A Certain Killer / A Killer’s Key

WWII vet Shiozawa (Raizo Ichikawa) maintained a quiet existence as a sushi chef, unless you discounted his side gig as a poison needle-wielding contract killer for the Yakuza. Between a too-grateful courtesan (Yumiko Nogawa) he rescued and a foot soldier (Mikio Narita) approaching him with a 20 million yen hit on a rival gang’s chieftain, things are about to get even more complex, in Kazuo Moro’s “A Certain Killer” (1967). Moro and Ichikawa would immediately reunite for the follow-up “A Killer’s Key” (1967), where their antihero-having established new cover as a dance teacher-is asked to “handle” a shady businessman who’s been nailed for tax evasion, and who may be poised to roll over on some very connected friends. Asao Uchida, Tomomi Sato co-star. 161 min. Total on two discs. Widescreen; Soundtrack: Japanese; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; featurette; image gallery; theatrical trailer. In Japanese with English subtitles.