The film follows the duo of Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro as they’re known respectively as Lone Wolf and Cub as they continue their trek towards Hell while Lord Retsudo (Minoru Ohki) is eager to finish them off once and for all after a series of losses that forces him to take extreme measures. That is the film’s entire plot as it play into a father-son duo continuing their journey while taking assassination jobs to make a living yet they’re threatened by forces including a clan whose leader is revealed to be the illegitimate son of Lord Retsudo in Hyouei (Isao Kimura) who has other motives to go after Ogami. Even as he has an army of his own as well as a trio of men who are skilled killers who uses tricks and such to bring fear to Ogami and Daigoro as they become aware of the new challenge they have to face.
Yoshiyuki Kuroda’s direction is largely straightforward as it emphasize less on style and more on the visuals while retaining the film series’ approach to gratuitous violence. Shot on various locations in rural and snowy areas in North Japan, the film does play into a man and his son trekking through Japan where they even stop briefly to visit the grave of his late wife as they stop a failed ambush from a group of samurai warriors. There are also these elements of surrealism as it relates to Lord Retsudo’s meeting with Hyouei who had been living in the mountains in isolation except in building his own army and clan that include this trio of men who are known for their magic but also their uncompromising approach to killing the innocent as a way to haunt Ogami. The usage of the wide and medium shots not only are used to get a scope of the locations but also into what Ogami is facing with the latter being used to play into some of the duels he would take part including a battle with Lord Retsudo’s daughter Kaori (Junko Hitomi) as there’s a richness to the duels thanks in part to the work of fight choreographer Eiichi Kusumoto.
Kuroda would also use close-ups to play into some of the moments of dread and suspense that would become more prevalent in the third act as it relates to Lord Retsudo’s determination to kill Ogami. Most notably as he deals with failure and the fact that not everyone including Hyouei’s men are loyal to Lord Retsudo as they prefer to deal with Ogami on their own terms. The film’s climax is set in a snowy mountain where skis and sleds are used with Lord Retsudo having a cart-sled of his own as it is this grand and wild climax filled with lavish stunt work and fights. It is all about Lord Retsudo having his vengeance yet it is about Ogami also getting justice for his late wife. The choreography and action is intense as it play into Ogami facing off against an entire army while its aftermath is more about Ogami and Daigoro dealing with the carnage of what they had to face but also the journey they still have to continue. Especially as the film has this nice conclusion but it ends the entire series in an abrupt manner due to issues involving studio politics and the desire to create a TV series which did run from 1973 to 1976 in Japan. Overall, Kuroda crafts a riveting and gripping film about a father-son assassin duo facing off against new enemies led by their old foe.
Cinematographer Chikasi Makiura does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography in capturing the bright white colors of the snow with Hiroshi Mina providing some lighting including a key scene in the snowy mountain at night. Editor Toshio Taniguchi does excellent work with the editing as it has some stylish cuts including a few jump-cuts to play into the action and suspense. Production designer Akira Naito does amazing work with the design of the igloo that Ogami and Daigoro stayed in during the snowy mountain showdown as well as the cart and sled that Lord Retsudo would ride in. Costume designer Yasunao Inui does fantastic work with the look of the robes that some of the characters wear including the clothing of Hyouei and his men.
Makeup designers Hideo Yumoto and Toshio Tanaka do terrific work with the look of a few characters including Lord Retsudo and his new one-eyed look as well as the look of Hyouei with his big hair. The sound work of Tsuchitaro Hayashi, along with sound effects by Toru Kurashima, is superb for the atmosphere that is created for some of the action and suspense as well as the effects that play into the action. The film’s music by Kunihiko Murai is incredible for its mixture of funk, jazz, and traditional Japanese music with some orchestral touches as it help play into the drama and the action.
