025 4 Those of you who give rave reviews to Criterion's dvd releases should reexamine your views .
Nobody charges more for such inferior quality versions of nevertheless excellent films . . . their dvd release of Yojimbo , for instance , is a travesty . We are led to believe that it is the widescreen version of the film , but when text spills off of the edge of the screen , we know that there is still cropping going on . And I've NEVER seen such horrible scratches on any dvd anywhere . . .
Seven Samurai , meanwhile , has some very inaccurate english subtitles . Look closely . . . they mistake the word because for become at one point , and foul up in other instances as well . And how much did that dvd cost ? ! ? ! ? And while they corrected some of the artifacts , they left many , many more . I guess they just lost patience ?
Non-Kurosawa Criterion films do not always fare much better . The widescreen version of Time Bandits is presented in fake widescreen , in that the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen actually COVER UP parts of the original picture . . . you do not get more . . . you get less . Compare to the VHS version yourself and see . But again , check the PRICE TAG ! Ridiculous !
STOP GIVING CRITERION SUCH GLOWING LIP SERVICE ! THEY DO NOT DESERVE IT ! They are ripping off the consumer with pocket-gauging prices and half-baked dvd releases . Keep singing their praises , and they'll keep getting away with it .
038 4 Sanjuro follows the travels of our favorite scruffy samurai ( Sanjuro , last seen in YOJIMBO ) but this time with a humorous twist . After inadvertently becoming involved in an intricate plot to thwart the take over of a small villages governing council , Sanjuro constantly is one step ahead of the bad guys while keeping his overzealous young partners out of harms way . This darkly funny film is enjoyable and entertaining to watch . The duel at the end of the film has to be seen to be believed . A must see for all samurai enthusiasts ! and to me , one of the best samurai films of all time . Watch and enjoy . . .
034 4 SANJURO reintroduces us to the hero from YOJIMBO , the invincible mercenary portrayed wonderfully by Toshiro Mifune . This movie was apparently made at the insistence of the producers , due to the overwhelming success of YOJIMBO . While amusing , the plot is contrived , often silly , and does not have the cynical power of the script of the previous film . Mifune is creditable enough in recreating the character , but it just doesn't work as well . Still and all , it's Kurosawa at work , so it remains a fun movie to watch . Just don't waste your time trying to compare it to YOJIMBO , for it won't measure up .
041 4 Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune were the John Ford / John Wayne of Japanese cinema , only more so . While it's possible to talk about other western directors ( Henry Hawks , William Wyler ) and other western actors ( Jimmy Stewart , Gary Cooper , Clint Eastwood ) , it's nearly impossible to list any other samurai luminaries apart from Kurosawa and Mifune , which accounts for why , since their death , the genre has become moribund .
Together they made more than a dozen films , the most famous of which are Rashomon ( 1950 ) , The Seven Samurai ( 1954 ) , Throne of Blood ( 1957 ) , Hidden Fortress ( 1958 ) , and Yojimbo ( 1961 ) .
- Rashomon won the Golden Lion at Venice and an Honorary Oscar and was remade in 1964 as The Outrage .
- The Seven Samurai won the Silver Lion at Venice and was nominated for two Oscars , won a British Oscar for Mifune , and was remade as The Magnificent Seven ( 1960 ) .
- Throne of Blood was the Japanese Macbeth . It was nominated for the Golden Lion in Venice and won acting and direction awards in Japan .
- Hidden Fortress won awards for Kurosawa in Berlin and was used by George Lucas in scripting the first Star Wars film ( now known as Episode IV ) .
- Yojimbo , my favorite Kurosawa / Mifune film , was Oscar nominated and won awards for Mifune in Japan and at Venice , where Kurosawa was nominated for a Golden Lion ( he lost to Last Year at Marienbad ) . It was remade in 1964 as a western ( A Fistful of Dollars with Clint Eastwood ) , again in 1984 as science fiction ( Warrior and the Sorceress with David Carradine ) , and in 1996 as a gangster flick ( Last Man Standing with Bruce Willis ) .
Sanjuro followed Yojimbo and Mifune reprises his performance as the wandering ronin who is , to say the least , a bit gruff in appearance and manner . It is much lighter in tone than Yojimbo , which was heavy and dark . Indeed , one gets the impression that this is a comedy with action , and many scenes are played to comedic advantage .
The film's title comes from an invention made by Mifune , the samurai who has no name . When asked , he looks outside and sees a camellia tree , and adopts the name 30 year old Camellia - the 30 being a reference to his usual request for 30 ryo for payment of services . Mifune acknowledges the incongruity when he follows this with the remark that he looks more like 40 . In fact , he uses this same naming strategy in the prior film , Yojimbo
As with most Kurosawa films , the focus is on Mifune . Even when the dialogue is elsewhere , the camera follows Mifune , giving you some idea of the power of his acting skills . Mifune made more than 150 films , most of them Japanese , but he also made several films in Hollywood , the most famous of which were Hell in the Pacific ( 1968 ) with Lee Marvin , Red Sun ( 1971 ) with Charles Bronson , Midway ( 1976 ) as Admiral Yamamoto , and The Challenge ( 1982 ) with Scott Glenn . He also appeared in the TV mini-series Shogun ( 1980 ) as Lord Toranaga . Mifune won Volpi Cup awards in Venice for his work on Yojimbo ( 1961 ) and Red Beard ( 1965 ) , was Emmy nominated for his role in Shogun and won many awards in Japan .
If you're not familiar with samurai films , you will be amazed by Mifune's speed and skill . One of the scenes involves Mifune locking himself in a room and killing more than a dozen soldiers ( a similar scene came from Yojimbo ) . In total , nearly 30 people are dispatched in the film . Mifune's style is the classic Japanese tateyaku - the heroic loner .
Like John Ford , Akira Kurosawa had a repertoire company , and several of his mainstays appear here . The great Takashi Shimura appears as one of the conspirators . His crooked face is recognizable to fans even if his name escapes them . Shimura was the good doctor in the original Godzilla ( 1954 ) and the clerk in Seven Samurai ( 1954 ) and appeared in more Kurosawa movies than any other actor ( 19 ) , including Mifune ( 16 ) .
Tatsuya Nakadai plays the rival ronin with whom Mifune has the climatic duel at the end of the film . Nakadai was second only to Mifune as a leading actor in the samurai genre , and after Mifune and Kurosawa had a disagreement during Red Beard ( 1965 ) , Nakadai continued to work with Kurosawa and appeared in Kagemusha ( 1980 ) and Ran ( 1985 ) . He remained a good friend with Mifune even though Mifune remained upset with Kurosawa . Their final shoot out is one of the few times that you'll see this type of contest on film . The explosion of blood is actually a mixture of chocolate syrup and carbonated water under 30 pounds of pressure , a formula the obsessive Kurosawa concocted . The scene was done in a single take .
While it's possible to go right to Sanjuro as your first Samurai movie , I'd recommend seeing Yojimbo first . But even before I started the wandering ronin trilogy , I'd start with Seven Samurai .
001 4 I love Toshiro Mifune . It's so wonderful to see him play this character . He cracks me up every time he does his little shoulder-twitch character trait . Brilliant !
SANJURO delves a little deeper into his samurai character . There's some themes about killing and comparisons of his character to a good sword that should be sheathed . Other than that , it is flat-out adventure on the menu !
Again , Kurosawa is a wonderful story teller . I find his work ( the three films I've seen so far - - HIDDEN FORTRESS , YOJIMBO , and this one ) to be so economical . He can add a wrinkle to the story with one word ; one look . He truly transcends the language barrier because the storytelling is so good .
I thought Criterion did another good job with the transfer . The trailer does , indeed , feature Kurosawa directing Mifune in an action sequence , which is interesting . I wish Criterion would use pictures on its chapter lists . When I want to access a certain scene and am unfamiliar with the movie it is hard to do based on chapter names that make no sense to me . Other than that , no qualms about the rest of the DVD .
Next , I'd love to see HIDDEN FORTRESS on DVD . Criterion , are you listening ?
003 4 The sequel to Akira Kurosawa's classic Yojimbo is very different in tone - - rather than a straightforward grizzled-anti-hero-cleans-up-the-town tale , it's a comic story about the grizzled hero getting stuck on a ship of fools . While it's Kurosawa's lightest samurai movie , it's still a solid action / drama flick with plenty of comedy sprinkled in .
