Special Series

Blood Spilled at Takadanobaba aka Takadanobaba Duel

決闘高田の馬場

Directed by: Masahiro Makino and Hiroshi Inagaki
1937 / 57 minutes / Unclassified all ages

The road to glory is paved with swords, sweat and lots of sake.

Set in the bustling alleyways of Edo, Blood Spilled at Takadanobaba follows the reckless rōnin Yasubē Nakayama, a heavy drinker who barely gets by breaking up fights for pocket change. But when his stern uncle Rokurōzaemon is challenged to a duel, Yasubē sobers up just enough to charge through the streets and save him. What begins as comic bravado transforms into a spectacular showdown, with the final duel choreographed more like a dance than a deathmatch. A dynamic jidaigeki (period drama) by directors Masahiro Makino and Hiroshi Inagaki, this film fuses slapstick comedy and farce with spectacular sword fighting bravura, delivering a bold and playful take on bushidō. 

Based on samurai folklore and featuring swashbuckling icon Tsumasaburō Bandō, this rare surviving fragment hints at a greater lost work—one that paved the way for Yasubē’s legendary future as a member of the 47 rōnin.  

Audience warning: mild violence

Wednesday 19th November
● 14:00

Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney

Reserve your free tickets

Saturday 6th December
● 13:30

Walk-ins only. Doors open 15 minutes prior to the screening.

QAGOMA, Brisbane

Screens in: Sydney and Brisbane

Director: Masahiro Makino and Hiroshi Inagaki

Cast: Denjirō Ōkōchi

Genre: Special Series

Language(s): Japanese with English subtitles

Format: 35mm b&w

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