Rising Sun Productions http://www.risingsunproductions.net/ has an extensive selection of martial arts DVD and books. Among the most interesting selections is one called Fighting Spirit of old Japan. Filmed (albeit in poor quality) by judoka Mel Bruno, sometime in the 1950's, it features iaido (Muso Shinden-ryu, I believe), kendo (both shiai and kata), and most interesting, jo. There is an exhibition of 1950 police crowd control tactics with a jo, but what is most interesting is Shimizu sensei.
- Shimizu and a partner do several of the Shindo Muso-ryu kata. I had only seen Shimizu sensei as an elderly man. His technique here is, not surprisingly, much more dynamic and powerful.
- Self defense tactics - Bruno tries to attack Shimizu a knife, with boxing techniques and with a stick of his own
- Something I have never seen before - Shimizu using a tanjo (short stick), NOT in Uchida-ryu tanjojutsu, but rather in police tactics, combining strikes and jujutsu locks.
The film quality is poor, the commentary is <well,l I turned off the sound>, but it is, nonetheless, a treasure. I wish I could identify the kendoka and the iaidoka - I would not be surprised if these men are top level as well - though not being my field of expertise, I do not know who they are.
And a personal note - I know most of us are struggling in this economy, and it is tempting, therefore, to buy one DVD and spread the wealth by burning your own. Don't. We only get an opportunity to see things like this when someone can afford to make them available.
Best