Stars: Toshiro Mifune, Eijiro Tono, Seisaburo Kawazu, Isuzu Yamada

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Summary: Classic Samurai story, later remade as 'A Fistful Of Dollars'.

In director Akira Kurosawa's comedic YOJIMBO, a masterless samurai, Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune), wanders into a town divided by two warring clans. After displaying his formidable swordsmanship before both clans in a brawl with street thugs, Sanjuro offers his services to the highest bidder. When one clan conspires against him, the clever warrior switches his allegiance to the other side, with the ultimate goal of tricking the two equally despicable and foolish clans into exterminating each other. Sanjuro's authority is challenged, however, when Unosuke (Tatsuya Nakadai), a brother of one of the leaders, comes to town wielding a modern contraption: a gun. In the classic final showdown, the old world samurai is pitted against new world progress, and must use both his wits and physical prowess to survive.
Perhaps Kurosawa's most overtly comic film, YOJIMBO easily ranks with the director's finest work. In this reconception of the Western, Mifune plays Sanjuro, the tough mercenary of few words, to perfection, often allowing his subtle movements and swift actions speak for him. Throughout the entire film, Sanjuro is vigilant yet stoic, conceding that he finds the scenario entertaining and absurd, and essentially has nothing to lose. Mifune's outstanding performance, combined with Kurosawa's expert direction and Kazuo Miyagawa's beautifully balanced photography, makes for one of the finest, and funniest, films in Japanese cinema.

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Reviewed by: davybozal24-7
Posted on March 15, 2006 7:52 PM

This is my most favourite film directed by the best director in the world who made several films with the same actor ( Toshiro Mifune)
over a number of years . It's no wonder that this film was to spawn
several imitations , but this sets the genre and any fan of this type of film , can see why . Disillusioned samurai comes into a shanty town
trying to come to terms with life in general , when all of a sudden , a
money making scheme suddenly develops , in which only he , with his experience and cunning can exploit . Very violent for its day.

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This semi-comic 1961 film by legendary director Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon, Ran) was inspired by the American Western genre. Kurosawa mainstay Toshirô Mifune (Seven Samurai) is cast as a drifting samurai for hire who plays both ends against the middle with two warring factions, surviving on his wits and his ability to outrun his own bad luck. Eventually the samurai seeks to eliminate both sides for his own gain and to define his own sense of honour. Yojimbois striking for its unorthodox treatment of violence and morality, reserving judgment on the actions of its main character and instead presenting an entertaining tale with humour and much visual excitement. One of the inspirations for the "spaghetti westerns" of director Sergio Leone and later surfacing as a remake as Last Man Standingwith Bruce Willis, this film offers insight into a director who influenced American films even as he was influenced by them. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com

Aspect Ratio:	2.35 Wide Screen
Main Language:	Japanese
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Commentary, Biographies And Stills, Menus
Subtitles:	English
Year:	1961
Release Date:	November 6, 2000
Runtime:	105 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B F I V D 505
Keywords:	Action, General, Bodyguard, Yojimbo, Adventure, Aka
Genre:	Action/Adventure