A gang of idealistic young nobles are gathered in a decaying house , talking about how they are trying to battle local corruption . Suddenly a scruffy warrior ( Toshirô Mifune ) who calls himself San。ûrô Tsubaki , appears and tells them who is lying and who isn't - - and that after confiding in the treacherous superintendant , they're being set up for an ambush .
After he saves their butts and drags the none-too-bright young men into hiding , he begins concocting a plan to save one young man's uncle , who is being held as a political hostage . After rescuing the lord's wife and daughter , Sanjuro and his band of fools continue with their plots to save him from the evil superintendant - - and he teaches his bumbling co-conspirators that exalted social position isn't what keeps you alive . . .
Kurosawa isn't known for having made goofball comedies , but there's a definite comic flair to this film , from the pampered prisoner offering nuggets of wisdom to the silent happy dance that all the young noblemen do . At the same time , there's a poignant note to Sanjuro's regrets about the men he's killed - - including men much like himself .
Even steeped in comedy , Kurosawa's creativity is still intact - - to give the feel that people are running , he shows short , rapid shots of several young men running down different streets . There are a few flaws ( a lot of people get cut down without a speck of blood ) but only a really determined nitpicker would let it bug them . And the finale is a shatteringly brutal scene , reminiscent of a western shoot-out , where you almost expect Sanjuro to put on a white cowboy hat and spit .
Mifune is wonderful as the grubby , grumpy samurai who is like an unsheathed blade , and who has more brains than his little gang . He gives the character a lazy , languid air , sort of like an unexploded land mine . His followers are well-acted , though they don't have much individual personality . And small supporting roles - - like the kindly , prim noblewoman and the friendly prisoner in his little closet - - are very well-drawn .
Lurking under the comic flourishes is an intelligent film with likable characters , solid writing , and plenty of action . Sanjuro is as good as the film before it , though in a slightly different way .
004 4 Companion piece to 1961 ' s nihilist comedy * Yojimbo * . Not so much a sequel or prequel but rather a redux sort of thing . * Yojimbo * was a boffo hit in Japan ( and drew raves from all over the world ) , and Kurosawa , whose quest for cinematic art never precluded showmanship , gave the audience more of what it wanted : even more action , more comedy , more Toshiro Mifune than in the previous movie . A legitimate criticism of * Sanjuro * is that it somewhat lacks the originality of * Yojimbo * , in particular the End-Of-The-World rancidity in tone , atmosphere , and characters . The liner notes in Criterion's DVD even go so far as to call this movie sunny ( what an insult ! Mifune's samurai would cut your head off if he heard you call him that ) . Sunny is not the apt adjective to describe the sudden , explosive violence in the film ; the body-count is too appallingly high to laugh off . The violence here still hurts , and there's a lot more of it here than in * Yojimbo * . Kurosawa may have become weary of the whole samurai genre : a very nice patrician lady admonishes Sanjuro with good swords stay in their sheaths ; he remembers this advice following the satirically bloody , over-the-top climax . The slice-and-dice duel between Sanjuro and his enemy is , I think , Kurosawa's way of saying , You want violent action ? I'LL give you violent action ! ! Though it's designed to elicit shocked guffaws , the evident disgust with the whole samurai mindset leaves the larger impression . For that matter , the old code of honor is represented by 9 good-hearted samurai who also happen to be idiots . Just because there might be something worth fighting for here , unlike in * Yojimbo * , the bloody work required to ensure the victory of Good still leaves a bloody stain on the psyche . ( Significantly , there was no three-peat in the Sanjuro series . ) Considering all that , the amazing thing is how entertaining and funny * Sanjuro * remains . Of particular note is how discommoded Mifune appears whenever a pair of very civilized ladies ( i.e . , the antithesis of himself ) show up . When the 9 good samurai keep waking Mifune up with their excited gibbering is also a classic . * Sanjuro * is a minor masterpiece fully deserving of standing alongside * Yojimbo * on your shelf .
005 4 I have been enjoying classic Japanese samurai films from childhood , and I have come to appreciate them more as I grow older .
This film is a must for those of you who appreciate a wry sense of humor and non verbal expression of wit . Toshiro Mifune ( Sanjuro ) plays the part of a jaded , cynical , but paradoxically honorable samurai to the hilt . The nine younger samurai reminded me of lion cubs who bound and growl with bravado while not realizing that they haven't the skills to bring down a sick sheep . Toshiro Mifune is the king of the pride , who gruffly smacks them back in line with his biting sarcasm .
My favorite character , however , is the wife of the kidnapped chamberlain whom the ten are trying to rescue . Her exaggerated but believable nobility and gentle femininity cow even the deadly and hardened Mifune , making him act like a school boy who is caught picking his nose .
All in all , the brief but stunning climax at the end of the film , with it's casual anticlimax , left me chuckling and applauding Kurasawa yet again .
006 4 This is a follow-up to Kurosawa's Yojimbo . This edition is brilliant as it has been digitally remastered and that we have the option of choosing either Dolby 2.1 or Dolby 5.1 for the sound . At last , we get to enjoy this classic masterpiece at its best . Mifune is as charismatic as always and the soundtrack helps to build up the legend that he has become as the leaderless samurai who simply called himself Sanjuro . Yet , he steps into a difficult situation where the followers of a clan is to be annihilated . It's never been explained why he wants to assist the nine hapless and totally inexperienced samurais but he stays on to give them a helping hand to defeat another clan that's far more powerful and conniving than the earlier clan . Once again , Kurosawa thrives in bringing out to the forefront different elements of human natures . Ultimately , it's really survival of the fittest . Whilst Sanjuro is unkempt and uncultured , in the end , it's to be seen that he's really an unpolished diamond ; a samurai with a heart of gold . The movie is entertaining to watch , funny at times and mostly , an anthropological study of humans at their best and worst . Once Sanjuro finishes what he sets up to do , he disappears into thin air and the person he saved admires him for being wise , for not wishing to be trapped into a clan with responsibilities but that he simply can be a free man . An absolute must if you are a Kurosawa's fan . Simply mesmerising !
007 4 This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
This film released shortly after the release of Yojimbo , has the same main character . In this film , Sanjuro withthe help of some friends eliminate corruption in his town and rescue his uncle was was jailed on trumped up charges . The film has a famous ' splatter ' scene in the climax which is almost Hitchcockian because of the filmmakers use of chocloate syrup for the stage blood . ( in B W films , one cannot tell the difference anyway )
The DVD only has a theatrical trailer for a special feature , but it is still worth getting for those interested in films like this .
008 4 The great Toshiro Mifune stars as bedraggled ronin Sanjuro in Akira Kurosawa's classic Sanjuro . Mifune , a crafty , cynical masterless samurai ambles into a feudal village and is immersed into a conflict among local clans . He sides with the clan of the local chamberlain who has been kidnapped along with his wife and daughter by the village's corrupt superintendent .
The chamberlain's nephew is a member of a group of youthful samurai alligned wih the kidnapped man . Mifune mentors the group of nine young warriors as they plot to rescue the uncle from a large force of the superintendent's men .
Mifune , an atypical portrait of a samurai nonetheless guides and schools the young warriors in their plot , displaying formidable martial arts skills . He sets himself up as an anti role model for the young men , in this way teaching them the ideals of a samurai . At the film's conclusion , he bids the group adieu , unwilling to be tied down in servitude to any particular cause or clan .
009 4 This 1963 film by Kurosawa is relatively short in comparison to his great epics , ( Seven Samurai ) however it certainly does not lack in depth , vision and scope , but more particularly , its obvious parody on the genre itself . Sanjuro makes fun of all the Samurai cliché's that Kurosawa made famous . In fact this is a very funny film , yet manages to retain the genre's core themes - courage , loyalty and humility .
Tushiro Mifune plays the lead role of Sanjuro , a reluctant anti-hero who lacks in basic manners , those elegant aspects of the Samurai warrior we've come to expect ; constantly scratching his chest under his kimono , rubbing his beard and nose and continually yawning while saying it like it is . This character is not as extreme as his role in Seven Samurai , though they're similar . Tushiro Mifune in my opinion is one of the most intense actors on screen . Even when he's funny , you can feel that the man is tremendously dangerous .
