While traveling the countryside, blind Japanese warrior Zatoichi comes across Wang Kang, a Chinese swordsman protecting a brutally orphaned young child. Despite the language barrier, the men forge a friendship, until nefarious enemies plant seeds of distrust to pit the two master martial artists against each other.
Zatoichi, a legendary swordsman figure within Japanese cinema, continued his run of popular film appearances into the 1970s. Here, he encounters another favourite of martial arts filmmaking, this time from Hong Kong cinema – the one-armed swordsman, played by kung fu idol Jimmy Wang.
Dr Jonathan Wroot, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Greenwich, introduces this screening at 18:15, and also leads a One Hour Intro to the Zatoichi series at 17:00.