Lady Snowblood (1973) User Reviews (77)

Ultimate vengeance movie

[ebiros2 · 7/10 · 15 July 2009]

Based on a comic by late Kazuo Kamimura and Kazuo Koike, Shurayukihime is a story about vengeance and rebellion. Shurayuki who had her father murdered by conspiracy goes out to avenge the three conspirators.

The movie's title "Shurayukihime" is a play on "Shirayukihime" which is the Japanese title for Walt Disney's movie Snow White. Very similar title, but the two movies can't be further apart in their contents.

In the original plot, there was some element of rebellion against the government that was the ultimate culprit of the conspiracy, but in the movie, this did not play a main role of the story except where Yuki kills the police force that captured Ashio.

The movie which attracted little attention when it was released, now has world wide audience thanks to Tarantino giving it credit as inspiration for Kill Bill. The back drop of battle between Oren Ishii and Black Mamba is almost verbatim copy of the last scene from this movie.

There is little known part 2 of this movie released in 1974 which picks up after this one with Kaji reprising her role as Yuki.

More recently a version done by Yumiko Shaku was released in 2001 with backdrop set in the future, and story which is almost unrelated to the original except Yuki eventually avenges her mothers murderer and that her organization Takemikazuchi was rebelling against the the government.

Some of Kamimura's original artwork of Shurayukihime can be seen in his website at kamimurakazuo.com

The movie is unusually graphic for a Japanese movie of its era. Meiko Kaji was a star of another dark comic turned movie Sasori. Her mood fits this type of role perfectly.

Watch this movie for its action, and historical value.

Beautiful and iconic revenge tale

[tomgillespie2002 · 7/10 · 26 July 2013]

In 1874 Japan, a woman gives birth in a prison. Almost a year before, the woman, Sayo (Miyoko Akaza), her husband and son are attacked in a village by four criminals - Okono (Sanae Nakahara), Banzo (Noboru Nakaya), Tokuichi (Takeo Chii) and Gishiro (Eiji Okada). The husband and son are murdered in cold bold, and Sayo is taken by Tokuichi to work for him. After Sayo murders him, she is sent to prison, where she has sex with many guards in the hope of becoming pregnant, to give birth to a child that can avenge her. That child is Yuki (Meiko Kaji), who after receiving years of training from a priest, becomes Lady Snowblood, a lethal assassin whose only thirst is for revenge.

While this may sound similar to countless martial arts or samurai films to come out of Japan and China during the 1970's, there's something profoundly different to Lady Snowblood. While it certainly offers scenes of outlandish violence (the blood spurts from the body like a gushing fountain), director Toshiya Fujita, taking inspiration from the manga Shurayukihime, seems more interested in building the foundation to the sweeping story than having scene after scene of flying limbs. Separated by title-carded chapters, the film makes a point of giving us a decent story to each target, subtly interlinking the stories to make sure they flow, rather than simply jumping from one person to the next.

What also separates this from others of similar ilk on the grindhouse circuit is the cinematography by Masaki Tamura, which is nothing short of beautiful. I promised myself I would try and get through this entire review without mentioning Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill (2003-2004), but it's not hard to see why he chose to steal (sorry, it's 'homage' when its Tarantino doing it) the same setting and colour palette. Every scene is wide and lovingly crafted, and when the violence ensues, it turns out that red on white is truly stunning. It may not have the outlandish violence of, say, the Lone Wolf and Cub series (1972-1974), but this has a calm yet quick slash of a sword, rather than an extended sword fight, and the film is clinical in that aspect to say the least. While the pace may be often too slow, this is still a satisfying revenge drama featuring one of the most iconic character of its genre.

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Lady Awesome

[AwesomeWolf · 9/10 · 1 May 2005]

Version: Eastern Eye's R4 DVD release. Japanese / English subtitles.

I probably would not have been able to see 'Lady Snowblood' had it not been for Quentin Tarantino and 'Kill Bill'. I've seen the 'Lone Wolf and Cub' movies several times on SBS, and I think they're great, but I probably would not have been able to find a copy of Lady Snowblood without the popularity of 'Kill Bill'. Luckily for me, I still managed to see 'Lady Snowblood' before 'Kill Bill'. I don't want to sound smug, but I'm probably one of the few people my age who can say that, and seeing 'Lady Snowblood' before 'Kill Bill' is a lot better than seeing 'Kill Bill' and then expecting 'Lady Snowblood' to be exactly like 'Kill Bill'.

In the 3rd year of Meiji Japan (1871 or thereabouts, I think), a family is attacked by bandits. The father and child are killed, the mother Sayo (Miyoko Akaza) taken by one of the evil-doers as a slave. When Sayo is imprisoned and unable to exact her vengeance, she bears another child, Yuki (Meiko Kaji), to carry on where Sayo. Yuki is born for vengeance, and that may be all she ever knows.