The film’s wonderful cast features some notable small roles from the trio of Daigo Kusano, Jiro Miyaguchi, and Renji Ishibashi as Hyouei’s three main assassins, Goro Mutsumi as Lord Retsudo’s aide who gives him news about everything, Junko Hitomi as Lord Retsudo’s daughter Kaori who is eager to avenge the death of her brothers and challenge Ogami, and Minoru Ohki as Lord Retsudo as the man who killed Ogami’s wife as he finds himself being challenged by what Ogami has done and is eager to kill him no matter what. Isao Kimura is incredible as Hyouei as Lord Retsudo’s illegitimate son who had been living in seclusion in the mountains where he created his own army and clan as he hopes to be the one to defeat Ogami while retaining an air of respect and honor as a way to carry something his father isn’t able to do.
Finally, there’s the duo of Tomisaburo Wakayama and Akihiro Tomikawa in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Ogami Itto and Daigoro. Tomikawa remains this somewhat silent presence as a kid who observes everything around him while would often be someone to lure others into a trap while he would show fear for the first time in the form of Hyouei’s assassins. Wakayama remains this stoic figure who will strike whenever he’s threatened as he too becomes fearful of Hyouei’s assassins due to their tricks and actions yet is determined to outsmart them anyway he can while dealing with the journey in hand as well as Lord Retsudo whom he knows is after him as he is willing to confront him.
Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell is a tremendous film from Yoshiyuki Kuroda. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, a riveting music score, dazzling action sequences, and a simple yet effective story of vengeance. The film is an intense samurai film as it play into a man continuing his journey towards Hell with his son as they finally get into a confrontation with the man who wronged them. In the end, Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell is a spectacular film from Yoshiyuki Kuroda.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance - Baby Cart at the River Styx - Baby Cart to Hades - Baby Cart in Peril - Baby Cart in the Land of Demons
© thevoid99 2020
Based on the manga series by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx is the second film of the series in which an assassin-for-hire continues his journey through Edo-period Japan where he battle a group of female assassins hired by the clan who killed his wife and disgraced his name. Directed Kenji Misumi and screenplay by Kazuo Koike, the film explores a man continuing his path to find redemption as he well as seeking justice for the loss of his wife while accompanying his young son his path as the role of Itto Ogami and his son Daigoro are reprised by Tomisaburo Wakayama and Akihiro Tomikawa. Also starring Kayo Matsuko, Akji Kobayashi, Minoru Ohki, and Shin Kishida. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx is a majestic yet exhilarating film from Kenji Misumi.
The film follows the duo of Lone Wolf and Cub as they trek through Japan seeking whatever work Itto Ogami can do as an assassin as they’re eventually hired by a clan to kill a clan leader for disrupting their business while Ogami is being pursued by samurai warriors including a group of female assassins working for the man who disgraced Ogami. It’s a film with a simple premise that manga co-writer Kazuo Koike creates as it play into Ogami and Daigoro going on this journey as they’re eventually hired by a clan who is known for making indigo dye and have a monopoly on it but someone had betrayed them and is willing to share their secret method to a shogun whom Ogami is in conflict with. Ogami agrees to do the job yet the shogun’s own ninja clan team up with a clan of female assassins to try and eliminate Ogami for good. There isn’t much of a plot yet it is more about Ogami and Daigoro continuing on their path and the forces he face as they’re forced to deal with Ogami. Among them are a trio of brothers known as the Hidaris who are fierce warriors with iron-like weapons as they’re hoping to protect the man who had stolen the indigo dye methods.
Kenji Misumi’s direction is stylish not just in its compositions and settings but also its emphasis on suspense and drama. Most notably as Daigoro is given more to do and actually take part in a bit of the action including a scene where he tends to his ailing father after a scuffle that left him wounded for a bit. Shot on various locations in Japan, Misumi does use some wide shots for not just a scope of the locations including a gorgeous scene shot in a greenish forest. It’s also in the compositions he creates in some extreme close-ups and medium shots with the latter used for meetings between Ogami and the indigo dye clan or the group of people conspiring to kill Ogami. Misumi also creates images that do play into the beauty of Ogami’s journey despite the claims that Ogami and Daigoro are walking towards the River Styx on their way to Hell.
