Member waywardsage Posted April 26, 2011 Member Share Posted April 26, 2011 With all of these "complete" this and that sets out there, what are the odds of us fans ever getting a complete Zatoichi DVD set of all the films? Are the rights just too spread out for this to ever happen in the US? How about a Blu Ray, remastered set? Is this wishful thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 27, 2011 Member Share Posted April 27, 2011 There are box sets available just not the complete series in one set! And I would love to get them on BR, then I'd have to buy all of these movies again! Then I'd be one broke ass! The only Zatochi movie that was never given at legit release was Zaotichi Pilgrimage which is #16 Merlin over at SamuraiDVD.com got a remastered copy of it and subtitled it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member BlackLamaFaction Posted April 27, 2011 Member Share Posted April 27, 2011 Home Vision Entertainment put out all of the films through # 19 Samaritan Zatoichi. They did not have the rights to Zatoichi the Outlaw or Zatoichi's Pilgrimage. Zatoichi the Outlaw is included in Animeigo's Blind Swordsman set along with films #20 through #25. I think the reason for this may be that HVE only purchased the rights to the Daiei films, and the later films were owned by Toho. Like Daisho said, Zatoichi's Pilgrimage has only been available through custom subtitled versions of the Japanese release. I don't know what the distinction is with that particular film. I don't think it's likely they will be released as one set anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WuxiaFan Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 The only Zatochi movie that was never given at legit release was Zaotichi Pilgrimage which is #16 Merlin over at SamuraiDVD.com got a remastered copy of it and subtitled it! ZATOICHI'S PILGRIMAGE is actually #14 in the series. Here's a link to samuraiDVD.com for that release: http://www.samuraidvd.com/servlet/the-29/ZATO-ICHI%27S-PILGRIMAGE/Detail Home Vision Entertainment put out all of the films through # 19 Samaritan Zatoichi. They did not have the rights to Zatoichi the Outlaw or Zatoichi's Pilgrimage. Zatoichi the Outlaw is included in Animeigo's Blind Swordsman set along with films #20 through #25. I think the reason for this may be that HVE only purchased the rights to the Daiei films, and the later films were owned by Toho. Like Daisho said, Zatoichi's Pilgrimage has only been available through custom subtitled versions of the Japanese release. I don't know what the distinction is with that particular film. I don't think it's likely they will be released as one set anytime soon. HVE (Image Entertainment) has a total of 17 out of the 26 films. AnimEigo has 7 and Tokyo Shock has only 1, with #26. My understanding with #14 is that Miramax had it and shelved it which is why it never got a US release. It's a moot point anyway with samuraiDVD and fareastflix both having remastered, widescreen, subtitled versions. Below is the complete list of the series in order with the US distributor: ZATOICHI 1: THE TALE OF ZATOICHI: HVE ZATOICHI 2: THE TALE OF ZATOICHI CONTINUES: HVE ZATOICHI 3: NEW TALE OF ZATOICHI: HVE ZATOICHI 4: THE FUGITIVE: HVE ZATOICHI 5: ON THE ROAD: HVE ZATOICHI 6: ZATOICHI AND THE CHEST OF GOLD: HVE ZATOICHI 7: ZATOICHI'S FLASHING SWORD: HVE ZATOICHI 8: FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT: HVE ZATOICHI 9: ADVENTURES OF ZATOICHI: HVE ZATOICHI 10: ZATOICHI'S REVENGE: HVE ZATOICHI 11: ZATOICHI AND THE DOOMED MAN: HVE ZATOICHI 12: ZATOICHI AND THE CHESS EXPERT: HVE ZATOICHI 13: ZATOICHI'S VENGEANCE: HVE ZATOICHI 14: ZATOICHI'S PILGRIMAGE: SamuaiDVD.com ZATOICHI 15: ZATOICHI'S CANE SWORD: HVE ZATOICHI 16: THE OUTLAW: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 17: ZATOICHI CHALLENGED: HVE ZATOICHI 18: ZATOICHI AND THE FUGITIVES: HVE ZATOICHI 19: SAMARITAN ZATOICHI: HVE ZATOICHI 20: ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 21: THE FESTIVAL OF FIRE: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 22: ZATOICHI MEETS THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 23: ZATOICHI AT LARGE: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 24: ZATOICHI IN DESPERATION: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 25: ZATOICHI'S CONSPIRACY: AnimEigo ZATOICHI 26: DARKNESS IS HIS ALLY: Tokyo Shock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 28, 2011 Member Share Posted April 28, 2011 ZATOICHI'S PILGRIMAGE is actually #14 in the series. Alright I'm sorry I was a little off I was doing it by memory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WuxiaFan Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Alright I'm sorry I was a little off I was doing it by memory! Your head, I'll claim it now. Daisho - I was just being my anal, nerdy self! I meant nothing by it, my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 28, 2011 Member Share Posted April 28, 2011 WuxiaFan: You Kill us, we who use to be your Brothers?