Takashi Miike celebrates 100 films with the ultraviolent samurai epic Blade Of The Immortal

Japanese director Takashi Miike’s career has run the gamut, from direct-to-video trash to kids’ movies to prestige period films to our pick for the greatest horror movie of the 21st century. His new film, an adaptation of the infamous samurai manga Blade Of The Immortal, seems to draw from all of these, combining extreme violence and a madcap sense of fun for a bloody nod to Miike’s exploitation roots. It’s also Miike’s 100th feature film, an achievement few directors outside of the silent era can match.

Blade Of The Immortal makes its North American premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest, where The A.V. Club will be in attendance. It’s due in American theaters on November 3.