Lady Snowblood
Part of our The Way of the Sword: Samurai Film Talk Series! Hosted by Ryan Ferguson Samurai, the sword-bearing warrior, has been one of the central images of Japanese Cinema from its inception. The Way of the Sword is a look at the films on the fringe of mainstream samurai and chanbara cinema. These darker, stylized films found their place at late-night screenings and have indelibly influenced cinema and pop culture. Ryan Ferguson Ryan Ferguson is a film programmer and musician based in Hamilton, ON. He was the lead programmer of the AGH Film Festival between 2014 and 2021 and is the former Curator of Film at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Ryan currently programs the theatrical and special event film screenings at The Westdale. Japanese historical and contemporary cinema is Ryan’s primary area of interest, and ‘The Way of the Sword’ is part of a series of film programs he is developing to provide more exposure to the lesser seen corners of Japanese Cinema. Directed by: Toshiya Fujita Year of Release: 1973 Awards: None Country of Origin: Japan Language: Japanese (English Subtitles) Yuki (Meiko Kaji) is a young Japanese woman out for revenge. Set in the 18th century, Lady Snowblood follows the cold and calculated anger of Yuki as she aims to track down and kill three men who murdered her family. Being trained by a Japanese priest in the art of swordplay, she is a merciless assassin with a hunger for vengeance, which is when she becomes known as Lady Snowblood. This film served as inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s movie Kill Bill.Showtimes: