Customer Reviews

Yojimbo (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although it lacks the scope of THE SEVEN SAMURAI, THRONE OF BLOOD, and other more widely known films by the celebrated Akira Kurosawa, the 1961 YOJIMBO (also known as BODYGUARD) is one of the most important films of the second half of the 20th Century--and a film that was deeply influenced by American film. Even so, YOJIMBO stands on its own merits: it's a magnificent piece of cinema that will fascinate even those who normally turn up their noses at "movies with subtitles."

In theory, the film is based on the 1929 Dashiell Hammett novel RED HARVEST--but transports the basic story to a period in Japan when the Samurai class has fallen on hard times and must seek employment as common body guards. Sanjuro Kuwabatake (brilliantly played by Toshiro Mifune, who appeared in several Kurosawa films) is such a one, a scruffy looking and aging warrior who finds himself caught between warring factions of a Japanese village and responds by playing the two against each other.

One of the film's greatest assets is its visual style. Kurosawa is very clearly influenced by the look of the American western here, and most particularly so, in my opinion, by HIGH NOON. Consequently, YOJIMBO leaps the cultural divide with considerable ease--but Kurosawa uses the images of empty streets and the lone warrior to considerably different effect, presenting him as a dangerous figure who emerges from the dust and the wind to rip wide his foes. But the film does not rely on visual style alone: there is plenty of hard substance here, too. The plot is tightly wound, action-intensive, and laced with a dry and very black humor, and the cast is superlative throughout.

As it borrowed from the American movie western, so did it influence American film in return, most obviously in the form of the popular Clint Eastwood "spaghetti westerns" of the 1970s--where it was essentially remade as A FIST FULL OF DOLLARS. But frankly Clint Eastwood never had it so good: with Kurosawa at the helm and Mifune as the lead, Eastwood's "lone stranger" feels mighty tame in comparison.

The Criterion DVD offers the film in original widescreen and in the best possible condition short of a full digital restoration. As noted elsewhere, there are occasional blips and lines--but honestly the film is so driving that you will barely notice them. The subtitles also seem to be a better translation than I've seen in any other version. YOJIMBO was my introduction to Japanese cinema. I urge you to let it be yours as well.

GFT, Amazon reviewer

Those looking for redeeming social messages might want to look elsewhere, but if you're in the mood for a violent, stylishly shot, and decidedly nihilistic good time you should be sure to give Yojimbo a look. Presaging the role Clint Eastwood would soon make famous in the Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, not to mention countless action-movie leading men since, Yojimbo helped to introduce the concept of the amoral antihero as main character, as well as give cinema (Japanese or otherwise) one of its all-time most fascinating figures. Played by the great Toshiro Mifune at his glowering, imperious best, samurai-turned-drifter Sanjuro Kuwabatake is one of film history's great protagonists-hard drinker (don't interrupt Sanjuro when he's enjoying his sake), master strategist, seemingly peerless swordsman, and unapologetic self-seeker. He's the kind of guy you can't help but like; even if his actions would be considered reprehensible in most times and places, at least he doesn't proclaim any lofty ideals or lay claim to any moral high ground while killing people. As a samurai with no master and no clan to owe allegiance to, going through a time of flux in Japan, Sanjuro enters a world where old values don't apply and he has only his own survival to think about. Since he's found himself where life is cheap, the movie seems to be saying, Sanjuro's actions, underhanded or not, are as justifiable as anyone else's. Besides, as Sanjuro himself notes, at least the people he kills are even worse than he is.

Anyway, as the movie opens, Sanjuro wanders into a town where commerce is at a virtual stop (with the exception of the local undertaker's business, which is thriving) and the factions of two local bosses are fighting each other for dominion. Sanjuro quickly sees there's money to be made off the conflict for anyone with his combination of flexible morality and astonishing skills with a sword, and he just as quickly starts playing the two sides against each other to see which boss will dig deeper to procure his services. As hostilities escalate, there's all sorts of conniving and backhanded maneuvering from everyone involved, with occasional breaks for Sanjuro to slice and dice whatever poor folks get in the way of his objectives. The violence obviously isn't as graphic or realistic as what you'll get from later color movies, but the battle scenes are shot in a nicely frenetic and unflinching manner, even if they consist largely of Sanjuro cutting through his opponents without breaking much of a sweat. At the very least, the fight scenes here are certainly preferable to the constant CGI-fests action fans are subjected to nowadays.

