Subgenre Sampler
Foreign Cinema > Martial Arts: 244 Films to Buy & Rent
Daimajin: Wrath of Daimajin (1966)
- Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Masahide Iizuka, Hideki Ninomiya, Shinji Hori
- One in a series of Japanese films about the great demon god Daimajin, who repeatedly comes to the aid of villagers when tyrannical warlords threaten…
Sword of Doom (Dai-bosatsu tôge) (1966)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
- Based on a long–running Japanese newspaper serial, this stars Tatsuya Nakadai as an evil wandering samurai in feudal Japan who sees himself as…
Samurai Assassin (1965)
- Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Michiyo Aratana…
- Sharply delivered samurai epic based on the infamous Sakurada Gate Incident of 1860 in which a high–ranking shogunite official was assassinated…
Samurai Spy (1965)
- Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Koji Takahashi, Tetsuro Tamba, Kei Sato
- This atypical samurai saga ventures from the norm through overenthusiastic plotting, a Latin–infused score, and arresting…
47 Ronin, The (Genroku chushingura) (1962)
- Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Setsuko Hara
- A grand and spectacular take on a famous Japanese legend, with 47 ronin (masterless samurai) in feudal Japan seeking revenge on those responsible for…
Fencing Master, The (1962)
- Dir. Harumi Mizuho
Feat. Raizo Ichikawa, Ganjiro Nakamura, Kinuyo Tanaka
- Thoughtful, if minor exploration of samurai traditions concerns an aging swordsman struggling to keep his feudal art form alive in early 20th century…
Sanjuro (1962)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
- The sequel to YOJIMBO unravels the story of nine would–be Samurai unveiling a government corruption ring. Kurosawa adopts a satirical…
Tale of Zatoichi Continues, The (1962)
- Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- The first of many sequels to the iconic TALE OF ZATOICHI, in which a blind, affable masseur (Katsu) who happens to be a lethally skillful swordsman…
Tale of Zatoichi, The (1962)
- Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
- The inaugural movie in the iconic 'Zatoichi' series – which followed the intriguing adventures in mythical Japan of a blind masseur, who has…
Yojimbo (1961)
- Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa
- Mercenary Sanjuro walks into town and sells his services to both factions of rival gangs – to stand back and watch them destroy each other.…