Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance
(Shura-yuki-hime: Urami Renga, 1974)
Fujita Toshiya
Japan
89 mins, color, Japanese (English subtitles)
The sequel of the stylish LADY SNOWBLOOD, LOVE SONG OF VENGEANCE lacks the compelling story of its predecessor, and although there are some memorable characters, generally does not have the same impact. As far as sequels go, it follows all the appropriate trappings: more blood, more bodies, less motivation. Other than that, it's nto too bad.
Meiko Kaji is back as the vengeful assassin Yuki, and this time around she gets entangled in the murky web of turn-of-the-century Japanese politics. The year is 1907 and Imperial Japan has just emerged victorious against the inept Russian empire. Amidst the turmoil and jubilation, certain unsavory right-wing elements seize the opportunity to promote their own well-being in very selfish ways (e.g. by torturing to death disgruntled slums-dwellers and then blaming imaginary anarchist conspiracies for plotting the overthrow of the Meiji regime). The Chief of the Secret Police and the Head Justice Honcho are in cahoots to murder the single remaining anarchist at large. To this end, they capture Lady Snowblood (only because she has lost the zest for violence) and then kidnap her on the way to the gallows to offer her a second chance (La Femme Nikita anyone?) She goes undercover disguised as a maid, but the intelligent anarchists sniffs her out and rekindles her passion for killing people.
The sequel to LADY SNOWBLOOD is mildly entertaining, but I was not exhilarated. Meiko Kaji is spectacular (and I will slash the throat of every infidel that claims otherwise). She's not very good with the sword (i.e. definitely in need of a better choreographer), but who cares, right? The big turn off was the Euro-look. I am guessing this is how the Japanese dressed back then, but I never cared about the fashion of that period, and seeing normally dignified people don ridiculous Western outfits is just unseemly. On the other hand, it is very puzzling that the hordes of police are armed with swords. A pistol would have been nice, but then it would have been "Bye-bye, Lady Snowblood" in the first 10 seconds into the feature. Also, why in the world would Lady Snowblood go on in that constraining (but very very beautiful) traditional kimono? Put some pants on already, if you're going to be an outlaw assassin, might as well slip into something more comfortable and conducive to bloody rampage.
Regardless of my whining, the film is not as bad as I am making it out to be. It is fun to watch (I wonder how many red-blooded Japanese have had heart-attacks after seeing a woman in a role like that), and if one puts aside the implausible plot, the stilted action sequences, and the cheap melodrama (yeah, yeah, we all know the story: guy falls for girl, guy marries girl, guy goes to fight Russians, guy dreams of girl, guy comes back to girl, girl elopes with guy's no-good anarchist brother; guy, girl, and anarchist brother end up dead, along with countless fringe elements); so, if one puts aside those things, then one might conceivably enjoy the film. I know I did.
May 18, 2001. BLS