The plot is a simple one . There's an uprising in the clan , power is shifting , and Sanjuro reluctantly helps a group of young lads rescue their aunt and the clan lord who has been kidnapped by the insurgents . These young lads continually make mistakes while Sanjuro constantly has to dig them out again . A few of these predicaments are hilarious and Mifune's devil-may-care attitude only adds to the humour .
It is a shame that Kurosawa's films are shot in black and white because there are certain scenes of the Japanese countryside that would be spectacular in colour . However the beauty of these shots are still magnificent despite the lack of colour .
This is a good picture that ranks as high as Kurosawa's best with a humorous and adept performance by Tushiro Mifune . Excellent .
010 4 Technically the translation of this movie onto DVD should have been made with a minimum of respect to the original masters . Unfortunately it didn't occur .
The original Tohovision aspect ratio is cut down to a semblance of widescreen , evident by the partial kanji lines at the edges of the movie screen in the beginning of the movie .
This may only be annoying to an afficionado and fanatic such as myself , but when you factor in the mastery over the medium that Kurosawa displayed again and again , regardless of genre , you have to feel cheated at the missing slivers of the edges .
If you've seen the movie in the theater , a good art house , with a love for the medium , you will feel unbalanced when reviewing this downsized version , although it isn't as bad as Criterion's butchering of ' Seven Samurai ' which is cut down to an unviewable 1.33x1 aspect ratio .
In this movie Kurosawa and Mifune build on the character and mystery of Sanjuro , the bodyguard anti-hero of Yojimbo ( Bodyguard ) . The standing joke with Sanjuro is his identity , which remains a mystery even after politely giving it to everyone who asks .
He helps the righteous , but inexperienced young samurai of a castle-town , who have discovered corruption within the ruling clan . The gruff , but pedagogueic , method with which he out-argues and teaches the young samurai throughout the movie , shows not only his love for justice and soft spot for people who can't help themselves , but also hints at a deeper knowledge of political intrigue and leadership than one would expect of an average samurai gone ronin .
My recommendation is to buy this criterion insult to the masters only if you haven't seen the original tohovision format , or you don't mind the snippets missing on the sides .
Further i wish that this , as well as ' Seven Samurai ' and all other Toho produced movies , can be remastered in their proper format . Maybe you would be so kind as to write Criterion and give them a piece of your mind .
For further investigation into the brilliance of Toshiro Mifune and the ' Sanjuro ' character I'd recommend ' Zatoichi vs . Yojimbo '
011 4 What is the line uttered by Toshiro Mifune as he looks out of the screened house into the garden of camelias ? The lady asks him his name , he looks out into the garden and the trees overladen with flowers and says his name is . . . . Camelia . . .30 year-old ( going on 40 ) . Oh Toshiro ! You crack me up ! Self-deprecating humor is so much fun .
Mifune uses this in Yojimbo , too , this spur-of-the-moment self-invention . Who is this samurai , this ronin , anyway ? Well , he surely looks sketchy enough for the kids who need his help not to trust him entirely . Confusion and hilarity ensue because of their lack of faith .
Mifune does everything you want Mifune to do : he hitches his shoulders as he walks away , he runs , like Groucho Marx , only speedier , he scratches his beard , scratches his hairline , ( the finger creeping up through the inside of the kimono . . and what the heck is that , anyway ? He always has his arms out of the sleeves , close to his body , the empty arms of the garment , hanging . . . what is that all about ? It's cool , though , when he is running , then , as he slows , and approaches what will be his prey , his arms descend into the kimono sleeves , terminating in his clenched fists . . . . I love that ! ) . Mifune yawns , grunts , makes rude and hilarious comments , slices and dices the bad guys , and goes through a transformative change . He's intelligent and a shrewd judge of character , this guy . . . so expect him to see through ruses , to know whassup . . to be one step ahead of everyone else . . . . . his only slip-up is the idiocy of the well-meaning but bumbling kids he is herding . The rest of the cast : Shimura shows up , and so do some of Kurasawa's other favorites , and it is darn good to see them , expanding their repertoire of characters .
This one is played for comedy , and is accessible , delightful , so much fun ! I have the very deepest affection for this film . A moment that always pleases me to the bottom of my being is the moment when the captive celebrates with the kids , the music is loud and celebratory , and they are dancing and holding hands and laughing . . . then , they realize that they are too loud , and quiet down . . . and then they realize that the captive is out of his cupboard , and he oughtta be back in the cupboard . Just these little transitions , so charming , just LOVE IT !
The plot is exciting and fun , with actions and counter-actions , with strategy and wit , and action-packed , and tight and wonderfu , and I think your life will be made better if you watch this film . Last scene , blood spurt , goodbye , Toshiro's back ? CLASSIC .
012 4 It is not often that a master film director spoof the genre that made his reputation , but that is really what we have with Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro If you see only one samurai film then it would have to be Shichinin no samurai ( Seven Samurai ) , which has always been on the first hand I use when I start listing the greatest movies ever made . But this is also the director who introduced Japanese cinema to the world with Rash mon , and made the classic films Kumonosu jo ( Throne of Blood ) , Kakushi toride no san akunin ( The Hidden Fortress ) , and Ran .
Once again Toshiro Mifune returns as the same arrogant hero he played in Yojimbo ( which means Bodyguard ) . The name he gives , when forced to do so , is Sanjuro Tsubaki . It was Sanjuro Kuwabatake in the first film , which told the story of a crafty and cynical wandering ronin who comes to town being fought over by rival gangs and exploits one against the other to make some money and free the town . Yojimbo was based on Dashiell Hammett's novel Red Harvest , although it is uncredited in Kurosawa's film . Yojimbo was remade in the West several times , most notably by Sergio Leone in Per un pugno di dollari ( A Fistful of Dollars ) and most recently in the Bruce Willis film Last Man Standing .
There were certainly moments of grim humor in Yojimbo ( such as when Mifune kills two samurai and cuts the arm off of a third and tells the Cooper Two coffins . . . No , maybe three ) . But in Sanjuro Kurosawa has fun with just about everyone and everything from the start . Mifune's samurai is highly skilled but relentleslly crude , even when he is forced to deal with genteel ladies . His sleep at a shrine is interrupted by nine young samurai who are trying to rescue the uncle of their leader , who has been taken by a corrupt official . These young samurai are hopelessly idealistic and totally naive ( they mistakenly think they know who the corrupt official is because he is the one who is not good looking ) . Sanjuro decides to help them , not just because their cause is right , but because these kids are going to get slaughtered if he lets them run off to save the day .
Sanjuro keeps heaping scorn and contempt on the young samurai who show a collective inability to do the right thing and usually to make things worse . It does not help that Sanjuro rarely explains his plans to his young allies , which makes it easier for these kids to interfere with his plan . Meanwhile , our hero makes an impression on Muroto ( Tasuya Nakadai , in a role similar to what he played in Yojimbo ) , the chief samurai of the corrupt officials , which allows him to do a little inside work to help move things along in the desired direction . You would think that Muroto would catch on that the young samurai are not good enough to keep defeating our hero and tying him up , but that just serves to reinforce the idea that Kurosawa is playing this one for laughs .
That being said , in the end Sanjuro is memorable because of the final scene , which offs a shocking and bloody contrast with the rest of the film with one of the most unforgettable duels in all of samurai films . Talk about putting an exclamation point at the end of a film . Kurosawa might have been having fun with his characters and the genre , but in the end he certainly reminds us he is a master .
There are those who argue that it does not matter which in which order you see these two films and since I first came across them in the wrong order I can honestly say that I sort of prefer seeing them backwards simply on the basis of the way Mifune's character arcs from one film to the next . But in terms of going from the known to the unknown , watching this classic 1962 film after Yojimbo would be the way to go . Seeing both of them , along with Kurosawa's other masterworks , is what is ultimately important .
013 4 In my own opinion , I find Sanjuro to be one of my favorite films by the Kurosawa . Unlike Yojimbo , which mainly showed the violent side of humans , Sanjuro shows a much deeper meaning . A woman in the film comments that he should not use too much violence . At first , he ignores her and thinks that she's completely stupid . In the end , he ends up killing a man in order to save his own life . He understands that Good swords are kept in their sheaths . Another translation of this would be that violence is bad . This is a continuing theme for Kurosawa , especially in his samurai period movies . I highly recommend it .
