Hanzo The Razor (1972)

"Something big is behind this!"

In the 1970's sexploitation was rampant and Hanzo the Razor was an excellent example of it. Despite the copious amounts of spewing blood and overall lightheartedness, the underlying theme that rape is okay and something to be enjoyed has aged badly in a world where women now have a say and are able to write critiques.

*Because of the nature of this movie, I use some male anatomical terms*

Hanzo is honorable and incorruptible, a pike in his higher up's sides as he berates them for accepting bribes. After his confrontation over oath taking Hanzo has himself tortured so that he will know how prisoners feel and then pounds his penis with a wooden stick. After that he works it out in a burlap sack filled with raw rice. When he has thoroughly exercised his third leg which had to have been at least 18inches/47cm long, seriously how did he not pass out from all his blood headed south, he stumbles across a clue that Kanbei the Killer has escaped his banishment. He frames Kanbei's lover who is now his boss' mistress for murder and hauls her in for "questioning." Omino is stripped and bound. Hanzo begins his special interrogation of Omino with his Mr. Winky, stopping intermittently so that she will answer questions and beg him to continue. He later questions another woman while she is hanging from a net giving an all new meaning to the term 'whirlibird'. She, like Omino, was sent into the throws of ecstasy from his huge and talented member and told him everything he wanted to know.

The case showed the corruption of the court and magistrate's office, but the case itself was limp. It simply gave Hanzo the opportunity to cause some spewing blood deaths and chances to interview women with his super ding-a-ling. The thing to keep in mind about the women he interrogated is that they hadn't committed any crimes. One might have been harboring a fugitive, but by that time the fugitive was dead. As much as he worked Little Hanzo out, it made me wonder how many women he questioned a week. Did he interrogate male suspects the same way? Kung fu specialists learn to pull their equipment in, but apparently in Japan it's hardened into a weapon.

Hanzo the Razor, yeah I don't think they were talking about his sword, had some humorous moments. But the utter lack of consent and warped view of rape and women overshadowed anything positive about the film. Hanzo was known to be honorable and a man who protected the people. I'm just not sure how honorable rape is.

9/19/23

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