Sword of Doom DVD samurai Toshiro Mifune
Nakadai dominates the screen as Ryunosuke Tatsue, a man for whom killing is a pleasure. Brought up by a father to whom the sword was The way of life, the sword is now the only family he recognizes. Pitted against him is Taranosuke Shimada, an opponent of equal prowess who regards the use made of the sword as the outward manifestation of a man’s spiritual state. Set in the 1860s, with the Japanese feudal system under threat from a limited democracy, “The Sword of Doom” interweaves romance, politics, and psychological observation. Always at the center is the spectacle of a soul going rotten in an era without values. The message is the medium and the medium is the sword. Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Yuzo Kayama, Michiyo Aratama, Toshiro Mifune. Directed by Kihachi Okamoto. 120 min. Japanese language. English subtitled. *Please use the pull down menu to choose DVD or download version* *Digital downloads are for personal use only. It is illegal to sell or distribute in any manner.