Normally I comment on revenge stories and say "wow awesome vengeance!". However, in this case, I've been studying this period of Japanese history for a university course, and I can appreciate this as more than just a tale of vengeance. 'Lady Snowblood' is a tragedy, a story about sweeping social upheaval and the people caught up in change. Of course, I can't resist pointing out the fact that this is also an awesome revenge story. 'Lady Snowblood' is an awesome revenge story.

Despite the high amount of fake blood, 'Kill Bill' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' are better action movies than 'Lady Snowblood'. Meiko Kaji's Yuki is fearsome, and she fights well, but the over-the-top fights of 'Kill Bill' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' are better. The camera is shaky at times, and the action is often hard to distinguish, but any fan of 'Kill Bill' or the classic samurai movies should still be able to appreciate it.

'Lady Snowblood' stands as one of the best classic samurai movies around. The remake 'Princess Blade' doesn't hold a candle to this, nor does the similar Etsuko Shihomi film 'Dragon Princess'. I even think fans of the recent 'Azumi' should check out 'Lady Snowblood'. Those who haven't seen 'Kill Bill' should see this first, and then 'Kill Bill' after. 'Lady Snowblood' isn't just a revenge story, but its still a a damn good revenge story - 9/10

Don't let "Kill Bill" ruin this flick for you...

[Akahige · 30 April 2004]

Unfortunately this film's only getting the attention that it deserves because of Tarantino's "Kill Bill." Fortunately, this film is getting the attention it deserves because of Tarantino's "Kill Bill." This is the double-edged sword of sample-based art. Is it theft, or an homage? Does it help, or hurt the classics? While Tarantino did lift a number of images, a few characters, countless plot devices, and one memorable song from this film; it is impossible to lift the experience that each film offers. Besides, would this film be crawling from the dark, fuzzy depths of the bootleg video without its newfound attention? From the opening scene in the all female prison, we are grabbed from our worlds and thrust into the dynamic Japan at the end of the nineteenth century. Ultimately Toshiya Fugita's 1973 film is about the victims of profound social change, and how sometimes the only way to erase victim-hood is to pass it on to those that have done you wrong. Yeah, "The Bride" goes through quite a bit for her revenge, but Meiko Kaji's character is literally born from death, with the express purpose of carrying out revenge for a family she's never met. While it's hardly addressed openly in the film, Kaji brings a subtle uncertainty to her character's motivations and actions. This depth not only grants humanity to the character, but by making her more believable, Fujita and Kaji raise the stakes. If she can fail, will she? Will she decide her parents revenge is not her own? Or will she embrace her destiny and proposed purpose? Don't get too worked up over how much and what "Kill Bill" sampled from "Shura-yuki-hime." Instead, remember that the samurai (chambara) genre is like any genre; without sampling it wouldn't exist as a genre. Fugita's samples: "Chushingura" Kuniyoshi's ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), "Sword of Doom," every film by Hideo Gosha...

Excellent revenge film with good performances and solid direction!

[spacemonkey_fg · 10/10 · 18 May 2006]

Like many of you, Id never heard the title Lady Snowblood before Kill Bill came out, so when I watched Kill Bill and saw Tarantino mention this film as one of his biggest influences, well I knew I would have to check it out sooner or later. So did Tarantino really rip off this flick or what? You bet your double edged sword he did!

The story is about this couple who get mugged by these four thugs. The husbands gets the ax by the killers and the wife gets raped by all of them many times. When the lady kills one of the killers and slays him she ends up in jail pregnant with a bastard child. When the child is born the mother dies, but not before whispering into the childs ear that her only purpose in life will be to kill those who were responsible for the death of her family. That little girl is raised by a Kung Fu master and ends up being Lady Snowblood. A creature living only to avenge those who murdered her entire family.

I wont say Tarantino isn't a genius on his own right the guy is one of my favorites, but when he gets inspired he sure knows where to get his inspiration from! There's many images lifted right off from this movie. Lets see the most notable of all rip offs is Oren Ishii who is no doubt molded after Lady Snowblood herself. Right down to her underground gangster deals and her ugly past. Right down to wanting to avenge her parents deaths. She chops heads and slices and dices like she means it! Blood sprays out in huge amounts in the same way that it sprays in Kill Bill, as if you just opened a sprinkler system to water your lawn. There's the four or five people that she has to kill which pop up in her mind every time she sees them, exactly the same way as in Kill Bill. And I mean exactly the same way, all four bad guys looking down at the camera as if the camera was on the floor! Lady Snowblood has a list of people she has to kill, I mean the similarities are astounding. But still, it didn't really bother me since I was enjoying this damn movie so much! The story is what really pulls you in. Its a fantastically woven revenge film to the Nth degree! I mean the level of hatred thats transferred onto Lady Snowblood when she is a child and the horrible things that happen to her spawn one of the most hatred filled characters that I have seen in a long time. Just like Beatrix Kiddo, Lady Snowblood (aka Yuki Kashima) stops at no ones plea of mercy. She executes her revenge no matter what circumstances have occurred or changed from the time of her parents death. Basically its a you did it now you pay for it kind of story. But with some wonderful characters and complications along the way.

