Blind Womans Curse

Imagine a Japanese take on any of Alejandro Jodorowsky's movies, and Blind Woman’s Curse wouldn’t be too far off the mark. This wondrously strange film from 1970 combines yakuza gang flick with elements of ghost stories and surreal Euro-trash style erotica. Confused? It gets a darn side weirder as the movie goes on!

The story unfolds at the very minute when the opening credits roll across, namely when a gang of female Tachibana yakuza members, fronted by the feisty Akemi (cult actress Meiko Kaji – Stray Cat Rock, Lady Snowblood) wield their swords in slow motion and attack a rival gang. This opening sequence, further enhanced by letting it take place during a rain-swept night, almost feels like a choreographed ballet. The dragon-tattooed Tachibana members cut and slice through the night when Akemi, by accident, injures a rival gang woman with a sword cut that leaves her blind. Too bad that the wounded woman happens to be the younger sister of the rival gang’s boss, but it is an aggressive black cat suddenly appearing out of nowhere - licking the blood from the injured fighter’s eyes – which seals the fate of Akemi.

It’s now three years later, and Akemi just got released from jail for her mishap with the sword. Immediately she sets off direction home, only to take leadership of her old gang again. However, she finds herself confronted by new rivals, namely a nasty gang called the Dobashi-gumi. With the aid of a Tachibana member now keen on joining the new group, the Dobashis leave no opium ball unturned in order to gain power over the territory. But it’s not just the Dobashis which cause Akemi a headache. The woman whom she accidentally blinded three years earlier also has returned to town, this time in the guise of a blind knife thrower working for a freak show, and aided by a bizarre hunchback and the aforementioned black cat. In fact, Jodorowsky must have felt inspired by all this for his 80’s cult film Santa Sangre!

As you may have guessed, it’s not before long and the first female members of Akemi’s gang turn up dead – each victim has a huge slice of skin – sporting the distinctive Tachibana dragon tattoo – sliced off. In between all the weird plot, secret dungeons, and outlandish scenarios, Akemi has visions of an avenging black cat. Ever more bizarre characters get introduced along the way, including a male gang leader who looks like a Japanese incarnation of ‘Alex’ from A Clockwork Orange.
For the final showdown, we are back at the same spot where the opening sequence took place – only that this time the backdrop seems to be painted with eerie looking spiralling clouds and ghostly moonlight peeping through. It’s the final duel between Akemi and the blind woman (once again aided by her black cat)…
A true gem of 70’s Japanese cinema, just don’t expect the sophistication of Kurosawa!

Blind Woman’s Curse is released as Dual Format Blu-Ray & DVD, and boasts the following SPECIAL FEATURES:

• New high definition digital transfer of the film prepared by Nikkatsu Studios

• Presented in High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD

• Uncompressed mono PCM audio

• Newly translated English subtitles

• Audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp

• Original Trailer

• Trailers for four of the films in the Meiko Kaji-starring Stray Cat Rock series, made at the same studio as Blind Woman’s Curse

• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes, illustrated with original archive stills.