Hunter in the Dark (Yami no karyudo) /1979 / Dir. Hideo Gosha
Highly stylish yakuza film full of intrigue. It's relatively less bloody than most Japanese action films from the same era.
Hunter in the Dark contains elaborately written characters, a solid story, a beautiful cinematography and an interesting choice of audio tracks. I like it!
If Hideo Gosha only had made Three Outlaw Samurai, that would have been enough, but he also made Sword of The Beast, Hunter in the Dark and another personal favorite, Goyokin! And there are still so many I need to watch and more importantly want to watch! Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday in the afterlife to the very great Hideo Gosha.
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoshio Harada, Shin'ichi Chiba, Ayumi Ishida, Keiko Kishi, Ai Kanzaki, Kayo Matsuo, Tetsuro Tanba. Screenplay: Hideo Gosha, based on a novel by Shotaro Ikenami. Cinematography: Tadashi Sakai. Film editing: Michio Suwa. Music: Masaru Sato.
Colorful but rather confusing film about an 18th-century Japanese crime lord, played by Tatsuya Nakadai, who hires a one-eyed bodyguard with amnesia, played by Yoshio Harada. Violent confrontations ensue.