There were many excellent things about this movie but the most pivotal of all was the flawless direction brought on by Toshiya Fujita. I mean this movie was like ahead of its time or something. Or maybe thats just the way movies were made in the seventies and it raised to such cool levels in a natural way. But this film has all these visual gags and tricks that could have only been spawned from that glorious era known as the 70s. Many scenes show that this director took special care in making this movie special, like those scenes with Lady Snowblood walking in the snow with her dress filled with the blood of her victim.

So even though this movie gets pretty gory and violent, visually Id say its very elegant. The music is also incredibly good, mixing traditional Asian music with this great theme song that Tarantino took from this very movie and placed it in his. The song adds an incredible emotion to the film, specially when you know what it says. Also of special notice is the movies excellent performances! From the whole cast we get nothing but credibility and sincerity in the acting. There's an excellent scene in which Yukis mother is giving birth and dying at the same time and the dialog and performance she gives was really something! If there's something I have to say that I didn't like its that the blood looked too red and too liquid. I mean, I know blood is liquid but not like water. Blood is thick and sticky and on this movie the blood looks a cartoonish red and flows like water which rested a couple of notches of credibility. But thats really nothing, the film is damn near perfect for me. Also don't go in expecting a Kung Fu movie cause this isn't a Kung Fu movie its a revenge movie. Don't get me wrong, there's swordplay involved and lots of violence. Decapitations, bodies split in half, hands cut off. But not necessarily any Kung Fu fights involved. So, lots of gore and slicing and dicing, but no Kung Fu.

In conclusion, a very very kick ass film. This is were Kill Bill was born and Kill Bill was as good as it was because it was already ripping off an truly excellent film. So, yeah, Id say go out of your freaking way to get this movie as soon as you can and enjoy one of the coolest revenge films to come out of Asian cinema. Lady Snowblood will get revenge on you if you don't! (Corny way to end my review, I know) Rating: 5 out of 5

Little known female Samurai movie

[xhari_nairx · 10/10 · 8 May 2001]

Lady Snowblood isn't the most widely known Samurai Film in the International movie market, but it is certainly worth a viewing, particularly for those into Samurai/swordsplay pictures. I just checked it out randomly because I thought the female swordsperson angle might be interesting, but I had no real expectations. I was surprised to find a stylish film with a solid story (which can actually be unpredictable at times), adequate action sequences (spruced up by heavily stylized blood spurts) and good acting (particularly from the female lead). The film balances the sadness of Lady Snowblood's story and some campy humor to great affect. Some may be turned off by the latter part, particularly if they fail to see it as intentional. I loved the bit, for example, when a villain explains to a radical left-wing writer his business of the last few years, exactly in the exaggerated fashion that a radical left-wing reporter would be inclined to write about a tyrannical bureaucrat. This movie would be well viewed by Samurai film aficionados and people interested in gender roles in cinema.

the beautiful young woman born to avenge her mother

[christopher-underwood · 7/10 · 3 April 2021]

I am not a particular fan of martial arts and samurai films but this one is not only colourful and tightly constructed but stars the lovely Meiko Kaji, she of the Female Prisoner Scorpion films, as well as many others. She is perfect here as the beautiful young woman born to avenge her mother and we are with her and her motion throughout. Director Toshiya Fujita has an eye on the look all the time and when we are not treated to views of the young lady and her weaponry we have wondrous views of the land and seascape with opening and closing scenes in the snow. That Lady Snowblood is the basis of Tarantino's Kill Bill gives this 50 year old film added interest but for whatever reason you might choose, this is well worth a watch..

Bloody Marvelous

[ferbs54 · 8/10 · 31 July 2008]

