Beyond Fest’s first year here in Chicago went off without a hitch.
Sold out screenings brought huge crowds and created instant community amongst Music Box Theater regulars, industry professionals and excited out-of-towners. I experienced this first-hand as I arrived for a scheduled interview with the legendary actress Meiko Kaji, best known for her starring roles in Lady Snowblood (1973) and Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance (1974) as a young woman raised to be an assassin after the murder of her parents in turn of the century Japan.
Revered for their combination of elegant composition, ferocious sword play, and fearlessly violent set-pieces these two films were enshrined in the Criterion Collection in 2016. Kaji herself was a primary inspiration for Quentin Tarrantino's Kill Bill (2003-2004) films.
But Kaji had already established herself as the leading female badass of her time in Blind Woman’s Curse (1970), The Stray Cat Rock film series (1970-1971) and The Female Scorpion film series, which began in 1972. All of these and her Snowblood films are revered by her many fans around the world for their vivacious energy, themes of female empowerment and undeniable artistry. Did I also mention how damn fun they have remained, despite the countless other films that have borrowed from them?
A chance to speak with her face to face in North America is rare indeed. I was determined not to waste it. During our conversation, she radiated a self-assured charm, a deep humility, and an awe of hosting her films in the historic Music Box Theater. A crowd of autograph seekers made the experience of walking to the Music Box Offices a tricky one, but as Ms. Kaji did not have her sword with her, it was up to staff from the Music Box to hold them at bay.