Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx

About Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx is a 1972 Japanese Samurai film. This is the second in a series of six films in the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series. The film is directed by Kenji Misumi based on a best-selling manga, with Tomisaburo Wakayama playing the lead. The plot centers around Ogami Itto, a disgraced samurai, who wanders the countryside of feudal Japan with his toddler son, Daigoro, as a hired assassin.

Making / Production

The movie was a product of the collaborative production of Toho Co. Ltd and Katsu Production Co. Ltd. The screenplay was crafted by Kazuo Koike, who also happens to be the author of the original manga along with Goseki Kojima. The distinctiveness of the film lies in its unique blend of cartoonishly exaggerated violence with poetic samurai imagery.

Actors

• Tomisaburo Wakayama plays the role of Lone Wolf, Ogami Itto. His portrayal is of a stoic executioner symbolizing the 'lone wolf'.
• Akihiro Tomikawa plays the role of Cub, Daigoro, providing an innocent contrast to the relentless violence around him.
• Go Kato plays the role of the villainous Gunbei Yagyu, effectively embodying the moral corruption within the aristocracy.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Parts of this film and its sequel were combined in the U.S to create the dubbed 'Shogun Assassin' in 1980.
• Tomisaburo Wakayama was a renowned star of Japanese cinema and brother of popular Zatōichi actor Shintaro Katsu.

Quotes

• "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
• "In the world of the samurai, chaos reigns."
• "There is no happiness in the life of a samurai."

Music, Soundtrack

• The music is composed by Hideaki Sakurai, balancing the intense scenes with calm interludes.
• A distinctive element of the soundtrack is Japanese flute, enhancing the film's traditional aesthetic.
• The intense fight sequences are backed by powerful percussion, adding an impressive energy to the scenes.