014 4 I am a big Kurosawa and Mifune fan , but sometimes his movies can be too slowly artistic at the expense of my patience . Sanjuro , however , is very entertaining , faster-tempo film by Kurosawa . It contains great humor , action and truly interesting interactions among characters . I do not mean to say that Kurosawa achieves this high level entertainment at the expense of his art ; in the undercurrent of the fun story-telling , one finds controlled irony and inherent tragedy of humanity . Such depth is displayed with playful subtlety and disciplined expression . In short , I found a perfect balance between entertaining story-telling and depth of artistic voice .
Toshiro Mifune , as always , is stunning in this film . His chracter is very lovable and charming . Watching Mifune running in that samurai stride , shrugging his shoulders in such masculine yet carefree manner , gives me immense joy everytime I watch this film . His performance in the last battle is simply breathtaking .
015 4 I've never been fond of sequels , and when I found out Akira Kurosawa , a film maker I respect and admire more than any other , had done a sequel to his classic Yojimbo , I had to wonder just how it was . I saw it and needless to say I was very impressed . This is with out a doubt probably one of the best sequels I've ever seen .
Sequels are commonly one of two things : 1 ) a rehash of the first movie , or 2 ) a continuation of a story that should have ended with the first film . Sanjuro is none of the two - instead , its just another adventure for our ronin friend Sanjuro in his quest for money . This time he finds himself accidentally nearby where some clueless samurai retainers are trying to figure out who in their clan is plotting to take over while their lord is away . Sanjuro steps in to help them out ( almost out of aggravation at just how incompetant his new acquaintances are ) . He guesses correctly that it is the Super-Intendant and not the Chamberlain ( as originally guessed ) who is the traitor , and the story continues from there .
Sanjuro has all the right doses , and even more , of what you got in Yojimbo . There are more fight scenes - or perhaps I should say there are more chances for Toshiro Mifune to slash through a crowd of hapless enemies . There are also more chances for our hero to figure out traps and plan ways out of sticky situations . With out a doubt , I think Sanjuro ranks as one of the most clever heroes I've ever seen on film , and you just get a joy at his wit and quick-thinking ( I especially like how he got the villains to throw petals into the stream ) .
I would suggest any one who loved Yojimbo to give this film a good chance . It's just as enjoyable as its predecessor , and hey - if it has the name Akira Kurosawa on it , it can't be the least bit bad .
016 4 Yojimbo's sequel , Sanjuro , while surely the lesser film , is no less enjoyable . Originally a different story that was later rewritten for Mifune's samurai character , this time Sanjuro chooses sides with a group of young samurai against a corrupt official . With his help , they manage to defeat the official and rescue two women hostages .
The story is much simpler this time around , but Mifune is the whole show here . His character , so wonderful in Yojimbo , is just as much fun in Sanjuro . Watching him rub his stubble in thought while he surprises people with the skill hidden under his rough exterior is a great joy and I can't imagine any other actor being able to pull it off . His easy confidence is an inspiration to not judge a book by its cover .
The final duelling scene is notable for a tremendously bloody battle between the defeated official and Sanjuro . The carnage is almost laughable in its volume , but somehow Kurosawa makes it work in the context of his story .
Those who have not seen Yojimbo would still enjoy Sanjuro as it is simpler and thus more acceptable to a mass audience , but viewing them together gives one a fuller portrait of this enigmatic freelance samurai . A man who seems to always show up when he is needed , and then move on before he has worn out his welcome .
017 4 The sequel to Kurosawa's 1961 Yojimbo , Sanjuro picks up with our nameless hero in a new town helping to solve another family argument turned violent . Sanjuro in many ways has more happening in it than Yojimbo . Sure there are the great fighting sequences and some truly beautiful landscape shots but there's more direct humor reminiscent of Toshiro in Seven Samurai . Likewise , women have more of an emphasized role in this film and the women's nature of traditional Japanese attitudes juxtaposed with the samurai mentality creates some great moments and metaphors .
018 4 Sanjuro , by Akira Kurosawa is a highly recommended film . The film is a sequel to Kurosawa's film Yojimbo , and as usual , the late , great Toshiro Mifune shines in this off-beat and at times comical follow-up to the earlier film . I have seen this classic many times , yet never tire of the non-verbal wit of Mifune as a completely different kind of ronin . Mifune's continual warnings to the young group of samurai on what direction they should proceed with , in order to help rescue the kidnapped Chamberlain , always falls on deaf ears . Moreover , it is up to him to continually rescue them . The films narrative follows the attempts of nine young impulsive samurai , who while planning to file a grievance of corruption within their clan to the local superintendent , is met with the timely arrival of a ronin named Sanjuro Tsubaki ( Toshiro Mifune ) , who is not your typical ronin .
The Chamberlain of this clan , Mutsuta ( Yunosuke Ito ) has been kidnapped and is being held prisoner . He is being forced to sign a confession of corruption , lest anything happen to his wife and daughter . The nine young men are very naive , and do not realize that they need their wits about them in order to rescue the Chamberlain . Most of their actions are irrational . Moreover , their attempts to rescue the Chamberlain are ill-conceived . And due to the fact they are ALL naive , they wind up being a headache for Sanjuro Tsubaki ( Toshiro Mifune ) , and a danger to themselves . These nine young samurai , who are led by the nephew of the Chamberlain , continue to make mistakes and never listen to what this ronin tries to tell them . They are not only naive , but arrogant as well . They do not realize that not only are they putting the Chamberlains life at risk , but theirs as well .
Plus , there is the presence in the film of Hanbei Muroto ( Tatsuya Nakadai ) . Who like Toshiro Mifune , is one of the greatest actors that Japan has ever produced . [ Films such as Harakiri , Ran , Kagemusha , etal ] . You can tell in the film that Hanbei Muroto does not want to clash with Sanjuro Tsubaki ( Toshiro Mifune ) : As he senses that this is no ordinary ronin . But will these two giants of cinema eventually cross swords in a duel ? And will the nine young samurai finally wise up and listen to Sanjuro ? Or will they meet a tragic end ? As usual , CRITERION did an excellent job with the DVD transfer . This is a highly recommended film . I really like Yojimbo ; but I give a slight edge to Sanjuro , because it was one of the first Japanese films that I ever viewed , and there are many great memories for me when I view this wonderful classic . Plus , I really like the comical and nuanced character traits of Toshiro Mifune in this film . As I wrote before , his non-verbal wit is outstanding in the film . Once again the film is highly recommended .
019 4 This review is from :
Sanjuro - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Kurosawa only made two sequels in his lifetime , Sanshiro Sugata II , and Sanjuro . Sanshiro Sugata II was a government-suggested sequel and basically a war-time propaganda film made early in his career . Sanjuro was made in response to the success of it's precursor Yojimbo .
Largely a sequel in name only , Sanjuro is decidedly different in both tone and theme from Yojimbo and stands as an equally excellent film in it's own right . Both feature the super-samurai , Sanjuro ( 30 years old , going on 40 ) , but aside from his martial skills he is a different character in both films .
Sanjuro has comedy , drama and action in full measure , but can not lay claim to any one genre . It is funny , and I laugh at several scenes . It is dramatic , dealing with difficult themes like loyalty and knowing when you are fighting for the right cause , and it is full of samurai sword-slashing action . There is wisdom here , and quiet interludes , such as the two girls reflection on lying back in the hay . A sweet moment .
This was made early enough in the Criterion DVD offerings , that they just didn't quite know have it right yet . The black and white is crisp , and the picture is much more clear than earlier prints . However , the aspect ration is not accurate , and there are no extras to speak of . The unexceptional DVD accounts for the 4 star rating of a 5 star movie .
While not as important of a film as Seven Samurai , Roshomon or Ran , Sanjuro is an excellent film and one worth owning . I find it every bit the equal of Yojimbo , and it is good fun to watch the same character behave so differently , as if he recreated himself with each group he meets .
020 4 Kurosawa only made two sequels in his lifetime , Sanshiro Sugata II , and Sanjuro . Sanshiro Sugata II was a government-suggested sequel and basically a war-time propaganda film made early in his career . Sanjuro was made in response to the success of it's precursor Yojimbo .
Largely a sequel in name only , Sanjuro is decidedly different in both tone and theme from Yojimbo and stands as an equally excellent film in it's own right . Both feature the super-samurai , Sanjuro ( 30 years old , going on 40 ) , but aside from his martial skills he is a different character in both films .
