Makai tenshô (1981)

Director:

Kinji Fukasaku

Writers:

Kinji Fukasaku (writer)
Tatsuo Nogami (writer)

Release Date:

6 June 1981 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Horror

Plot:

The villain is called Amakusa SHIRO Tokaisada. He is actually based on a real christian samurai. The movie was one of the inspirations for the game called 'Samurai Shodown' (actual spelling)

Plot Keywords:

Androgyny | Demonic Cult | Loss Of Girlfriend | Spiritual Possession | Reincarnation

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Sonny Chiba	...	Jubei Yagyu (as Shinichi Chiba)
Kenji Sawada	...	Shiro Amakusa
Akiko Kana	...	Lady Garasha Hosokawa
Ken Ogata	...	Musashi Miyamoto
Hiroyuki Sanada	...	Kirimaru Iga
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yûko Asuka	...	Kunoichi
Seizo Fukumoto
Jun Hamamura	...	Shigesaemon
Hiroshi Inuzuka	...	Shugoro
Masataka Iwao	...	Yasui
Ai Kanzaki	...	Otsuu
Naoko Kubo	...	Yajima no tsubone
Noboru Matsuhashi	...	Ietsuna Tokugawa
Noboru Mitani	...	Monk
Hideo Murota	...	Priest Inshun Hozoin
Mikio Narita	...	Izumori Matsudaira
Tadashi Naruse	...	Genjuro Koga
Kayoko Shiraishi	...	(voice)
Mizuho Suzuki	...	Ogasawara
Tetsuro Tamba	...	Muramasa
Asao Uchida	...	Sakai
Tomisaburo Wakayama	...	Lord Tajima no Kami Munenori Yagyu

Also Known As:

Makai tenshô: Samurai Reincarnation (International: English title)
Samurai Reincarnation (USA)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16

Company:

Kadokawa Haruki Jimusho

Quotes:

Shiro Amakusa: The Tokugawa Shogunate is now about to end.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Subtitled version only!! One of Sonny's best!!

I would like to preface my review by saying that I am reviewing the Canadian (subtitled) version of Makai Tensho, NOT the sacreligious, crap-dubbed, bargain basement version, recently released. The subtitled version is probably out-of-print by now, but if you can find it, it has Sonny Chiba as Jubei on the cover (the new dubbed version has Sonny incorrectly portrayed as Iba from Shogun's Shadow on the front).....Now for the review....We have many of the heavy hitters from the famed Japan Action Club in this movie: Sonny Chiba, reprising his role as Yagyu Jubei from "The Yagyu Conspiracy", Ken Ogata (Shogun's Shadow) as Musashi, Henry Sanada, Tomisaburo Wakayama (Lone Wolf and Cub) as Yagyu Tajima, and many other noted actors. Incredible fight scenes (the flaming castle at the end---damn!), mystical script (Christians vs. the Shogunate), moody soundtrack, and an "interesting" scene with Sanada...they all make for a truly classic chambara epic. Whenever Sonny grabs that cool hat, eyepatch and a sword, you know it's quality. GET THE SUBTITLED VERSION!!! Watch it the way it was meant to be watched (or go to Japan, get an original tape and make a fansub!) ----Master Yagyu