original Japanese title KOYA NO TOSEININ
[Avenger in the Wilderness]
also known as MATANZA
director:
Jun'ya Sato
starring: Ken Takakura · Ken Goodlet · Judith Roberts ·
Kevin Cooney · Ronald Norman Lea · Clive Saxon
An all-Japanese crew went to Australia to shoot this 'Spaghetti Western'
in 1968. It was released in Europe, rather deceptively, as Matanza
starring Ken Randall, directed by Allen Floid [see ad to the right].
The story deals with a young man, Ken Kato, who sees his family slaughtered
by stagecoach robbers. This puts him on a path of vengeance as he tracks
down those responsible. This film is immediately reminiscent of DEATH
RIDES A HORSE and Shane, but it also works as a
tense and violent western.
Superstar
Ken Takakura (born Goichi Oda) plays cowboy Ken Kato here in brooding
Clint Eastwood style. He made 200+ films between 1956-2012, but he's probably
best known to genre fans for the numerous Abashiri Prison
movies throughout the '60s and early '70s. Ken found International recognition
from two Hollywood produced projects, The Yakuza with Robert
Mitchum in 1974 and Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989). Mr
Takakura would die from malignant lymphoma in November 2014 at age 83.
Director
Jun'ya Sato was an accomplished director who helmed 50+ films between
1964-2010, responsible for many of Sonny Chiba's top projects including
GOLGO
13 and BULLET
TRAIN.
A
Japanese film with optional English subtitles;
widescreen format, uncut (108 min.),
in DVD format, encoded for ALL REGIONS, playable on any American DVD machine.
Extras include selected Ken Takakura trailers.
An all-Japanese crew went to Australia to shoot this 'Spaghetti Western'
in 1968. It was released in Europe, rather deceptively, as Matanza
starring Ken Randall, directed by Allen Floid [see ad to the right].
The story deals with a young man, Ken Kato, who sees his family slaughtered
by stagecoach robbers. This puts him on a path of vengeance as he tracks
down those responsible. This film is immediately reminiscent of 