Sanjuro has comedy , drama and action in full measure , but can not lay claim to any one genre . It is funny , and I laugh at several scenes . It is dramatic , dealing with difficult themes like loyalty and knowing when you are fighting for the right cause , and it is full of samurai sword-slashing action . There is wisdom here , and quiet interludes , such as the two girls reflection on lying back in the hay . A sweet moment .
This was made early enough in the Criterion DVD offerings , that they just didn't quite know have it right yet . The black and white is crisp , and the picture is much more clear than earlier prints . However , the aspect ration is not accurate , and there are no extras to speak of . The unexceptional DVD accounts for the 4 star rating of a 5 star movie .
While not as important of a film as Seven Samurai , Roshomon or Ran , Sanjuro is an excellent film and one worth owning . I find it every bit the equal of Yojimbo , and it is good fun to watch the same character behave so differently , as if he recreated himself with each group he meets .
021 4 This sequel to Yojimbo , follows Sanjuro to a new town , with its own problems , and who other than him to solve them . The wise and witty Sanjuro over hears nine ignorant samurai discussing how the leader of their clan has been kidnaped by traitors , who wish to take control over it . Sanjuro steps in and immediately points out where their suspicions are wrong , and begins his plan to save the clan . The problem is these nine samurai aren't too bright , they are young and foolish , and ruin a lot of Sanjuro's plans , to great comedic effect . Women he saves complain about how he saves them . Time after time Sanjuro gets put into seemingly inescapable situations , and uses his mind to escape . But in the end , can this one brilliant mind , save a town of dumb minds ?
This film is very humorous , as Sanjuro being an out of place Samurai in a town that depends on him , yet continuously ruin his chances to help them . Toshiro Mifune as always displays his niche for acting , and plays this role greatly . And the master himself Kurosawa hit the nail on the head , placing the camera in all the right places , and editing the shots to perfection . The dialog is humorous and ironic . The young samurai so ill equipped to be samurai , contrasted with Sanjuro's mastery , creates a fun film that is laid back , proving Kurosawa can make both thematic explorations of life and truth , but also comedic action entertainment . There are a lot of sword fights here , especially one versus many , that will satisfy action fans . While I'd recommend Yojimbo over this , this one still is too good to pass up , highly recommended . 5 stars .
022 4 Need I say anything about akira kurosawa's or Toshiros Mifunes films their all classics each and every one , and this one was one of my favourites along the likes of the Classic Seven Samurai . Toshiro plays his usual ragged samurai with that bold powerful acting we've all to come to love . Am not going to bore you with telling you the story ' I don't want to spoil it to much ' but the end sword fight deserves buying the dvd version alone ' ' you can watch it in slow mo ' ' its that fast and fantastic . for fan of this mighty duo this is a must , I own the video versions as well , the translation to english is much better on the dvd with different text ect , the picture quality is also better than the video version . . in a word BUY IT YOU WANT BE SORRY . . ANDYSAN
023 4 Kurosawa beautifully mixes humor , drama , and violence into a story where not just the viewer , but the main character learns something about life . The direction , acting , and cinematography are classic as well .
024 4 This is the follow up to the excellent Yojimbo . The Criterion dvd for Yojimbo is outstanding , unfortunately the Criterion version of Sanjuro doesn't live up to expectations . The bit rate is considerably lower than any other dvd I have viewed , and while the video quality is by no means horrible , discerning videophiles will be unhappy . Unsophisticated viewers probably won't notice the difference , but if you are ordering the dvd version of Sanjuro , it is unlikely that you are an unsophisticated viewer ; ) Nevertheless , no Kurosawa fan should be without this , seeing as how it is the only dvd version of this movie . Just don't expect the video quality of Criterion's dvd releases of Yojimbo or Seven Samurai .
026 4 Exceptionally shot , played , scored and staged , Kurosawa's follow-up to his hit comedic actioner Yojimbo is every bit as good as its predecessor , and far better photographed . Reprising his role as the nameless , slovenly , chin-scratching master swordsman , Mifune is in fine , ferocious form - as is Nakadai as yet another of so many imposing villains . The supporting cast is terrific , as well : veterans Takashi Shimura and Kamatari Fujiwara ham it up delightfully as a pair of witless antagonists , Yuzo Kayama exudes bold charisma in the Upstanding Young Man role he was typecast for and Takako Irie imparts genteel wisdom as a court matron . As lightweight chanbara comes , this is as good as it gets - a cunningly plotted , calculatedly proportionate mix of high action and fresh comedy . A few unlikely plot twists are nicely offset by humorous contrivances , and the film's many surprises are sure to keep even those uninitiated to the genre guessing and involved until its final duel - among the briefest and bloodiest to be seen in any jidaigeki .
This Criterion disc has most of what you'd expect from a release of that vaunted distributor : pristine audiovisual quality , theatrical trailers , a good featurette , attractive menus and a commentary track that's sure to put even the most devoted cineast into a coma .
I can't possibly overstate the excellence of this edition . Even though Sanjuro was greenlit by Toho to further capitalize on the runaway success of Yojimbo only a year later , the studio furnished Kurosawa with better equipment and more shooting time , and he took full advantage of these assets to produce one of his most visually stimulating black & white features . The balanced contrast of the anamorphic picture has been perfectly preserved in this excellent transfer from a first-rate print ; none of those crucial dark scenes are over - or underexposed . It sounds great , too - both the Dolby Digital 1.0 mono and Dolby Digital 3.0 stereo audio ( re-recorded from the muscular Perspecta Stereo soundtrack ) are almost perfectly transparent .
I'm of the opinion that the vast majority of those precious few engaging audio commentaries are voiced by members of the movie's principal cast and crew . Film historian Stephen Prince voiced the track for this disc , which did nothing to change this opinion . Criterion pioneered the commentary track with their Laserdisc edition of King Kong in 1984 ; unfortunately , their usual practice of commissioning historians to record them usually yields pretty bland results . Prince is a much better orator than most of his ilk and he has a wealth of information to convey . Unfortunately , his perspective and knowledge are better suited to a textual medium and without any direct involvement with the movie's production , his insights just aren't terribly interesting .
Many of Criterion's Kurosawa DVDs feature corresponding episodes from the Toho retrospective series , Akira Kurosawa : It Is Wonderful to Create . The Sanjuro entry on this disc is a nice treat , and relates stories pertaining to the film's production by means of narration and interviews with Nakadai , DP Takao Saito and many other cast and crew members . It's a charming ( if overtly reverential ) presentation , the highlight of which is a recounting by Nakadai and others of how the famous final duel was shot .
One of the two theatrical trailers is full-length and the other a teaser ; both utilize footage shot between takes to exploit Kurosawa's celebrity and the success of Yojimbo . The stills gallery consists of photos of Kurosawa on set , and it's nice to look at .
Framed by film stills and publicity shots , and underlaid with late Edo-period damask patterns , the menus of this disc ( like those of
the Yojimbo DVD
) are elegant and wholly accessible . Chapter selections are available for the film , the featurette and even the commentary track . Available either in this individual edition or
bundled with Yojimbo
, this is a big step up from
the middling late - ' 90s release
and especially
the Home Vision VHS edition
. For Kurosawa fans , chanbara enthusiasts and anyone who just enjoys exciting , funny stories well told , this is well worth its high price .
027 4 Sanjuro may not match its predecessor in sheer virtuosity , but it's actually more fun , thanks to Mifune's comic scenery-chewing , and the innately humorous contrast between the clean , proper youths and their unlikely , unkempt protector . Sanjuro's savvy counsel to the virtuous but impulsive youths ( Things are not always what they seem ) gets repeated and borne out through various developments which eventually help restore justice to the land . Bottom-line : In this entry , Mifune himself really warms to Sanjuro , and as a result , so do we .
028 4 This review is from :
Sanjuro - Remastered Edition ( Criterion Collection Spine #53 ) ( DVD )
One of Akira Kurosawa's classic movies that redefined the Samurai genre . I especially liked the commentary ; it gives much information on the movie , actors , and imaginative camera shots that Kurosawa uses .
029 4 One of Akira Kurosawa's classic movies that redefined the Samurai genre . I especially liked the commentary ; it gives much information on the movie , actors , and imaginative camera shots that Kurosawa uses .