With the aid of fight choreographer Eiichi Kusumoto, Misumi’s approach to the sword fights, battles, and duels do play into this air of urgency of whenever Ogami has to attack. Even in a scene on a boat where he meets the Hidari brothers and sees what they’re able to do while he stays in the room with them as it showcases an act of respect between warriors. Ogami’s first confrontation with Akari Yagyu clan leader Sayaka (Kayo Matsuo) does have an air of style as well as some strange moments that occur after their first confrontation ends. The film’s third act that takes place in sand dunes do showcase this air of style in its setting where the Hidari brothers are confronted by members of the indigo dye clan as the violence remains stylized with limbs cut off and blood being sprayed as it is just a taste of what is to come upon meeting Ogami. Overall, Misumi crafts a ravishing and enchanting film about an assassin-for-hire and his young son trekking through Japan while dealing with a horde of new enemies.
Cinematographer Chikashi Makiura does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it features some gorgeous natural lighting and colors for some of the daytime exterior scenes including shots in the forest while the scenes at night with lighting by Hiroshi Mima add to the low-key yet somber beauty of the film as it is a major highlight of the film. Editor Toshio Taniguchi does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of style in its jump-cuts, stylish dissolves, and other cuts that help play into the action, drama, and suspense. Production designer Akira Naito does fantastic work with the look of the hut that Ogami and Daigoro stay at for a bit, some of the homes of the clans, and the boat where Ogami meets the Hidari brothers. Costume designer Yoshio Ueno does nice work with the costumes in the robes that Sayaka wears as well as the clothes that the Hidari brothers wear.
Special stunt effects by Daizen Shishido is amazing for some of the action including characters jumping in the air with mechanical effects by Shin-Ei Art Workshop adding to the film’s visual effects. The sound work of Tsuchitaro Hayashi, along with sound effects by Toru Kurashima, do superb work with the sound in the creation of some of the sound effects as well as . The film’s music by Hideaki Sakurai is incredible for its array of dissonant and eerie music score filled with offbeat percussive music that help build up the suspense as well as traditional Japanese string instruments that play into the drama as it is a major highlight of the film.
The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles from Akiji Kobayashi as the leader of the Kurokuwa group in Ozuno who conspires with Sayaka to kill Ogami, the quartet of Izumi Ayukawa, Reiko Kasahara, Yukiji Ikeda, and Yuriko Mishima as four of Sayaka’s assassins, the trio of Minoru Ohki, Shin Kishida, and Shogen Nitta as the Hidari brothers, and Kayo Matsuo in a fantastic performance as Sayaka as a clan leader loyal to the lead shogun as she hopes to kill Ogami for her master only for her confrontations with Ogami leading to many revelations for her. Finally, there’s the duo of Akihiro Tomikawa and Tomisaburo Wakayama in their respective roles as Ogami Daigoro and Ogami Itto as the son-father duo with the former being a three-year old boy who is aware of what is happening around him yet proves to be formidable whenever danger is around. Wakayama’s performance as the latter is more restrained in terms of someone who is in total control but is also aware that he has a big target on his back and is always ready while he ponders if the path he’s chosen for himself and his son is the right one.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx is a spectacular film from Kenji Misumi. Featuring a great ensemble cast, intoxicating visuals, evocative music, and a simple yet thrilling premise, the film is an exhilarating samurai film with lots of action, suspense, and drama as it plays into a father-and-son duo trekking through Japan as they encounter enemies and such during their path. In the end, Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx is a tremendous film from Kenji Misumi.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance - Baby Cart to Hades – Baby Cart in Peril – Baby Cart in the Land of Demons – White Heaven in Hell
© thevoid99 2020