It becomes evident early on that this movie isn't going to be entirely serious (if the bouncy, jokey score doesn't clue you in, the dog running up to the main character with a severed hand in its mouth might), but the comic elements don't subtract from the movie's violent, morally ambiguous nature. If anything, the film's humor plays up the absurdity of the conflict into which the protagonist enters and the principals involved in it. In one scene that's especially indicative of the movie's cynical point of view, Sanjuro excuses himself from a planned battle right before it starts, and proceeds to watch with amusement as the two sides tentatively approach each other and back off over and over, obviously not feeling quite as brave as they did before it actually came time to fight.

All humor aside, though, this is still a technically stunning movie, especially in its visual depictions of its stark 19th-century setting. The cinematography features tons of great, sweeping shots of a town square as desolate physically as it is morally; the final battle is especially well-shot, with the two sides (Sanjuro and everybody else) slowly moving towards each other as the wind blows dust all around them, the score turning darker in order to ratchet the tension up even more.

It's obviously not an easy task to rank this movie among Kurosawa's filmography, although of the several that I've seen I'd put this one a very small notch below The Seven Samurai for the number-one spot. That said, though, in terms of ideas, influence, and sheer coolness of its protagonist, Yojimbo belongs on the short list of the greatest movies of all time. Guy-movie enthusiasts everywhere owe it a watch or two.

Akira Kurosawa is one of the most talented and beloved Japanese directors to cross over into the western market. Yojimbo illustrates why. Shot in heavily contrasted black and white, Yojimbo is not only a beautiful film but an interesting cultural portrait and a psychological tale of conflict. The talented Toshiro Mifune in his prime plays the lead and Tatsuya Nakadai is notable as the villain obsessed with his gun.

Yojimbo means bodyguard. It is the 1860's and out-of-work samurai wander the country. The hero of the piece is a nameless and scruffy looking character. But his swaggering catlike grace, along with his characteristic shoulder shrugging walk, reveals his muscular strength and lighting speed with the sword. This charismatic ruffian arrives at a village that appears to be under siege. Villagers peer from behind blinds as he enters, and a breeze blows fallen leaves in the empty streets.

Our hero learns the village is in the middle of a gang war. He becomes a trickster figure who pits the gangs against one another and brings the problem to a conclusion--after demonstrating his superiority both in fighting and in intelligence.

This highly enjoyable period piece is not only a classic story but a view into Japanese cultural heritage. A must see for film buffs since many directors refer to this film. It is a great film for anyone just to see Mifune's visceral performance. Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" was an unauthorized remake which resulted in legal action. It is interesting to note that the plot for Yojimbo was based on a Dashiell Hammett story, Red Harvest. In addition Kurosawa stated his inspiration for the film was a noir detective thriller called "The Glass Key" starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. Apparently a scene where the hero is getting beaten in "Yojimbo" is from the exact same scene from "Glass Key", copied shot by shot. Kurosawa was also a big western fan and some of the plot as well as shooting angles are influenced by American Westerns.

Eventhough this is one of the greatest movie from Criterion collection, I can't say this is recommended for anyone who loves this film. likewise "Yozimbo", Criterion did not use new print for this DVD edition. Instead, they used same transfer from their old LaserDisc version. The print is not in good condition, neither is the soundtrack. The more pathetic thing is that you can't see all of samurais filled on the screen. Most of the time, ten samurais, including Mifune Toshiro, are fit in widescreen originaly. But in here, one or two samurais are missing in left or right side. This is almost pan & scan! I want to know why Criterion did not use Hi-Difinision transfer from Japanese LD version approved by director himself? (Did you know that one of his film "High & Low" is in 4-track surround stereo?). I realy hope that when they releace "Red beared" on DVD, they'll have the best transfer......

The great Akira Kurosawa directed "Yojimbo" -- first released in 1961. The film stars frequent Kurosawa collaborator, Toshirô Mifune, who's as good here as he's ever been. The film is set in the post-samurai era, and Mifune is a wandering samurai offering his services as a bodyguard. He stumbles upon an inept, warring town and decides to make some money - perhaps having a little fun in the process.