030 4 A group of eager , chivalrous , but young and inexperienced samurai find themselves marked for death by corrupt officials , but they are fortunate to make the acquaintance of Sanjuro ( Toshiro Mifune ) , the masterless samurai whose sense of honor and decency is masked by a gruff , sarcastic exterior . This film is played more for laughs than the previous Yojimbo , but director Akira Kurosawa doesn't stint on the swordplay and suspense . Mifune is wonderful as always . Despite the comedy , the film's stunning finale makes quite a sobering and penetrating comment on the character of a man like Sanjuro .
031 4 Yojimbo ( The Bodyguard ) is a samurai movie based in the detective novels of Dashiell Hammett - particularly Red Harvest . Akira Kurosawa wanted to bring the best of literature and interpret it into Japanese cinema . Its interesting that the two main influences in this process were Hammett's hard-boiled detective fiction and William Shakespeare ( Ran , Throne of Blood ) . The sequel , Sanjuro , is a departure of sorts from Yojimbo . Kurosawa and Mifune return as we find our nameless hero assisting some naive samurai who have been backed into a corner by corrupt officials in their clan . Played more for laughs but still brimming with cynicism and wonderfully orchestrated fights ( the final scene will leave you afraid to blink ) , Sanjuro is a worthy but unusual follow-up to the cynical Yojimbo .
Criterion did an excellent job with their recent re-release of Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai , and it appears that they are giving the same treatment to both Yojimbo & Sanjuro . A new ( and improved ) translation , commentary from Steven Price , as well as documentary film focusing on Kurosawa during the time he was making these great movies . This review is modified from my review of the Yojimbo / Sanjuro double DVD pack , each movie is great , but I'd recommend picking up both .
032 4 Who would have thunk you could have a funny samurai movie ? I guess you can have comedic westerns , so why no a humorous samurai ? The samurai genre is the Japanese western , after all .
Here , Yojimbo ( Mifune ) comes upon 9 bumbling samurai who are caught up in the crossfire of a political coup in their clan . Trying to sort out who is what is half the fun . Mifune tries to get these guys out of several jams , but each time they do something to get him into even more trouble .
There are several nice comic touches of the old woman who wants the samurai to rescue her husband without being too violent because killing can become a habit . My favorite is the enemy guard who is kept in a closet , but who comes out when he has some commentary to contribute and then walks back in and closes the door . I don't want to spoil to joy of these scenes by telling you too much about them .
There is some good samurai action and one particularly gory scene that you will have to discover for yourself . But this is a very enjoyable film that is put on this very nice transfer by Criterion with a number of interesting extras .
033 4 This is a great film ! I have only seen the letterboxed VHS version ( which is beautful . . . the widescreen black and white images jump off the screen ) . Not sure whether or not to risk purchasing the DVD ( ? ) , as many reviewers have complained about the quality . point ; while I certainly found portions of the film funny and laughed out loud several times , I still don't agree that this is a comedy . It contains elements of comedy , but it also builds a sense of dread and explosive violence as it progresses . I think the point Kurosawa was trying to make was that violence isn't funny . It would seem that he crafted the film to draw the audience in with the jokes and whimsy and then deliver the true message ; ( to paraphrase ) A powerful and true man keeps his sword in its sheath . Violence is not the answer . But it sure is a fun film !
035 4 A lot of people aren't even aware of this follow up to the classic Yojimbo , and it's a shame . Not only does this movie more fully explore the character of Sanjuro , it also has some incredible fight scenes which rival Yojimbo's in many ways . If nothing else , they tend to be much more intense and violent .
Where many of the fights in the first movie seemed deliberate and graceful , Sanjuro gives at certain points sudden blood and chaos and at others a kind of slapstick . That's what makes the movie somewhat peculiar . Though Yojimbo had elements of humor , it was not a comedy . Sanjuro , when it comes down to it , is . There are only a handful of comedies made this well , and this one is not to be missed .
036 4 I have never really understood the hype or reverance that surrounds a Kurosawa film . I have enjoyed alot of his films and his samurai films do seem to be the most well known . Sanjuro is better than some I have seen . The action is good and fast and there is a fair amount of humour in this film . The interesting thing about the 9 samurai is that they hav been written almost as if they are one person . They evolve as a whole and not individualy . It is like they are the collective good of the clan and the ronin is always dealing with one person even though they are nine . It is a good fun movie and good to see on DVD . Would be nice to see them a little cheaper and some extra features would have been nice . But the movie is still very watchable and well worth the effort .
037 4 I'll give it six out of five stars . It's got action , incredible duels and it's got humor . Incredible actors , not only Mifune , the older lady is amazing , the bad guy is really fantastic . . . hey , after all there is only one Akira Kurosawa , right ?
039 4 I love this disc and I need to correct a misapprehension by an earlier reviewer , Mr . Albertsson , who claims that Criterion butchered Seven Samurai by cutting it down to an unviewable 1.33 : 1 aspect ration .
While it's true this and Yojimbo could have been made from better prints and the transfers could be a smidge wider , 1.33 : 1 is in fact the original full-frame aspect ratio of Seven Samurai . If it's unviewable as such the problem is all the reviewer's .
Kurosawa did not begin to experiment with widescreen formats until Yojimbo .
040 4 I'm pretty new to the works of Akira Kurosawa , but I know I'll be trying to develop my knowledge of his films . Sanjuro is the kooky story of a scruffy Samurai , Sanjuro , who takes nine hapless young Samurai cubs under his wing during an insurrection . I have a few favourite scenes . At the very beginning of the film , when Sanjuro tells the nine the coast is clear , they pop out of the floorboards looking for all the world like a group of Japanese prairie dogs .
The other scene is at the end , during the final confrontation between Sanjuro and Muroto . It's gory in a most entertaining fashion , and worthy of several rewinds .
I enjoyed the , well , I wouldn't call it exactly sexual , tension between Sanjuro and the chamberlain's wife and daughter . Maybe it doesn't work out that way in Japanese , but in the English subtitles , there are some definite sexual undertones to the whole sheathed sword speech .
The sub-titling is well-done , and none of the background speech goes untranslated , aside from one or two vocalisations of hai . My limited Japanese skills sufficed quite well .
I will be watching more of Kurosawa's films .
042 4 I go back and forth in my head on which Kurosawa film is his masterpiece . Probably this one . It's his most lyrical samurai flick , and his funniest . Mifune is the mad bomb . He's loud , aggressive , boisterous and rude . Kills ten people all by himself . He's like the epitome of male aggression . And then you contrast him with the two women in the film , who are gentle , passive , quiet and nice . Even when they are fleeing to save their lives , they refuse to be anything but gentle , passive , quiet and nice . And it completely disarms Mifune . He doesn't know what to say to them .
Japan fascinates because it's one of the most aggressive societies on the earth , and at the same time it is the most respectful of all the feminine virtues . I don't think I've ever seen a movie where the differences between our two sexes is so vast . It's beautiful , really . And our code is water lilies floating down the stream .
Taylor
My Absolutely Insane Attempt To Rank All Cinema
043 4 This review is from :
Sanjuro - Remastered Edition ( Criterion Collection Spine #53 ) ( DVD )
The usual high standard of tranfer and support materials from this superb publishing house . An important film , droll and dark by turns , and Mifune clearly delighted to be working again on a character he had earlier created for hs mentor Kurasawa .
044 4 The usual high standard of tranfer and support materials from this superb publishing house . An important film , droll and dark by turns , and Mifune clearly delighted to be working again on a character he had earlier created for hs mentor Kurasawa .
045 4 Sanjuro is a vastly entertaining action film with all the elements of that genre : fast pace , surprising plot turns , and a justly famous samurai showdown .
But the central theme of the film is the difficulty of properly assessing trust and mistrust , and how the ability to do so is an essential feature of maturing from idealistic youth to seasoned adult .
The plot setup is straightforward : nine idealistic samurai youths band together to clean their clan of corruption . The chief administrator is unsympathetic and thus earns their distrust . The friendly chamberlain is keen to help , and they are enthusiastic in their praise of him . Full of trust , they agree to meet him at an abandoned house .
Unbeknownst to them , a wandering ronin ( masterless samurai ) played by the peerless Toshiro Mifune , has been sleeping in the back room , listening . They don't trust him at all , of course , even as he ascertains that the chamberlain is untrustworthy and plans to have them killed . Sure enough , dozens of armed men appear outside and only Mifune's quick thinking saves the young idealists from a sure death .