It was the 1962 Kurosawa movie "Sanjuro," I believe, that first introduced the "geyser blood" special effect to the world, but 11 years later, Toshiya Fujita's "Lady Snowblood" developed this image to a fine art. In this latter film, we meet Yuki Kashima, "born for vengeance" in a Japanese woman's prison in 1874. Trained from childhood to avenge the deaths of her mother, father and brother, by 1894, armed only with a sword hidden in her parasol handle, she is ready to exact retribution from the three killers still living. All three of these confrontations between Yuki and her enemies are, uh, executed marvelously; all are suspenseful, action packed and surprising, and all feature those geysers, jets, gouts, streams and sprays of the red stuff mentioned above. Yes, this IS a very gory movie (let's just say that Yuki's kimonos never seem to stay lily white for very long!), but it is also a very beautiful one. Exquisitely filmed, and often featuring gorgeous seaside or garden backdrops, the picture is actually very artful and poetic, as reflected in some of its chapter titles (such as "Crying Bamboo Dolls of the Netherworlds" and "Umbrella of Blood, Heart of Strewn Flowers"). Meiko Kaji plays the part of Yuki with great intensity; she makes Yuki a gorgeous instrument of vengeance whose skill with the blade really is something to behold, and her final moments on screen are quite moving. Thus, "Lady Snowblood" gives us a compelling story, strong action and great visual beauty; it would be a perfect picture, I'd say, if only the anachronistic jazz in the background didn't occasionally pop up. An obvious inspiration for Tarantino's "Kill Bill," the film is certainly deserving of a wider audience, and thanks to the widescreen DVD from AnimEigo that I just watched, with excellent subtitling, crisp images and many fine extras, that audience now has a chance to discover this winning entertainment in a perfect form....

Blood and vengeance

[siderite · 7/10 · 19 November 2005]

This is one of those movies that have an all Japanese motivation. A girl is trained from childhood to avenge the death of her father and the brutal rape of her mother. Then she does it. Lots of blood and lots of sword fighting. Well, she does most of it, everybody else pretty much dies.

The movie is well done, although I think it is hard to watch for most of the people nowadays, since it has that 60's-70's feel to it. I can see how this could have been an inspiration for Kill Bill. If you liked Kill Bill for other reasons than that it had Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu in it, then you will love this film.

If you watch the movie, you will probably have fun, but if you look at the whole picture (pun intended) there isn't much to it other than the actual revenge and death of everyone. The girl is very nice, the acting is OK, the atmosphere, settings and soundtrack are good, but that's all. No strange twists of the story, nothing unexpected.

Excellent Film Of Vengeance And Blood-Spray...

[EVOL666 · 8/10 · 7 February 2006]

LADY SNOWBLOOD is another excellent entry in the pinky-violence/samurai genre. This one has a notable lack of sex and nudity - but definitely delivers in the violence department. The sets, costumes and story-line are top-notch, and the film as a whole is a novel take on the rape/revenge exploitation genre also.

LADY SNOWBLOOD surrounds a young woman whose family is killed by a group of outlaws. She is raped by one of the gang members and dies giving birth to the daughter that is the product of her union with the rapist. On her deathbed, the mother swears that her newborn daughter's sole purpose of existence will be to seek revenge for the death of her family - and so LADY SNOWBLOOD is "born"...

LADY SNOWBLOOD has all the beautiful sets, elaborate costumes, excellent performances, and high production values that films of this genre and era became known for. My only "suggestion" would have been to throw in some gratuitous sex and nudity that is more typical of the pinky films, and then LADY SNOWBLOOD would have been damn-near perfect. Even without the tits-and-ass, the film is VERY well done, packed with vengeance, love, hate, betrayal and some serious blood-squirting fun. Highly recommended - especially to fans of other genre favorites such as the BABYCART series, the ZATOICHI films, SEX AND FURY, etc... 8.5/10

Stylish saga of a vengeance-seeking femme fatale

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 23 March 2013]

LADY SNOWBLOOD is widely known as one of the main inspirations behind Tarantino's KILL BILL, featuring the same plot (a woman tracks down the members of a gang, one by one, for the purpose of revenge) and stylistic flourishes (not least the separation into chapters). It's another manga adaptation along the same lines as the LONE WOLF & CUB saga, and while it may not be quite as exhilarating as those films, it comes close at times.

The story is mannered and carefully paced, so those looking for an action-packed thrill-ride along the lines of modern cinema might be disappointed. It's fairly slow but never less than beautiful, with precise attention paid to costumes and scenery, which makes for a wonderfully cinematic experience. As expected, there are also the requisite fight scenes containing the usual blood-spurting mayhem that Japanese samurai cinema is known for.

Okay, so the story is slight, but many scenes resonate with real power, and my favourite bit sees Snowblood cornering one victim on the beach while he pleads for his life. Meiko Kaji's turn as the resourceful, determined heroine is powerful indeed, and it's just a shame that some sub-plots, such as the inclusion of an investigative journalist who teams up with the protagonist, don't really add up to much. In addition, the action scenes, while good, lack the kind of visceral power and innovative style that made LONE WOLF & CUB so great. My overall conclusion is that LADY SNOWBLOOD is entertaining enough in itself but no classic.

A violent, silly, rampaging romp, but has a heart of sadness.

[ForCenturies · 9/10 · 8 July 2007]

This film has obviously gained a lot of attention since Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Volume One and Volume 2 came out. I am not ashamed to admit I got interested in it after it being linked to Kill Bill, but then again, I hadn't heard of it until a while after the Kill Bill movies came out, and I thought it sounded like something I'd be interested in, my kind of movie. And it definitely is.

