll never forget it.

I had heard of Sword of Doom for years but never read anything that would have lead me to believe the film was more than above-average.

It is a dense and very Japanese film in it's outlook. It's very jarring when you get to the end as many things are built up in a way that would end in a great duel to the death if this was a Hollywood style film. Fortunately, it isn't. The film takes two wild shifts in the last 10 minutes and the film ends without what you thought was was going to happen happen. I initially wondered why it ended so abruptly but I realized that the filmmakers had a more subtle plan hiding under the shocking final fight. The hints are there, you just can't take what's being said lightly. It has more in common with the usual twists and turns of real life than a contrived drama.

(Update Sept 2005) I just found out that this film was the first installment of a planned trilogy that was never completed. That might explain the abrupt ending but I like my interpretation better since we will never see the intended continuation.

Beside the intensely brutal fight at the end, this film features many corrupt main characters, much like the Italian westerns of the time. This is a tough movie but it's one of the best samurai dramas I've seen.

Sword of doom is a truly great and original piece of film-making. As soon as the film had started, and the dark and eerie soundtrack kicked in, I knew I was about to enjoy a gem of japanese cinema. The most original element of the film is that the main character Ryunosuke is a real mean, killing machine, seriously, he is the lead in the film, but whereas in any other samurai/martial arts film he would normally turn up for a few scenes of mayhem, then turn up at the very end for a much deserved death. Well in this film the villain is the lead, Ryunosuke is such an interesting character, that days after watching this film you will find yourself thinking I wonder if... or what if that had happened. Sword of doom is one of those movies that just sticks in your head days after viewing time has ended. It doesn't even matter that the ending comes quite abruptly, that just let's the viewer imagine their own conclusion to the film. Sword of doom is without doubt the darkest and the most mysterious martial arts/samurai film that i've ever had the pleasure of viewing. The action scenes in the film are first rate too, with very believable sword duels. I put this film right up there with the very best that eastern cinema has to offer. 10/10