Of all Kuosawa's movies, "Yojimbo" is probably structured the most like a traditional western. Not surprisingly, Sergio Leone used it as his inspiration for "A Fistful of Dollars," the first of his "spaghetti-Westerns." Obviously, "Yojimbo" is better than the vast majority of movies, foreign or otherwise, but I was a bit disappointed nevertheless. Many people consider "Yojimbo" to be among Kurosawa's best film. However, the serio-comic approach didn't work entirely for me. I did not connect with it the way I did with other great films by the director, such as "Rashomon" or "High and Low."

In addition, the DVD transfer is problematic. A hissing sound can be heard throughout the movie, and the film just wasn't cleaned up the way it should have been before being transferred. Finally, the DVD includes no extras, save for the original trailer for "Yojimbo." Overall, the film is quite good although not Kurosawa's best, and the packaging is below par.

If you haven't seen this movie before, by all means buy this DVD. It is an excellent story by an excellent director with an excellent lead actor. However, if you have seen the movie before, or have seen other Criterion productions, then steer clear of this print. The contrast of the picture is good. But the actual movie often has lines and scratches throughout. I find it hard to believe that this is the only print that Criterion could utilize in making the DVD. Likewise, the opening credits are in English, instead of in Japanese like the Seven Samurai or Hidden Fortress DVDs. These English credits spill off the screen, and this is sort of a prelude to the quality of the rest of the DVD. Indeed, the film quality of the older Kurosawa movies issued by Criterion is far better than that of Yojimbo.

So, buy this movie for the adventure and the exciting story. But if its quality photography you are after, just beware. Criterion usually does a good job but this ain't one of them.

Being one of Kurosawa's best known works, Yojimbo is indeed a classic and a beautiful study in film craftsmanship. The visual compositions, performances, and fight sequences that Kurosawa delivers here are, as usual, brilliant (and highly influential). It must be said, however, that the film's plot is pretty confusing at times, especially in the second half with all the various characters and shadowy intrigues that enter the mix. I personally have some difficulty keeping track of which characters are aligned with which of the two warring factions, and that becomes doubly difficult when the rival groups start exchanging prisoners and whatnot. Of course it doesn't really matter in terms of the film's tone and meaning (the two groups are equally evil and equally deserving of what Sanjuro does to them), but I still like to be able to grasp what's going on when I watch a samurai-western-action movie like this. Nevertheless, it is a good film and certainly essential viewing for any fan of Kurosawa or samurai films. Criterion's DVD edition, though, leaves a bit more to be desired. The only extra is the film's trailer, which is in widescreen but is strangely and inexplicably shifted towards the bottom of the screen; and those of you with good home theater systems will see a lot of pixellization and other problems in the visual presentation of the film itself. But worst of all is the obvious fact that part of the image is missing at the left and right edges of the screen-- anybody watching the opening credits sequence can clearly see that the words are spilling out of the picture (causing the credits to read "Starrin Toshiro Mifun" with the last letters of words missing). Criterion should have done something about this, especially with a film like this one where you know Kurosawa struggled to get every aspect of visual detail just right. Still, the film makes up for these problems, and since this is the only American DVD of this movie, we don't have too many alternatives...

I taped this off of TV when Turner Classic Movies had their month dedicated to Akira Kurosawa. I sat down, started up the tape, and didn't move until the movie was over. Even though I am still exploring Kurosawa's film, I think this is one of Kurosawa's greatest films. It has wonderful, richly created characters (the best being, of course, the lead character). The story and direction brilliantly walk hand in hand. A nameless ronin (played by Toshiro Mifune)stumbles into a border town and finds two feuding families and, seeing an opportunity, hires himself out as a yojimbo (bodyguard) to BOTH sides. Kurosawa always said that he was influened by American westerns (and vice versa), but it is really something you have to see for yourself, when he combies samurai films and westerns -- no easy feat! If you've never laid eyes on any of Kurosawa's movies, what better film to start with than this one? Incidentally, this was remade into "A Fistful of Dollars" with Clint Eastwood. Speaking of that, am I the only person who thinks that Toshiro Mifune and Clint Eastwood look alike? I think it's in their piercing eyes.

