The final fight in the best samurai film ever (purists will say that would be the original Japanse Ogami Itto movies, but this American/Japanese compilation contains twice the action and a ridiculously entertaining voice-over, not to mention the music) is one hell of an accomplishment.

Hero Ogami Itto, the shogun assassin from the title, takes on the three invincible Masters of Death and triumphs. The bloodshed is of a completely new calibre and the third master’s dying words (famously quoted by Genius GZA from Wutang Clan) are of a rare poetic beauty (see below). This whole scene is just a stroke of pure genius.

MASTER OF DEATH: [his jugular fatally slashed] Your technique is magnificent. When cut across the neck, a sound like wailing winter winds is heard, they say. I’d always hoped to cut someone like that someday, to hear that sound. But to have it happen to my own neck is ridiculous. [dies]