Let's get it out there in the open: this film is really silly. It has those great seventies Kung Fu noises when someone jumps up in the air unlike any human could, as well as noises when someone shoves a sword into the enemy. But because it's silly don't jump to the conclusion that there isn't a point to watching it. Sure it's just entertainment. But the story is one of the best I've ever witnessed, and not because of the blood and guts.

The story is of course about revenge, but the revenge spawns from a woman who gives birth to a daughter and swears that the daughter must be an instrument of revenge on those that messed with her mother. (A silly premise, but here's where it becomes cool). Meiko Kaji who plays Lady Snowblood, also known as Yuki, doesn't spend the movie wrapped in evil and revenge with anger on her face. There's genuine hurt in her performance. It is actually extremely sad that all she is is an instrument of revenge and death, but that's what weighs the film down into some sort of believability.

The sets are standard Japanese action sort of sets but they have that certain charm about them that's easy on the eyes, it locks the film into this particular recognizable genre but still stands on its own two feet as a film. Also another standard in this genre is freeze frames. Usually I like to comment on shots that continue movement but a certain frame, frozen or still moving, is my favourite of a film. Now, one freeze frame (if memory serves me correctly, the only one), of the baddie coming up some stairs, that may be the second Shurayukihime (apologies if it is) and one side of her face is visible in the freeze frame to alert the audience of this woman's arrival. It is laughable in this but laughable for the right reasons: it isn't corny or annoying, but it's a genuine charm of this genre.

Many standards of this genre may stop you from watching this but watch it for the genuine heart-wrenching story of Yuki Kashima, also known as Shurayukihime, Lady Snowblood.

A genuine piece of cinematic gold that is also entertaining and worth a watch.

Close, but not quite.

[squee766 · 6/10 · 8 September 2004]

A female samurai revenge film from Japan, "Lady Snowblood" is certainly interesting, but doesn't quite work. This may be partly because the endless barrage of cinematic techniques (sort of French New Wave, actually); including but not limited to flashbacks, freeze-frames, colored lighting, slow and sped up motion, still images, and comics panels; actually serve to distract the viewer from the highly effective story at hand. Add to this the occasionally shaky camera work and spots of extraordinarily out-of-place jazz music on the sound-track (although the theme music is very effective), and end up with a very uneven experience.

Not that it isn't worth watching. Terrific acting from the heroine, very good action sequences (although the gushing torrents of indescribably fake blood may be off-setting to some), and powerful story (especially the final moments...) end up creating a near-classic. A must for genre fans or anyone curious, I simply can't give it much more than 6/10.

This movie inspired Tarantino?

[prod74 · 2/10 · 15 July 2004]

I saw this in the video store last night and the cover stated that this is the movie that influenced Tarantino's Kill Bill. After watching the film I think that the only way this could have influenced Tarantino is if he watched it and then said "this is terrible, I bet I can do this a million times better" and then did it a million times better.

I can't believe how high this movie is rated. Of course there's no accounting for taste and everyone has his/her own opinion but this is not a movie that should be rated 8.3/10. I give this movie 2 out of 10, only because there are worst movies out there.

It is clear I did not like this movie. People are talking about great direction and editing, good cinematography techniques and stuff like that. They must have seen a different movie because I didn't see anything like that. In most of the scenes the camera was out of focus, the picture was blurry and whenever a handheld camera was used I felt like I was in a boat in the ocean in the middle of a violent storm (ok I'm exaggerating but you get the idea). My eyes actually hurt at some point.

Now about the story

**********WARNING - SPOILERS ************

The story wasn't bad, especially the whole inner confrontation part, but it still left a lot to be desired. And the fact that there are some major holes in the script doesn't help either. Basically the story goes like this. 3 men and a woman murder a young woman's husband an then take her and torture and rape her for three days. One of them takes the woman with him and after a while she kills him for what he had done to her. She then sets out to kill the rest of the gang but is arrested and sent to prison. In prison she gives birth to a girl and we learn from the start that this girl only exists to avenge her mother. The girl begins training to be able to get revenge and after 20 years she sets out to find and kill the 3 remaining people that wronged her mother.

The first man Lady Snowblood kills is one of the 3 villains she has devoted her life to killing. Wait, no, he is just a gang leader whith no connection to the story whatsoever that just happens to be there. As she kills him she says that this is his punishment for the crimes he commited against people. So she is a vigilante out to punish criminals? But from that point onward everything we see suggests that her sole purpose is the punishment of the people that wronged her mother. Her whole life is devoted to this. So her first kill has no purpose and is totally out of place. Maybe they just needed one more action scene.