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted April 30, 2011 Author Member Share Posted April 30, 2011 I meant more of a complete Zatoichi boxed set of all the films under one banner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted April 30, 2011 Member Share Posted April 30, 2011 No there isn't a complete Zatoichi box set available only a few shorter sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TMAC Posted May 1, 2011 Member Share Posted May 1, 2011 Yeah, a remastered BR set (even in a few volumes) would be fantastic. I have all 26 films but would love to see them touched up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted May 11, 2011 Author Member Share Posted May 11, 2011 I would just at least like a remastered DVD set sorta like what they're doing with the Sleepy Eyes of Death sets. A Blu ray set would be even better. It just sucks that they're all so spread out individually and not in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted November 10, 2011 Author Member Share Posted November 10, 2011 I'm also shocked that the grey market dealers on Ebay have not gone to releasing more "affordable" versions of the Zatoichi films like they have with a lot of shaws and samurai films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member KyFi Posted November 10, 2011 Member Share Posted November 10, 2011 I just watched the HVE of Zatoichi 1 last night---man, that's a rough transfer. I believe they went anamorphic starting with Zatoichi 3, and those all look okay to me. But I would love to have remastered, anamorphic releases of the first two, as HVE did not do a very good job on those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member John Posted November 11, 2011 Member Share Posted November 11, 2011 IIRC the Japanese disc was pretty dope; maybe there's an HD transfer floating around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted November 12, 2011 Member Share Posted November 12, 2011 The rigts to the HVE Zatoichi films are held by Criterion now. So, Blu Ray editions are a possibility. Criterion is streaming their Zaroichi movies on hulu. I haven't seen them via hulu, but this does give hope for HD remasters in the future. Fingers crossed. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member QueMuchita Posted November 13, 2011 Member Share Posted November 13, 2011 The biggest boxset I found and bought was a 8 disc set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted July 18, 2014 Author Member Share Posted July 18, 2014 I thought i'd bring this dream thread to a close with this badboy: http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/1012-zatoichi-the-blind-swordsman Have no fear past version of me, it's everything you dreamed of...and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator KUNG FU BOB Posted July 18, 2014 Administrator Share Posted July 18, 2014 I thought i'd bring this dream thread to a close with this badboy: http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/1012-zatoichi-the-blind-swordsman Have no fear past version of me, it's everything you dreamed of...and more. Not to rain on your parade... But this is not a "complete Zatoichi collection" as the last film in the series featuring Shintaro Katsu, ZATOICHI THE BLIND SWORDSMAN (1989, aka. Zatoichi; Legend of Zatoichi; Zatoichi 1989; Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally), is not included. I'm not knocking this incredible set (hell, I'm lovingly clutching it with my left arm right now as I type this. ), but I don't want anyone reading this thread to be misinformed. Unfortunately, the last film's US distribution rights are owned by Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock (who released it on DVD several years ago) so this film is not included in the Criterion box set. No Blu-ray release thus far for it though. Right now Barnes & Noble are still having their 50% off sale on all Criterion Collection releases, so I urge Zatoichi fans to pick up this set now, while the price is halved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted July 18, 2014 Author Member Share Posted July 18, 2014 Indeed, it's bizare that they didn't include the 1989 film too. I mean, Tokyo Shock is on it's deathbed and has refused to release any more samurai related films. So why the hell couldn't Criterion pick the license up for cheep?! Yes, the Criterion 50% off sale is an AMAZING opportunity to pick this bad boy up right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted July 18, 2014 Member Share Posted July 18, 2014 This is sort of off the topic, but I have seen a lot of historical revisionism that Bruce Lee was virulently anti Japanese. I don't know if anyone has seen these "articles" where the idea that Bruce Lee added all kinds of anti Japanese insults into the settings of Fist of Fury. Anyway, the reason I mention this is that to my understanding Bruce Lee was a HUGE fan of Shintaro Katsu, and was supposedly gushing when he got to meet him in person. Add to that one of his top students was Japanese American (Taky Kimura) I just thought it was worth mentioning. I have seen downloads of the entire set of films on the web, but I imagine that you all are looking for a nice DVD collection with boxes and art and not some torrents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted August 7, 2014 Member Share Posted August 7, 2014 This is sort of off the topic, but I have seen a lot of historical revisionism that Bruce Lee was virulently anti Japanese. I don't know if anyone has seen these "articles" where the idea that Bruce Lee added all kinds of anti Japanese insults into the settings of Fist of Fury. Anyway, the reason I mention this is that to my understanding Bruce Lee was a HUGE fan of Shintaro Katsu, and was supposedly gushing when he got to meet him in person. Add to that one of his top students was Japanese American (Taky Kimura) I just thought it was worth mentioning. I have seen downloads of the entire set of films on the web, but I imagine that you all are looking for a nice DVD collection with boxes and art and not some torrents. I think the anti-Japanese stuff was started by Tom Bleeker. It's a wonder he didn't claim Bruce shot JFK. Fist of Fury is a tad anti-Japanese, but compared to the average Jimmy Wang Yu film it's down right respectable. And besides, Lo Wei wrote and directed Fist of Fury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.