Sunday, January 6, 2013

Sleepy Eyes of Death Vol. 3

Hooray! Animeigo has released the third and final batch of Sleepy Eyes of Death films (see my reviews of the first and second). The box contains the final four of 12 excellent samurai films starring the incandescent Raizo Ichikawa. You get #9 A Trail of Traps, #10 Hell is a Woman, #11 In the Spider's Lair, and #12 Castle Menagerie. I review #9 and #12 in Warring Clans, Flashing Blades. I thought they were going to include those reviews in the box, but I guess they forgot. (They did use a quote from this here blog for a box blurb.)

The later SEOD films were particularly dark, with devil worshipers and psychotic elites around every corner. Through it all, our Nemuri Kyoshiro (Ichikawa) cuts a shining path with his sharp wit and patented Full Moon Cut. I threw on Trail of Traps as soon as I got the box and found it every bit as enjoyable as the first time I saw it, maybe more. 

This one's a no-brainer, folks: Ya gotta get it. Specialty outfits like Animeigo are on their last legs these days -- you won't just be getting a bunch of lively, bizarre and thoroughly entertaining samurai films, you'll be helping to sustain an important cultural resource. I don't know about you, but I've been stockpiling disks for years -- I don't want to be at the mercy of the cloud, and someone else's idea of what I want to watch. Maybe they'll offer these films, maybe they won't. All I know is I got mine and you should get yours ... before it's too late.

6 comments:

DCMiller said...

i am eagerly awaiting this set, for certain. very excited! also, i fully agree with your assessment of what may be our future viewing reality. i can hardly believe how eager the masses are in running towards this type of mindless drone situation. i hope animeigo can keep on, as i'd love additional tora-san volumes, among others.

Jon V said...

I both of your books and really enjoy them. I've been stock piling films on disc for years in the fear that they will disappear from R1. Do you think this is a strong possibility?

Btw, are you going to make a 3rd book in your series to complete the trilogy?! I would love to read it.

Patrick Galloway said...

I don't have high hopes for the future. When the oil runs out, we're screwed. And stockpiling disks you can't watch without electricity is admittedly idiotic, but what the fuck -- who knows when it will run out? I also have a ton of books, so when we move to candle light, I'm all set.

Jon, I'm afraid I've said all I have to say about Asian film, printwise. Any additional thoughts I just stick on this blog. Thanks for reading.

DC, I'm with you on the Tora-san, hope to see more.

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Unknown said...

Cheers Pat,
A few weeks ago I lost my job, and the same day I got your book WCFB. You have to taste the bitter to enjoy the sweet they say! What a great read this has been, I have the other samurai book though I lent it out to someone I now forget.And the Asia shock book as well. All very informative, fun reads. I also was given the two sleepy eye box sets for x-mas. I am posting just to say thanks for doing what you do, and I also wanted to ask if you ever saw Lone Wolf Isazo? I just finnished that movie a few minutes ago, and all I can say is wow, we sure got robbed of a great cinema talent when Raizo died.I have been sitting here for the last week, just watching one after another of the movies you reviewed in your book, and I am gorged on chambara! Again, many thanks! And have a great weekend!
Arigato,
Clayton

Patrick Galloway said...

Hey Clayton, thanks for the kind words. Always good to hear someone is reading my stuff, and enjoying it to boot! Yes, I have seen Lone Wolf Isazo (aka The Lone Stalker) and it is awesome, as is every Kazuo Ikehiro/Raizo Ichikawa film I've ever seen. There's a fascinating interview with Ikehiro in Chris D.'s Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film which I'm sure you'd appreciate. Take care, PG