In search of the villains, she goes to a village in order to ask the village head about the whereabouts of the 3 people she is looking for. As soon as he says he probably can't help her she starts begging(!!!). Ok, maybe this is supposed to show her softer side but, in my opinion, a woman who is portrayed as a demon, not belonging to this world, and has devoted her whole life into becoming a killing machine in order to get her revenge, wouldn't beg in such a manner. Anyway, he finally agrees to help her.

So they find the first of the three and after Lady Snowblood saves his life she kills him herself. He has a daughter who, of course, wants revenge too. But this won't be dealt with till the very end. Then they locate the second villain but Lady Snowblood finds out that he has died and won't be able to kill him herself. She takes it out on his grave but this is noticed by a man who was there and he starts searching for her to find out what was this all about. When he confronts her it turns out he is the owner of a local newspaper and wants to write her story but she tells him to forget it and leave her alone.

Surprisingly, the next scene shows us the newspaper being printed with details of Lady Snowblood's quest. How did he find out? Well, he probably read the script. Actually people close to the heroine give him the story in order to set a trap for the last remaining villain - the woman. They explain to lady Snowblood that they know this newspaper man well and trust him. In fact they know him for more than 10 years, yet nobody knows that he is the son of the second villain that is supposed to be dead. I guess they know him really well.

Anyway, the trap works and the woman that they are searching for comes out of hiding. Lady Snowblood tries to kill her, she escapes, and while searching for her they find her hanging from the ceiling. So it seems revenge has been exacted but soon after we find out that the second villain who was supposed to be dead is actually alive. He goes to the newspaper man - who turns out to be his son - to tell him just that: that he is alive. Well that isn't a big surprise - it could not be any other way if Lady Snowblood is to fulfill her life's purpose - what is a big surprise is that a man who staged his own death and knows there is a woman out to get him just comes out of hiding to inform a man, who is obviously close to his enemy, that he is alive. He even tells him where he lives so that they don't waste time searching for him.

Then we go to the grand finale where the newspaper man sacrifices himself for Lady Snowblood to kill his father. And as Lady Snowblood leaves the building the first villain's daughter appears out of nowhere (how on earth did she know where to find her?) and kills her. THE END.

Throughout the movie characters which seemingly played a big part in the heroine's life just pop up out of nowhere (like the lady who trained Lady Snowblood to be a thief) and are as easily dismissed seconds later. And the worst part of it is than even the action scenes weren't any good. Short, void of any special skill, just plain boring. And Lady Snowblood doesn't convince that she is able to handle a sword - let alone be a killing machine.

This is the first time I feel compelled to write so many bad things about a movie. I usually try to find redeeming qualities in just about any movie I watch but this one has close to none. In short, avoid this movie. I'm certain there are much better movies with the same theme out there (come to think of it ANY movie with a similar theme is bound to be better than this one).

A masterpiece in its own right

[Super_Fu_Manchu · 26 December 2003]

A truly classic samurai movie which not only has its fair share of pacey, exhilirating action scenes, but also a really pertinent history and cultural context. Ahead of its time in some ways, the film is structured very unconventionally, in four chapters detailing Lady Snowblood's past and future. This is a technique Tarantino has used in his films, particularly relevantly his recent 'Kill Bill', which one can draw many comparisons to.

In actual fact, while the fighting may be dated slightly, and vastly bettered by Kill Bill's insane battles, and perhaps even the Lone Cub and Wolf movies, the detail and true respect the filmmakers have put into their movie seperates it from the average schlocky exploitation feature. Isolation of the East, and cultural changes in the West set up the feeling of change and loss in the film. Lady Snowblood is fighting for someone who is already dead. Her mother watched her husband being killed before her, mistaken for a Government spy, and is subsiquently tortured and raped by the criminals. After killing one in vengeance, she becomes pregnant and gives birth during her life sentence in prison, dying in childbirth. Lady Snowblood is born a "child of vengeance", and is forced through rigourous training throughout her early years, before eventually growing into a woman and seeking those who her mother had swore revenge on.

This story is fairly simple, run of the mill 70's revenge movie, but it's the flair with which the film is shot that seperates it and makes it essential viewing for all those seriously interested in film, and particularily in Tarantino's interests. Distinctive colour schemes and handheld camera work as well as subtle performances and touching moments really make the film unique and distinctive. (Spoiler: The final death of Goshiro is particularily striking. He dies between the Japanese and American flags. This kind of flair invites much more interest than the usual violence these pictures produce).

I strongly reccomend this film, and really do regret how little exposure these kind of movies receive in the west.

"It's fine to be concerned with justice and conscience, or upholding principles... yet, in the end, it's all nothing more than empty words, at least in this filthy hole."- Goshiro

A classic Japanese tale of vengeance.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 22 October 2013]

Lady Snowblood: Blizzard from the Netherworld stars Meiko Kaji as Yuki, conceived and born behind prison bars and raised to take retribution against the four vicious criminals who raped her mother and slaughtered the rest of her family.

