The Sword of Doom, (大菩薩峠, Dai-bosatsu Tōge, "Great Bodhisattva Pass"), is a 1966 jidaigeki film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and stars Tatsuya Nakadai. It is based on the serial novel of the same title by Kaizan Nakazato.
(Synopsis): Nakadai dominates the screen as Ryunosuke Tatsue, a man for whom killing is a pleasure. Brought up by a father to whom the sword was THE way of life, the sword is now the only family he recognizes. Pitted against him is Taranosuke Shimada, an opponent of equal prowess who regards the use made of the sword as the outward manifestation of a man's spiritual state.
Set in the 1860s, with the Japanese feudal system under threat from a limited democracy, "The Sword Of Doom" Interweaves romance, politics, and psychological observation. Always at the center is the spectacle of a soul going rotten in an era without values. The message is the medium and the medium is the sword.
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Yūzō Kayama, Michiyo Aratama, Toshiro Mifune
Directed by: Kihachi Okamoto, Produced by: Sanezumi Fujimoto, Masayuki Sato,
Kaneharu Minamizato, Language: Japanese, English subtitles, NTSC All, Features: 2:35.1, Running Time: 120 Minutes
