Koroshi (1967)

Koroshi combined the final two episodes of the Patrick McGoohan series Secret Agent (aka Danger Man), "Koroshi" and "Shindo Shiba," into one feature-length film that was released theatrically into overseas markets. They were also the only two episodes of the series filmed in color, and even the original "Koroshi" episode had slightly different credits from the rest of the series and featured two credited directors: Michael Truman and Peter Yates. John Drake (McGoohan) arrives in Tokyo to investigate the death of a British agent (Yoko Tani). He doesn't for a moment believe that the death was from natural causes, and follows up on the origins of a distinctive amulet photographed near the body. He finds that the image is the emblem of an ancient Japanese murder cult that, as far as anyone knew, was wiped out hundreds of years earlier. Following the trail, he discover a young woman now living in the dead agent's home; she becomes his link to Mr. Sanders (Ronald Howard), who displays a morbid fixation on what he calls "the poetry of death," as depicted in Kabuki theater. The cult is, in turn, connected to events on the remote island of Shindo Shiba ("Murdered Island"), whose inhabitants have been driven off by a series of unexplained deaths. Drake crosses paths with an unexpected ally who nearly gets him killed, and is forced to mount a direct assault on the stronghold from an unexpected quarter. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi