with her and be caressed by her forever. Junichi and Yoko fall in love. Black Lizard reads a newspaper article that Sanae has already been returned to her father and is infuriated. Akechi summons the police and reveals himself to Black Lizard. He frees Junichi and Yoko and lets them leave to live their life together. Hina attempts to throw a poisonous snake at Akechi but Black Lizard stops her by impaling her with a sword before running to her room. Akechi reveals that Black Lizard killed the real Matsukichi in the sofa compartment and Black Lizard reveals that she has consumed poison, whereupon she dies. Cast Akihiro Maruyama as "Black Lizard", disguised as Mrs. Midorikawa Isao Kimura as Detective Kogorō Akechi Kikko Matsuoka as Sanae Iwase Junya Usami as Shobei Iwase Yûsuke Kawazu as Junichi Amamiya Kō Nishimura as Private Detective Keiji Matoba Toshiko Kobayashi as Hina Sonosuke Oda as Harada Kinji Hattori as Toyama Kōichi Satō as Ohkawa Jun Katō as Sakai Ryūji Funakoshi as Kōzu Mitsuko Takara as Show Dancer Tetsurō Tamba as Kuroki Yukio Mishima as a taxidermic Japanese human specimen Release Black Lizard was released in Japan in August 1968. Fukasaku stated the film was very popular and successful on its initial release. He added that Shochiku had offered him a chance to direct a follow-up that would also star Maruyama. In the United States, it was theatrically released by Shochiku Films of America with English subtitles in July 1969, with an 86-minute running time. The film was not widely distributed in the United States until it was reissued by Cinevista with English subtitles in February 1985, with an 83-minute running time. References Footnotes Sources External links Films directed by Kinji Fukasaku 1960s Japanese-language films 1968 films Shochiku films Cross-dressing in film Films about kidnapping Films based on adaptations Films based on works by Edogawa Ranpo Films based on works by Yukio Mishima Films set in Osaka Films scored by Isao Tomita Japanese films based on plays Japanese detective films 1960s Japanese films