this film looks and feels like a revenge kung fu movie should. where there is a lack of long, shallow action scenes, there is instead deep emotional meaning behind every shot. it is wonderfully directed and edited, and the acting is perfect. it's no wonder that Lady Snowblood was one of the main influences on Tarantino and his awesome Kill Bill.

for anyone who wants to explore the japanese kung fu saga, this movie is a great start. one of the best foreign movies i've ever seen.