Despite his obvious skills in parsing out who is trustworthy and who is not in the shifting loyalties and politics of the clan , the young hotheads continue to distrust Mifune ; this desire to make those calculations themselves leads again and again to near-disaster . Each time , Mifune's experience and moxie enables him to evade far superior forces .
At the film's conclusion , trust of another sort takes the stage . The evil samurai who was the corrupt chamberlain's right-hand man , played by the great Tatsuya Nakadai , feels that Mifune's manipulation of his trust was treachery of the blackest sort . Mifune explains that he had no choice but to mislead Nakadai ( the details I will leave to the film ) . Nakadai says he cannot rest easy , and demands the satisfaction of a sword duel to the death .
This is rich moral territory . So misleading the idealistic in order to eliminate them is treachery , but then so is misleading the evil servants of corruption - - if you are the evil servant . But from the point of view of our hero , the false trust / treachery was simply an unavoidable part of saving the young idealists from destruction .
By the film's end , the young idealists now appreciate Mifune's ability to sort out who deserves trust . This skill comes only with experience and maturity , and they have received a master class in trust from a rough-talking , uncouth ronin - - one of the film's many sly ironies .
046 4 This review is from :
Sanjuro - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Toshiro Mifume acted in a series of Samurai movies that made him famous including his debout seven samurais ! His serious control and masterful use of the samurai blade distinguished him among the best in the world with Kendo ! This is an awesome movies about the Ero period of Japan and their Ronin . Highly recommended , full of action , and very realistic series of combat !
047 4 Toshiro Mifume acted in a series of Samurai movies that made him famous including his debout seven samurais ! His serious control and masterful use of the samurai blade distinguished him among the best in the world with Kendo ! This is an awesome movies about the Ero period of Japan and their Ronin . Highly recommended , full of action , and very realistic series of combat !
048 4 An absolutely delightful film about samurai's fight for honor . It is smart and funny . We learn about a group of young samurai who want to stop corruption in their clan . In preparation for their uprising they run into an outcast , seemingly unkept and not very polite samurai . For exchange of food , saki and a little bit of money , he offers this group of rebels his warrior help . While this group of young rebels has a fire in their belly to fight for the right cause , they are not particularly smart . It is really funny when in one moment our main character says to one of them : Are you born in the year of Ox ? trying to depict young man's not so bright standing . We see japanese style sword fighing , but also battle of the wits . Film will keep you entertained to the end with its humor and humility . I absolutely recommend this film to anyone who enjoys foreign movies .
049 4 this is another very entertaining film in black and white . but as it was shot in two tones , the lighting technique of this movie was a disaster from the very beginning . there were many night scenes in this movie , but it all looked like in day time . in the temple , barn and other places , the lighting was too bright . when they crawled over the wall , the whole wall was as bright as silver screen . too much light had made their shadows so sharp and so long in the bright streets and lanes . when they went to the chamberlain's residence , the interior lights were at least 1000 watts bright , the garden was as bright as in daytime . this was a major overlook or . . . well , did i adjust the brightness on my dvd player too much ?
051 4 Under the perspective of forty elapsed years it ' s easy to understand the narrow existent distance respect to High and Low or The Bad sleep well in which Kurosawa develops similar concerns .
A peculiar Samurai ( Toshiro Mifune in another terrific performance ) is recruited as teacher and spiritual guide in nasty corrupt times ( any similarity with those times is a simple coincidence ) . He will advise and help against this villain , through a set of admirable vignettes and fabulous sense of humor .
This the sequel to Yojimbo .
052 4 in this light hearted must see sequel to yojimbo , the theme is about reality underlying the appearances . the nameless ronin - scruffy , mocking and clever ( played to perfection by toshiro mifune ) - helps a bunch of naive young samurai ( who do not really trust / respect the ronin because of his appearance ) clean up their corrupt clan . the ugly honest magistrate has been kidnapped and imprisoned by the handsome villian - the naive samurai misread / misjudge both , again based on their appearance . as is natural the ronin's kataana swipes the heads and limbs of the baddies and he rescues the magistrate . though appreciating his help still the magistrate's wife seeing the substance underlying the appearances , in the ronin , makes the above remark as advice to the ronin . her character is memorable and comes across powerfully in the movie .
the great tatsuya nakadai plays the henchman to the baddies and the ronin pretends to befriend him only to outwit him later . honour demands retribution and so the two in the final scene meet on the outskirts of the town for a final showdown . one word of advice here : don't sit too close to the screen !
053 4 Before seeing a Toshiro Mifune film I wasn't into Samurai movies . . . . now I'm hooked . Sanjuro tells the story of a masterless Samurai who tries to help some naive and bumbling samurias . The more he tries to get them out of trouble the deeper they get him and themselves into the mess . His character is strong , crude yet witty and sometimes downright hilarious . He does things on his terms which happens to be contrary to the Samurai's code of conduct . This film is extreemly entertaining and Mifune delivers a sterling performance .
054 4 Aftering watching Yojimbo , ( which I thought was a little campy ) , Sanjuro puts in a more serious and deliberate plot . Although I was hoping for more background on the situation that Toshiro Mifune's character is getting into , it helps to understand that events like this were happening all over Japan in that time period . ( the usual political intrigue , deception , usurping , etc ) That aside , the story is told brilliantly , the troubled samurai of Mifune doing what good he can , all the while being surrounded by incompetents and evil men . His conscience takes the form of an older lady that he helps to rescue , and after receiving bits of wisdom from her ( she immediately discerns his true character and gives him a short phrased bit of advice ) his every action is dictated by his desire to heed her wisdom . Mifune's samurai then has to impart this lesson onto the bumbling young group of samurai with a horrifying display of martial skill used against the enemy , slaughtering a dozen men himself without a scratch , and later on at the end of the film , a ' quick-draw ' with swords , which is so fast that you have to pause the motion to see where the hands of the actors are . The entire film sums up a part of the Bushido code itself that speaks about the level of skills that a trainee , adept and master have , from ignoramus ( and therefore a useless person ) to one so skilled that it becomes impossible to impart the accumulated knowledge / wisdom even by teaching . Mifune's samurai never seems overly concerned with his own life or the risks he takes to save the town from itself .
As for the DVD itself , agreed with others that the lack of extra features is the only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 . The picture quality is excellent , the film quality itself is great , and the subtitles are well done . So far my favorite movie by Kurosawa next to Ran and Seven Samurai .
055 4 Kurosawa and Mifume make a memorable film on what could have been just standard material . Mifume is the samurai in the middle of a political struggle who uses his cunning and honor to defeat the treachery of the power hungry wannabees . I'm impressed with how good Mifume is each time I see him . Here he commands the screen through his silence as well as his actions . And boy how his actions make this movie rock .
For all the action there is still plenty of fools for comic effect . And there is a great standoff between Mifume and his main adversary at the end . This is a must see for any Kurosawa fan .
056 4 Yet another fine example of how films should be done , Sanjuro is a continuation of Yojimbo ; I hesitate to call it a sequel due to the common belief that sequels are always inferior to the original .
In Sanjuro we find Toshiro Mifune reprising his role as Sanjuro Tsubaki ( Sanjuro has a habit of changing his last name to whatever is around him at the time . ) Sanjuro yet again wanders into a dilemma and has to lead a group of pretend samurai to set things right .
The first and last lessons about being a samurai are both the life of a samurai is far from glamorous . at the beginning , sanjuro runs into the young samurai and begs , the young samurai scold him so Sanjuro prooves his skills , and becomes the master to the naive children . Sanjuro fixes the problem , all the while cracking jokes at the expense of his students . When it is time to leave , Sanjuro teaches his final lesson , in a surrealy ultra violent finale .
057 4 Sure it isn't as good as Yojimbo , but that doesn't detract from it in the least . Mifune swaggers with the best of them , and watching him trying to keep his over-eager swordsmen in line is very amusing . Sanjuro comes across as being tired and bored , but still on the look out for a good time . Massive bloodletting at the end .
058 4 I would just like to say that ( contrary to Mr . Albertsson's claim ) Criterion's transfer for this and Seven Samurai are both fine . Any cropping of Sanjuro isn't noticeable , and the original aspect ratio for Seven Samurai is 1.37 : 1 , making it a near perfect fit for a 1.33 : 1 television set .