Typical of the 70s Japanese exploitation genre, the film mixes stylish visuals with extreme violence, and as Yuki hunts down the guilty four, viewers are presented with stunning cinematography, masterfully staged fight choreography, and a copious amount of arterial spray and bodily dismemberment; director Toshiya Fujita even throws in some manga drawings for good measure.

An exciting finalé at a decadent masquerade ball sees Yuki despatching her final target in suitably bloody style, only to be stabbed by the vengeful daughter of one of her earlier victims. How ironic! 7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

The main inspiration for Kill Bill and a masterpiece in its genre.

[Danny-Rodriguez · 10/10 · 18 May 2006]

Of the very few Japanese samurai movies i've seen this is without a doubt the best. It's about this woman who was born in a prison and raised by a samurai priest who teaches her the deadly arts in order to take revenge on the people who killed her father. The fact that this is the main inspiration for Tarantino's homage to the samurai genre Kill Bill is apparent all the way through it. From the main theme song from this film being used in Kull Bill to many shots copied and the film being divided into chapters. What's very good about this film is that you'll have no problem understanding and following the story without any confusion. Which happens a lot when you watch foreign cinema. No, this film is so thoroughly told that you wont miss a thing. I definitely recommend this film to any movie buff or Tarantino fan.

It's Not All That

[Imhotep77 · 6/10 · 13 July 2005]

If you've seen "Kill Bill Vol 1" then you could see how many elements from this movie Quentin Tarantino has plagiarized, um, I mean paid homage to in KBv1. At the time of its release in 1973, this movie was probably ahead of its time. However, seeing it today, 30 odd years later, its impact is significantly lessened. I guess I'm either spoiled or numbed by the action set pieces that have come since that time; the action set pieces in this movie are all too brief and simple to illicit much excitement. The villains are too easily dispatched of. The second revenge set piece is similar to the finale of KBv1 but on a much smaller scale, shorter, not as intricately choreographed, and not as viscerally cathartic. On a humorous side note, I kept thinking during the movie that those kimonos the women wore were just too restrictive for them to run fast and free, how in the hell could they fight! Many people are unnerved by the amount of blood splashed around but I thought it was extremely funny and not at all bothersome. I mean how could you not laugh when blood gushed out like geyser or a punctured water balloon. I also like the political subtext (intended or not by the filmmaker, I don't know) in the movie. One can understand and appreciate the movie better to know a little of the political history of Japan at the time the story takes place and the DVD extras nicely include 16 screens of history lesson for your reference. All in all, for fans of female empowered action movies, this is probably one of finest early efforts. Worth watching but just don't expect too much.

The original Kill Bill

[Jithindurden · 9/10 · 7 December 2017]

One of the most beautiful, stylistic and brutal action films I've seen. Tarantino essentially ripped off this one with Kill Bill. The cinematography and music were some of the highlights along with the great action choreography. Some of the most memorable sword slice killing in cinema is here. A must watch especially for all the Kill Bill fans.

Geysers of blood and one intense actress

[ChungMo · 7/10 · 23 June 2006]

The same year as the first of the Lone Wolf series brought another adaption of a manga from the same author. The themes are very similar. An individual who is sent by fate down a path of demons, killing everyone who is in the way of their goal. The films are spiritually dark. That's where the similarities end. Lady Snowblood is much darker then any of the Lone Wolf films just in the fact that much of the action happens at night or in shadowy places.

The main character is set on a path of vengeance as a just born infant by her dying mother! And vengeance is had in a world of awful people constantly out to exploit or torment their fellow humans. The one nice person in the film is a daughter who defends her father even though (unknown to her) he tries to sell her into prostitution.

While the martial prowess is not so good in this film it is more then made up for by the haunted look on the actress' face and startling dismemberment. The film is stylish but not in the colorful way of the Lone Wolf films, this is dark. And Lone Wolf had the one saving note of humanity, the samurai's love for his son and a deep, if sometimes hidden, sense of morals. Here Lady Snowblood is a driven, almost emotionally dead person out for revenge.

Recommended.

As a note: the first killing she does is so the Beggar King will get information for her.

One of the greatest period martial arts movies with an extraordinary feminist and sociocritical touch

[kluseba · 10/10 · 14 January 2018]

Based upon the manga of the same name, Lady Snowblood is a dramatic action-thriller set in late nineteenth century Japan during Meiji period. It tells the fateful story of a quiet female assassin who was born in prison and who must carry out the task to avenge her murdered brother and father as well as her abused mother as she grows up under rough circumstances. Supported by a friend of her mother, her severe teacher, an ambitious author and outcast villagers, she tracks down the three surviving persons responsible for her family's gruesome fate one by one.

