Arrow Video has been releasing a number of Japanese films over the past few years and that's something to be commended for. Far too many companies ignore current product from other countries let alone the past films made in those countries. Because of that many are lost to not just collectors but the world in general. Thankfully their efforts have prevented that on a number of films.

BLOODY SPEAR AT MOUNT FUJI is a road picture in essence. A disparate group of travelers are on the same road traveling together towards Edo for different reasons. The focal point of the group is Sakawa Kojuro, a samurai traveling with his servants Genpachi, his spear carrier and Genta. The rest of the group is made up of a singer and her daughter, a father taking his daughter to be sold as a prostitute to pay off his debts, a pilgrim, a policeman and a man the officer has his eye on, searching for a thief in the area.

The group no connection with one another save for this journey they are making. Each has their own story to tell revealed in both their actions and things that take place along the way. For Kojuro he is taking a special bowl to Mount Fuji as an offering. Along his journey he must deal with the fact that he has a problem when he drinks sake, changing from the calm demeanored man he is most of the time into a violent lout. This comes into play during their journey. Genta has his own issues with drinking to deal with and is the weaker of the two servants. Genpachi is the most stalwart, determined to serve his master with honor.

Along their journey the group picks up an orphan boy named Jiro who wants to become a samurai one day and pleads with Genpachi to teach him to be a spear carrier. The servant takes him under his wing and continues on their journey.

Various events take place on their travels including the group being forced to wait on noblemen who insists on having a tea ceremony on the side of the road closing down all traffic to do so. This is one of many incidents that cause Kojuro to question the behavior of his class, those in his social sphere. Another involves the capture of the thief on the lose by his servant that results in his getting recognition for the achievement in spite of his protestations that it was Genpachi who was responsible.

The film mixes styles going from serious drama to light comedy in the blink of an eye. It melds these story methods together to offer a compelling story with a message that will remain with viewers even after the end of the film. These different styles work well as each is seen and the combination of them works in every incident seen on film.

The film may not work for everyone as many people seem bound and determined not to expose themselves to anything but movies made in their own country. An intolerance for subtitles has left many people with fewer options of films to watch and that's their loss. The same holds true for young people who often will avoid anything made prior to their being born feeling it has nothing to offer, even more so should the film be shot in, heaven forbid, black and white. These two self-imposed restrictions leave many to sustain the belief that only they exist in the world when it comes to movies. It's great loss on their part and they're not even aware.

Extras for the film are limited but that should be expected for a movie made in 1955. Included are a brand new audio commentary track by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, an interview with director Tomu Uchida's son (Uchida is the director of the film),an interview with Kazunori Kishida, who was a publicist for home studio Toei, French film critic Fabrice Arduini speaking on Uchida's work, a reversible sleeve featuring original artwork and newly commissioned artwork by Corey Brickley and for the first pressing only an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic and filmmaker James Oliver.

Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji is a chanbara film which means a sword fighting movie. Released sixty-five years ago as we speak, it has become one of the most influential films of its genre even though it has been overlooked by audiences from abroad for much too long. This movie has a particular vibe since the sword fighting only occurs during the last ten minutes of the film which makes for a surprisingly brutal finale.

Before this unexpected conclusion, this movie could rather be categorized as a drama that quietly and cleverly criticizes social conventions and restraints. The film follows a group of people who travel from the country side to Edo. We meet a desperate father who sees no other solution to pay his depts than selling his daughter into prostitution. There is a traveling single mother and her daughter who earn a very modest living by dancing and singing at festivals. The film introduces a master who likes to socialize with his servants instead of keeping his distance. All these characters and events are connected to the protagonist of the movie who is a spear carrier with a remarkable sense of duty. He wants to help people in need, encourage those around him and even develops a tender romantic relationship on his journey. Just as the movie seems to conclude with a happy ending, a dramatic turn of events leaves the audience on a most sinister impression.

This intelligent movie convinces in many departments. The characters are profound, interesting and diversified. The numerous side stories are sometimes serious, sometimes humorous but always entertaining. The locations varying from busy town streets over traditional inns to beautiful country roads bring traditional Japan to life in an authentic manner. The camera work is calm and careful and rather observing than flamboyant which fits the tone of the movie.

The film isn't without its flaws. The numerous side stories can't hide the fact that the movie is missing a precise guiding line. The locations end up being somewhat repetitive. The movie's slow pace hasn't aged particularly well. The fact that the movie only contains a few minutes of sword fighting scenes contrasts the rather gruesome and misleading title.

If you are however prepared to watch an intelligent drama criticizing social conventions in feudal Japan instead of an intense sword fighting film, you are certainly going to appreciate this hidden gem with its unusual storytelling.

I had never heard of Japanese director Tomu Uchida prior to reading about a retrospective held at London's National Film Theatre in December 2007 but, my interest ignited, I quickly landed this film in my collection. What we have here, essentially, is a tragicomic road movie: the narrative – about a pilgrimage to the titular landmark by a disgraced samurai (prone to violent drunken binges) and his two dim-witted warrior-servants – rambles amiably along in a leisurely and mostly droll vein until the unexpected and electrifyingly bloodthirsty finale. Through the striking use of sweeping camera movement and fast cutting, we are introduced to the trio of protagonists and the major supporting characters right from the very first sequence; the comic highlight comes around the midpoint when an abandoned boy (who joined their party after befriending the lancer) disrupts a solemn tea-drinking ceremony enacted by three noblemen in an open field while naturally relieving himself in the nearby bushes. The second half grows more somber with the episodes of the capture of a notorious tattooed thief disguised as a pilgrim and an old man forced to sell off his daughter as collateral for a measly loan. Nothing however really prepares us for the remarkably 'clumsy' climax (this is no choreographed ballet of violence) in which the lancer single-handedly dispatches the men who had killed his master merely for daring to drink publicly with his subordinate. It is also worth mentioning that several distinguished Japanese film-makers (including Yasujiro Ozu) helped in the making of this film which was Uchida's comeback after a decade spent in China.