13th Quiz Show Analysis

Based on a one-shot comic titled 13th Quiz Show, by Eakasit Thairaat, the film tells the tale of Phuchit Puengnathong, a salesman of music instruments, who has the worst day of his life. During his visit to a potential client, he discovers that a colleague has already closed the deal behind his back and upon his return to his car, he finds out that the police has seized it. Furthermore, when he arrives at his office, his boss calls him and forces him to sign his resignation, in order to receive a letter of recommendation and subsequently his mother calls him and asks for money for his sister.
Moreover, Phuchit has overcharged his credit cards and his girlfriend, who has lately become a famous singer, has abandoned him. Drowned in despair, he

13. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano, 2003, Japan)
Zatoichi is a blind wanderer in the 19th century Japan, who earns his living with chiropractics and by winning in dice games. However, behind his humble appearance hides an undefeated sword expert. Eventually he reaches a secluded village, whose citizens are under the authority of the local, criminal gang. Zatoichi also meets two geishas on the path of revenge and faces an adept rival.
Kitano reinvigorated the folk hero Zatoichi, exclusivelly played up to that point by Shintaro Katsu, by incorporating a number of technical and artistic elements. In that aspect, Kitano's Zatoichi has blond hair, is humorous and laughs a lot; the film entails sarcastic scenes of parody, peculiar music resulting by the environment itself and a delightful dancing scene in the finale. Furthermore, the bloodbaths are quite frequent and the duels impressive, chiefly the final one.
Kitano is sublime in the leading role and Tadanobu Asano, as his rival, impressive. Zatoichi netted four awards from the Venice Film Festival, including the Silver Lion for Best Director, among a plethora of others, local and