Sword-Cut

A beautifully shot samurai film by Kenji Misumi (note: not part three of the Daibosatsu Pass trilogy, as stated in the Cinemateket Oslo program catalogue).

Shortly after Kenji Misumi completed the first two parts of the Daibosatsu Pass trilogy, he returned to a classic literary source by the frequently adapted author Renzaburô Shibata. The original title Kiru translates directly to English as Sword-Cut, but the film is also known as Kill or Destiny’s Son. Once again, Raizô Ichikawa takes on the central role — this time portraying a character who is the complete opposite of the cold-blooded samurai from the Daibosatsu Pass films. Here he is a sensitive and loyal swordsman who would rather avoid violence. But in turbulent times, and born under an unlucky star, violence is inevitable...

With a running time of just 71 minutes, the complex story might be expected to unfold at a breakneck pace — yet Misumi (and screenwriter Kaneto Shindô!) take their time to craft scenes full of emotion and latent drama. Also worth mentioning is the cinematography by Shôzô Honda, who served as director of photography on the final part of the trilogy, Daibosatsu Pass: The Final Chapter. At times almost otherworldly in its beauty, his work perfectly underlines the film’s tragic tone.

Cinemateket i Oslo

Samurai Films at the Cinematheque 

This film is part of a film series focusing on Samurai Films at the Cinematheque in Oslo.

This film is part of