>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 07/28/04 11:42 AM >>> In Hollywood, the blind are represented in film either as pitiful victims, such as in "Wait Until Dark," or as comic figures like Mr. Muckle, who tears apart W. C. Fields's shop in "It's a Gift." Leave it to the Japanese to come up with somebody like Zatoichi, the blind master swordsman who was played by the beloved Shintaro Katsu in 26 films between 1962 and 1989, as well as 100 television episodes based on the character. <<<<>>>.
check out 'zatoichi meets the one armed swordsman' (71 or 72) directed by kimiyoshi yasuda who directed several zatoichi films... the one armed swordsman of film is jimmy wang yu from chang cheh's 67 film of same name, here's what lisa odham stokes and i write about chang's film in _city on fire_: Chang Cheh's One Armed Swordsman (1967) is generally acknowledged as the movie that launched the 1970s' martial arts phenomenon [in hong kong]. While the film's title announces that this is a swordplay movie - nothing new in itself - the hero's disability (his sifu's jealous daughter has chopped off his right arm) produces a different type of character. Forced to undergo a strict and tough rehabilitative training program, the protagonist (Jimmy Wang Yu) becomes a 'lean mean fighting machine' with a blade. Notably brutal for its time, Chang's picture ushered in an era of the self-reliant individualist that according to [noted hk film critic] Sek Kei, simultaneously destroyed the image of the weak Chinese male by featuring 'beefcake heroes in adventure and violence.' (p. 91) in 'zatoichi meets the one armed swordsman, wang yu's character travels to japan where he intervenes to prevent a young boy's execution and has a bounty placed upoin him, meanwhile, the young boy's dying father's last wish is for shintaro katsu's blind swordsman to care for his son, communication difficulties between the two swordsmen lead to them fighting one another... trivia: tsui hark's 'the blade (95) is a remake of chang's 'one armed swordsman' by way of a detour through wong kar-wai's 'ashes of time (94) in which tony leung ka-fai plays a blind swordsman... finally: blind swordsman films inspired 71 entitled 'deaf mute heroine' directed by wu ma, one of number of hk martial arts films featuring women... michael hoover -------------------------------------------------------------- Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding College business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure.
