Lady Snowblood, extreme Asian movie classic
Lady snowblood
If I talk to you about the movie that was the main inspiration for Quentin Tarantino to make Kill Bill, most of you will know what I'm talking about; For those who don't, we are referring to a classic of the extreme Japanese cinema called Lady Snowblood, actually a live action that not only tells us about the issue of revenge as few have done, but points out ways as one of the initiators of female empowerment in a completely macho society.
Lady snowblood
A unique character
The story is actually quite simple, by mistake, officials kill a woman's husband and then rape her, thinking they are revolutionaries against the government. Some time later, she finds one of the murderers and manages to kill him and get revenge, but the police catch her and take her to jail, once there, she tries to sleep with everyone who can to have a daughter, to get out of there, he trains himself in the fight and takes revenge on those who did that for her. The girl trains and grows, and dressed in a white kimono and an umbrella / katana, she gets ready to take revenge on the three men who are still alive.
Little more to tell about the story, in addition to some aids and impediments that are altering your path, you don't really have much more than this.
But if the story is really simple, even split into four acts, each on the occasion of the victim to be charged at the time; What really impresses the film is both its visual style and its rawness and knowing how to get straight to the point not only to give the viewer some cane, but also to accentuate the violence and power that history and main character. And it is precisely this character on which the entire film revolves, and in reality, as much history and filling as possible, everything is related to a goal in life, very clear feelings and an unmistakable style of doing things, reflecting very well what the Japanese image of a delicate and quiet woman would be, but at the same time dangerous and deadly.
Lady snowblood
Very well measured contrasts
As for the visual aspect, the film plays very well with few colors to simulate the great contrasts of life, from the beginning we are offered the birth scene (which will define the rest of the film), in a completely black scenario, stained red by blood and on an immaculate white background of snow falling outside. During the rest of the film, not only will these elements be repeated, but in all that is done the three colors will predominate, standing out at all times one above the other (always the blood red above the rest).
Music is also essential in this film, with a main theme played by Meiko Kaji (protagonist of the movie) and all other music reminiscent of the old Japanese classical melodies, but with that air of rebellion of the music of the '70.
In the action part, which also represents a large portion of the film, because the truth is that it is nothing realistic, not spectacular and far from the sword struggles we have in mind today; very based on unique and rapid blows and fair movements to get where it is intended, with some cable effects that give more laughter than anything else, but we have to think about another time when the conception of the action was very different. Nor is her realism the most important thing in her, but as before, her rawness is, and here we have good doses of blood and gore to delight us.
And, of course, we can't finish the review without talking about Meiko Kaji (Stray cat rock: Female boss, Female prisoner: 701 scorpion) one of the icons of Japanese warrior women cinema, maybe here with a slightly more contained performance, but also the character required an immutable character.
In short, one of the films that best reflects the theme of revenge, not only for being very clear, but also for doing so in a crude and very direct way; a classic of extreme Japanese cinema that everyone should see at least once in their life.
The best of the movie:
Meiko Kaji with her white kimono and her bun, looking like a shy Japanese.
The worst of the movie:
Nothing to object, extremely and visually stunning at the same time.
Lady snowblood
If I talk to you about the movie that was the main inspiration for Quentin Tarantino to make Kill Bill, most of you will know what I'm talking about; For those who don't, we are referring to a classic of the extreme Japanese cinema called Lady Snowblood, actually a live action that not only tells us about the issue of revenge as few have done, but points out ways as one of the initiators of female empowerment in a completely macho society.
Lady snowblood
A unique character
The story is actually quite simple, by mistake, officials kill a woman's husband and then rape her, thinking they are revolutionaries against the government. Some time later, she finds one of the murderers and manages to kill him and get revenge, but the police catch her and take her to jail, once there, she tries to sleep with everyone who can to have a daughter, to get out of there, he trains himself in the fight and takes revenge on those who did that for her. The girl trains and grows, and dressed in a white kimono and an umbrella / katana, she gets ready to take revenge on the three men who are still alive.
Little more to tell about the story, in addition to some aids and impediments that are altering your path, you don't really have much more than this.
But if the story is really simple, even split into four acts, each on the occasion of the victim to be charged at the time; What really impresses the film is both its visual style and its rawness and knowing how to get straight to the point not only to give the viewer some cane, but also to accentuate the violence and power that history and main character. And it is precisely this character on which the entire film revolves, and in reality, as much history and filling as possible, everything is related to a goal in life, very clear feelings and an unmistakable style of doing things, reflecting very well what the Japanese image of a delicate and quiet woman would be, but at the same time dangerous and deadly.
Lady snowblood
Very well measured contrasts
As for the visual aspect, the film plays very well with few colors to simulate the great contrasts of life, from the beginning we are offered the birth scene (which will define the rest of the film), in a completely black scenario, stained red by blood and on an immaculate white background of snow falling outside. During the rest of the film, not only will these elements be repeated, but in all that is done the three colors will predominate, standing out at all times one above the other (always the blood red above the rest).
Music is also essential in this film, with a main theme played by Meiko Kaji (protagonist of the movie) and all other music reminiscent of the old Japanese classical melodies, but with that air of rebellion of the music of the '70.
In the action part, which also represents a large portion of the film, because the truth is that it is nothing realistic, not spectacular and far from the sword struggles we have in mind today; very based on unique and rapid blows and fair movements to get where it is intended, with some cable effects that give more laughter than anything else, but we have to think about another time when the conception of the action was very different. Nor is her realism the most important thing in her, but as before, her rawness is, and here we have good doses of blood and gore to delight us.
And, of course, we can't finish the review without talking about Meiko Kaji (Stray cat rock: Female boss, Female prisoner: 701 scorpion) one of the icons of Japanese warrior women cinema, maybe here with a slightly more contained performance, but also the character required an immutable character.
In short, one of the films that best reflects the theme of revenge, not only for being very clear, but also for doing so in a crude and very direct way; a classic of extreme Japanese cinema that everyone should see at least once in their life.
The best of the movie:
Meiko Kaji with her white kimono and her bun, looking like a shy Japanese.
The worst of the movie:
Nothing to object, extremely and visually stunning at the same time.