Also , I haven't seen it but a normally reliable friend told me that ' Zatoichi vs . Yojimbo ' is very an abyssmal film , which leads me to believe that Mr . Albertsson is trying to pull a fast one .
059 4 Not as ambiguosly thought provoking as Yojimbo . . . but still well worth seeing and buying .
061 4 Kurosawa's sequel to his classic Yojimbo doesn't pack the same punch that its predecessor did . That's not to say Sanjuro isn't worth the time ; far from it . Mifune , as before , growls and scratches to brilliant effect in this considerably lighter , more tongue-in-cheek film . As the masterless Sanjuro , Mifune ends up coaching nine foolhardy samurai in their quest to rescue the leader of their clan .
This time Kurosawa emphasises comedy over the bleakness of Yojimbo . It's an interesting shift in tone and the movie moves quickly enough , though there's a few too many scenes of the samurai getting ready to run off into more trouble before Sanjuro cooly suggests otherwise . The moments of action are blindingly fast and as stunning as they were presented in Yojimbo , perhaps even more so . Mifune slices through thirty-odd baddies in literally moments . As always , whenever he's on the screen he's a mesmerising presence . However the supporting cast equip themselves well , particularly Tatsuya Nakadai as Muroto . The scenes between Nakadai and Mifune are electrifying - a tense atmosphere prevalent throughout - leading to an unforgettable finale that is an all-time classic scene .
The Criterion DVD isn't as good as some of their other Kurosawa releases - notably Yojimbo and Seven Samurai - and the picture is far from perfect , but it's not like we have a choice of releases here .
The DVD aside , as a companion piece to Yojimbo , Sanjuro is an entertaining watch and another feather in the cap for Kurosawa , one of the greatest directors who ever lived .
062 4 This is one of my favorite Kurosawa films . I have saw many of his samurai films and this one is my favorite . It is hilarious ! ! ! I would suggest this film to anyone that likes samurai films . It also has some of the best swordsmanship scenes that I have seen in Kurosawa films . Toshiro Mifune is simply amazing in this movie .
063 4 Trust me , I know the man was a genius , but everything he touched wasn't gold .
I truly believe this movie was made because Yojimbo made a ton of money . This time Sanjuro is wandering around again and finds himself staying at a little hut for a night because the room was free . He overhears a group of young and very dumb samurai's talking about a conspiracy against their town leaders . Sanjuro then gets involved and lots of people DIE !
I have some problems with this movie , in the young samurai group there are one too many guys in it , none of the characters are ever fleshed out , its like they are just one big person , which may have been the point . The film style is SLOPPY . Akira was on his coffee break while making this film ! The climax is pretty generic , I don't think anyone is that dumb , its like the end of a children's cartoon . There are some really annoying things here , those two women are frustrating , why does that woman keep talking like she's half asleep and takes really huge teeth grinding breaths between words ( notice how Toshiro keeps giving her that strange look , like he wants to break her jaw ) . You don't spend enough time with the characters to really care about them , Sanjuro looks more annoyed than anything . Which could be the hidden genius of this film , you hate the characters as much as Sanjuro does , he keeps scowling and calling them idiots throughout the whole movie , and I agree . But the film WANTS you to be on their side . Maybe its Sanjuro doesn't want to help these morons but he HAS to because injustice and evil is not right . And the film tells you through style instead of pouring down your throat like a lesser film would . But you spend half of the film watching these young run back and forth telling the group some breaking news , they all go rush to it and Sanjuro then stops them and tells them how dumb they are . This happens about 90 billion times throughout the film .
If not that the film has some pretty entertaining bits in it , the sword fights are still fast and furious , the violence isn't as ugly as it was in the first film , the humor isn't as dark . And man , its just not a really good film . I think the ending is genius , and I like how it ends on a down note that Sanjuro hates everything even more after defeating his equal .
The first film is much much better , but you should see this movie . Good DVD n stuff , yeah , ONE WHOLE cenimeter is missing from the sides , like you can actually tell , oh I'm such a slob now ! Really , it doesn't matter , its the tiniest of cenimeters and you won't even notice ! !
065 4 the reviewer below is correct . If you have never seen the film in the original Tohovision you probably don't know how much is missing in this transfer . Tohovision is probably the widest of the widescreens on planet earth , people have been trying to figure out for years how to format such a huge screen to fit on TV . From the ultra tacky huge bar at the bottem format to the TIGHT SQUEEZE ( thankfully the most unpopular ) they still can't get it through their thick and stupid skulls that they're just going to have to go with the HUGE letterbox . Criterion , damn you for again almost ruining another classic . It's not as obvious on the Yojimbo ( and it really does not matter with that film ) disc but you can clearly see the entire screen is not in this letterbox ( don't worry , its just a couple of cenimeters but still ) . But atleast its on DVD and letterboxed ! Pan and scan , I shudder to think what a pan and scan version of Sanjuro would look like .
And about the movie , well its no Yojimbo . This is the more PG - 13 Sanjuro . Its still gritty but well , first time seeing it you'll be hating it and maybe very bored , but the last and final surreal scene is like the final touch on a painting . It feels so complete and you'll want to see it again and again . I always felt the two movies were like an incomplete trilogy , its a little sad this the last time we'll ever see this character in a film , but his spirit lives on in the Man With No Name trilogy , Django , and yes ( as slobbish as it may sound ) Escape From New York and Escape From L.A .
Good movie , worth getting if you liked Yojimbo , but there are much better Akira Kurosawa and Samurai films out there . Check it out before buying , or if you own Yojimbo and love it , WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR ?
066 4 This review is from :
Sanjuro - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
It's hard to believe this is a Kurosawa film . Other reviewers have liked it but is a pale shadow of the magnificent Yojimbo . Everything that made the latter great is missing .
Mifune just shows up . No buildup .
The young men he helps out aren't worth his time and all are faceless .
The villains are all the same . Not one is memorable . Even the great Tatsuya Nakadai , so outstanding in Yojimbo , has no personality at all . His death , though , is interesting .
The terrible comedy weakens whatever plot there is . It advances the story in Yojimbo , though , and Daisuke Kato , as Nakadai's older brother , is hilarious though he doesn't mean to be .
And , worse of all , there's no one to root for .
Skip this and get Stray Dog , a Kurisawa film finally getting the credit due it . It is one of kurosawa's four or five greatest films and has been overlooked for nearly fifty years .
067 4 It's hard to believe this is a Kurosawa film . Other reviewers have liked it but is a pale shadow of the magnificent Yojimbo . Everything that made the latter great is missing .
Mifune just shows up . No buildup .
The young men he helps out aren't worth his time and all are faceless .
The villains are all the same . Not one is memorable . Even the great Tatsuya Nakadai , so outstanding in Yojimbo , has no personality at all . His death , though , is interesting .
The terrible comedy weakens whatever plot there is . It advances the story in Yojimbo , though , and Daisuke Kato , as Nakadai's older brother , is hilarious though he doesn't mean to be .
And , worse of all , there's no one to root for .
Skip this and get Stray Dog , a Kurisawa film finally getting the credit due it . It is one of kurosawa's four or five greatest films and has been overlooked for nearly fifty years .
069 4 This film used to be shown a lot in double bills with Yojimbo . It is a very different film and not as good . Where as Yojimbo is about a self confident swaggering warrior , Sanjuro is based on a very different story . It is about a samurai who is cowardly but cunning . It is a sort of joke or playing against type which would make a lot of sense to Japanese audiences but can leave western audiences scratching their heads .
The film is also reasonably talky and is set largely in interior settings . The inside of a house , gardens and so forth .
The plot involves the cowardly samurai who helps a number of younger samurai overcome an evil lord . A well made film but a dissapointment after the Seven Samurai or Yojimbo .
070 4 Kurosawa Productions , Inc . released Sanjuro [ aka Tsubaki Sanjuro ] in response to the popular reaction to the excellent Yojimbo . And what a falling off was there . What was once both cinematically deft and funny became merely funny . The swordplay in Sanjuro is adroit , but it serves no other purpose than itself . The comedic element is reduced to a juvenile subtext involving the salvation of a group of worthless ( but , oh so cute ) young samurai . Mifune wasted his time . So did Kurosawa . And so did us all .
060 4 Get out the popcorn and rejoice in a classic samurai tale told by the master . Some movies are timeless . This is one of them .
068 4 If you are the management consultant , you mast watch this movie