Aside of having inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill franchise, Lady Snowblood is a movie that manages to stand out among numerous other martial arts films of its time. First of all, the tale of vengeance has a few clever twists and turns and convinces with a non-linear storytelling which adds depth to the characters and evokes empathy for the silent assassin.

Secondly, it's the first movie of its kind to focus on a female lead character who isn't portrayed as weak woman but as pitiless assassin who is cleverer, faster and more determined than her numerous male counterparts which makes this feminist film almost revolutionary for its era.

Thirdly, the precise fight sequences are as elegant as painted pictures and their exaggerated elements only add to the movie's vivid flow. The film finds the perfect balance between artistic elements and quite explicit scenes which were shocking for its time.

Fourthly, the acting performances are stellar as Kaji Meiko convinces as beautiful yet deadly assassin with a haunted past. Even the supporting characters are nicely developed and very interesting to follow. The three villains are quite diversified and complement one another perfectly.

Fifthly and most importantly, the movie develops a gripping and gloomy atmosphere when the silent assassin is walking through snow-covered landscapes, abandoned cemeteries, muddy villages, poor suburbs and decadent mansions. The rift between rich and poor during Meiji period comes alive authentically as the movie criticizes abuse of power which was quite unusual for Japanese movies back then. The film is captivating from start to finish, gets constantly more intriguing and ends on a particularly high note that leaves no questions unanswered. The movie is executed so perfectly that I could easily watch it once a month without getting bored.

Lady Snowblood keeps the greatest elements of classic period martial arts movies and adds gloomy atmosphere, fascinating characters and excellent film-making to make this movie one of the greatest of its kind. Even nearly five decades later, this film's excellent execution in unparalleled and still highly diverting. The sequel isn't as great because of a slightly less intense plot but still convinces in all other departments. It's a shame that only two movies revolving around this fascinating character were made. Make sure to purchase the recently updated Criterion Collection including the two movies as well as additional interviews. Anyone who likes martial arts cinema should own these films.

A Child of the Netherworld

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 13 August 2017]

This movie begins in 1874 with a woman named "Sayo" (Miyoki Akaza) giving birth to a baby in a Japanese prison. As it so happens, Sayo's husband and her young son were killed by four bandits and she was subsequently taken away by one of them and forced to become his consort. Eventually, Sayo kills her abductor which results in her being imprisoned for life. Although Suyo dies after giving birth her last words to her fellow inmates is to make sure that her baby "Yuki" (Meiko Kaji) gets revenge on the other three people responsible for the atrocities committed upon her family. To honor her request Yuki is then given to a nearby priest who not only raises her but also teaches her the necessary combat skills she will need to exact her revenge. And then at the age of 20 she is released to fulfill her mission in life. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an entertaining movie with a good plot and some fascinating elements of Japanese history and culture. Unfortunately, it also had several action scenes which were much too unrealistic and this greatly limited the overall effect. Even so, in spite of its faults, I still liked this film and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Lady Snowblood; great Japanese martial arts extravaganza which was the main inspiration for Kill Bill

[LoneWolfAndCub · 9/10 · 3 January 2007]

When I was watching this I could straight away pick many of the different aspects Quentin Tarantino took from this. Everything from the plot, (especially) the music and the effects was copied and warped in a way. Although I marginally liked Kill Bill better, this is still an extremely good movie that I think everyone should see.

This movie is set in chapters where we follow Yuki who is out to avenge her mothers rape and torture. There were four culprits, one of whom was killed by the mother already. So Yuki, from the moment she was born, was trained to eventually kill the three remaining villains.

As you can see, the plot was almost entirely copied for Kill Bill. But I find the plot in this one slightly more interesting. The music was extremely good and quite moving. Two of the songs were actually used in Kill Bill. The effects are the traditional over the top ones you would expect. Lots of severed limbs and gushing blood.

This gets a solid 4½/5.

The action rivals with the Baby Cart movies

[jordondave-28085 · 7/10 · 17 April 2023]

(1973) Lady Snowbird/ Shurayukihime (In Japanese with English subtitles) ACTION

The basis for Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bil" movies, for it involves a young woman, Yuki (Meiko Kaji) aka "Snowbird" born from prison, and at the same time while there, she is also trained to seek retribution to the attackers who landed Snowbird's mother in prison in the first place,. This serves as a backdrop to the gore and bloody sword fight scenes that rival to the Baby Cart movies, to the minimal plot that is self explanatory. This movie is followed by a sequel called "Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance".

Atrocious acting, atrocious use of the shaky cameras, mindnumbingly stupid story...it seems I didn't like this one bit

[TooKakkoiiforYou_321 · 1/10 · 21 March 2021]

Don't bother, save yourselves. Believe me. You're not going to regret it.