The beginning of this tale, when our hero tosses a stick into the air to see which way it lands to choose his path, is just one of the many elements which makes this such an amazing story and one my favorites of Kurosawa's many masterpieces. What the bodyguard chooses to do first with his newfound independence is quite surprising and ambitious, like piecing together an amazingly complex jigsaw puzzle made of human nature, or staging a performance of an epic masterpiece with no previous management, production, or directing skills. But I guess he may as well tackle a mountain, since there is not much use starting small with his skills and personality. As he orchestrates the deception, our hero is much like a master puppeteer with exquisite timing and talent to incite the mayhem to achieve his goal.

While the basic themes of this story are not unique - the results of greed, manipulation of others, and the changing of the world (tradition vs. progression) - many factors add an interesting and unusual charm to this film. There are plots within plots, surprising deception, perfectly paced mounting tension, unpredictable plot twists, stories within stories, distinctive and amusing characters (the big guy with his huge mallet is a lot of fun), the seemingly never-ending face offs, backstabbing, character flaws; and our hero continually placed in the perfect position to observe, listen, and evaluate. Also, the bodyguard's impeccable timing in manipulation of both sides is nice, fulfilling our expectations and keeping the story moving along. What if bodyguards were really like this? (mischievous, brilliant, manipulative) The famous people of the world would be in terrible trouble.

The humor in this story is wonderful, even the macabre humor of the dog carrying the human hand in its mouth while trotting along to fairly spunky music. I also love the funnier fight sequences, which seem to come right out of clown school and resemble football skirmishes instead of battles. In several of the scenes, it appears that the swordsmen are miming roasting marshmallows instead of fighting with their weapons. Nice addition of lightness to a serious tale. Our hero sticking around after he has discontinued his services purely for "the entertainment" also accentuates the humor aspect of this movie.

The mix of character types is also interesting including a dominatrix, a prodigal son, a damsel in distress, several amusing drunks, and many bumbling idiots. The ease in which our hero is able to manipulate these human beings is extremely unbelievable; however, many aspects of this film fall into that category and it is still a wonderful story. This is one of those rare instances in which certain trite, far-fetched, and predictable elements are actually good and serve to enhance the story.

The nature symbolism/imagery is a nice addition to this film including the cleansing rain allowing us to shift gears from Act I to Act II, and the dust storm, which precedes the more unpredictable part of the story serving to unsettle and disorient us.

Finally, the shadowy, light dancing, night fires scene is amazing, intensifying the town's debauchery and our hero finally stepping up to get involved in the action before ultimately getting caught in his own web. This scene is perfect, like an expertly lighted stage drawing us into Act III.

I have only described a few of the wonderful features of this film. There are many others, which warrant several viewings to truly appreciate the complexities of this story. For those who enjoy this movie, I also recommend the sequel, Sanjuro, which is equally well done.

J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles, and Kurosawa fan.

Yojimbo is the darkest Kurosawa film I've seen yet (I must admit that this is only the fifth film of his I've seen). There are scenes of a dog taking away a human hand for a snack, the main character chops off a thugs arm, and towards the end of the film the main character is beaten to the point where he can barely stand up. In fact, I don't' think I've seen a more violent film made from 1961 or earlier.

Toshiro Mifune plays the main character (we're never given his real name) who becomes the "hero" of the story despite himself. He enters a town that has been devastated by a war between two gangs and quickly decides he will set the two against each other while making a nice profit in the meantime. After a demonstration of his skills where he kills three people ("Cooper. Two coffins...No, maybe three) the hero sets up a bidding war for his services. Eventually things escalate and Mifune continues pitting the two gangs against each other until they just about destroy the town itself.

Mifune's character is a prototype of the hard boiled anti-hero that spouts off one liners in modern movies. Compare Sin City's "It's time to prove to your friends that you're worth a damn. Sometimes that means dying. Sometimes it means killing a whole lot of people." to "I'm not dying yet. I have to kill quite a few men first." The movie is based off of Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, and is really a mix up of a samurai film and film noir. In turn, it was latter remade into "A Fist Full of Dollars."

There's less hope in this film than there is in other Kurosawa movies. Unlike the lost baby in Roshomon or the city park in Ikiru, I get the feeling that there's no redemption for Mifune's hero. There are several references to the gates of hell in the film, and this is perhaps the best description of where the hero resides. He's constantly in a state of limbo where he hasn't fallen into damnation but salvation seems like an impossibility. When the hero walks off at the end one can only assume he's going to be wandering for the rest of his life.