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Released by: Animeigo
Released on: 4/12/2011
Director: Hideo Gosha
Cast: Keiko Awaji, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Tetsuro Tamba
Year: 1966
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The Movie:
Hideo Gosha's 1966 samurai film follows a ronin named Tange Sazen (Kinnosuke Nakamura), a grizzled and world weary swordsman with a fast hand and a sharp blade. He's called by a local lord and arrives just in time to see the man beating a woman, accusing her of being a spy. She admits her guilt and names her accomplice, who just so happens to be the man that Tange's friend Hagino is set to marry. Tange has been called here to kill Hagino's husband to be and so he challenges him to a duel. Trickery ensues and Tange loses an eye in the fight. If that weren't bad enough, when the fit is over a bunch of guys decide to chop of Tange's arm!
Now more or less insane, Tange , by complete chance, winds up in the possession of an urn that Lord Yagyu (Tetsuro Tamba) wants - you see, it contains a secret that will reveal a pretty hefty stash of loot which would come in handy with Yagyu's plan to rebuild a temple. Complicating matters is the presence of a few other parties, all of whom want the urn that Tange is refusing to give up.
So, basically, what we have here is the story of a semi-crazy one armed samurai with one eye defending himself from an onslaught of bad guys out to snag the urn. At its core, the film is really a fairly simple antihero piece, a noble man gets disfigured while trying to do the right thing, becomes slightly unhinged, and decides 'to Hell with everyone else, I'm not taking anymore crap.' Tange is tough, he's surely, and he's deadly and all of that makes for a rather righteously entertaining character. Kinnosuke Nakamura (who played Itto Ogami in the Lone Wolf & Cub television series and who appeared in countless samurai films from the 50s through the 90s) is fantastic in the lead and makes Tange far more interesting than he would have been in the hands of a less capable (and less enthusiastic) performer than he. Throw in a great supporting role from the late, great (and seemingly omnipresent) Tetsuro Tamba and things shape up well in the acting department, particularly as the story gives both of these seasoned pros a good bit of material to work with.
Hideo Gosha, no stranger to samurai films at this point in his career (having directed Three Outlaw Samurai and Sword Of The Beast prior to this film) does a fine job of keeping the action moving but manages to cram in just enough character development that we care how it all turns out. Gosha co-wrote the script with Kei Tasaka who would go on to work with him again on such notable films as the excellent 1971 Yakuza picture The Wolves. Gosha would follow this film up with the two Samurai Wolf films before solidifying his reputation as a master of his trade with films like Hunter In The Dark and Onimasa.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Animeigo presents The Secret Of The Urn in a nice 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The image is pretty strong, showing some mild wear and tear but generally clean, colorful and stable. Black levels aren't quite reference quality but they're close enough and there are no problems to report with compression issues.
The audio chores are handled by a Japanese language Dolby Digital Mono track with optional subtitles in English only. The mix sounds fine for what it is, if it's a little flat in a few spots. Levels are well balanced and the track is clear and free of any audible defects.
Extras include a trailer for the feature and trailers for a few other Animeigo releases, some Program Notes that provide some historical context for the film, a still gallery, and text biographies for the key cast and crew members. Menus and chapter stops are also included.
The Final Word:
Gritty, violent and generally awesome, The Secret Of The Urn is a lean, mean film with some impressive action sequences, a few standout performances, strong camerawork and a gripping story. Animeigo's DVD should be a welcome addition to any fan of samurai cinema, and the film itself is absolutely worth tracking down.
