Blood on the Tracks Episode 72: Exploitation Samurai (Hanzo the Razor & Lone Wolf and Cub).

They Must Be Destroyed On Sight!

This month Lee takes a look at selections from the scores from two notable 1970s Samurai exploitation film series, "Hanzo the Razor" & "Lone Wolf and Cub". Although a lot of traditional Japanese musical elements were used, more often than not, convention was thrown out the window. Fuzzed-out electric rock, jazz & funk all show up to spice-up these more Grindhouse-esque films, which are full of bloody violence, sex, and taboo subject matter.

--Goyoukiba's Theme & Main Title from "Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice" (1972) --Kunihiko Murai
--Main Title & The Villain - Shoubei Heijima from "Hanzo the Razor: The Snare" (1973) --Isao Tomita
--Main Theme from "Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?" (1974) --Hideaki Sakurai
--Goyoukiba 'Fang' Theme from "Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?" (1974) --The Mops & Masaru Hoshi
--Main Title from "Lone Wolf And Cub: Sword Of Vengeance" (1972) --Hideaki Sakurai
--The Wolf Crosses the Ocean & Duel at the Dune from "Lone Wolf And Cub: Baby Cart At The River Styx" (1972) --Hideaki Sakurai
--The Wolf Howls In The Wilds from "Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades" (1972) --Hideaki Sakurai
--Ending Theme Song from Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades" (1972) --Hiroshi Kamayatsu, vocals by Tomisaburo Wakayama
--Main Title, Besieging Army Of Ura Yagyu & Ending from "Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril" (1972) --Hideaki Sakurai
--Main Title, The Wolf's Cub, The Kuroda Menbo Army, The Running Wolf & Ending from "Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons" (1973) --Hideaki Sakurai
--Main Title from "Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell" (1974) --Kunihiko Murai
--Lone Wolf's Theme from "Shogun Assassin" (1980) --Michael Lewis, Mark Lindsay & The Wonderland Philharmonic Orchestra

Opening and closing music: Main Title from "Battle Beyond the Stars" by James Horner, and Main Theme from "The Final Terror" by Susan Justin.