YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa
A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town. Japanese language, English subtitles. (110 minutes, 1961)
The Hidden Fortress
In this classic collaboration between Kurosawa and star Mifune, a warrior and a princess try against all odds to return to their homeland with their fortune. Acknowledged by George Lucas as the inspiration for Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress combines an epic tale of struggle and honour with modern comic sensibilities to masterful effect
Japan 1958 144 minutes Japanese language, with optional English subtitles Original aspect ratio 2.35:1
Yojimbo
A drifting samurai for hire plays both ends against the middle with two warring factions, surviving on his wits and his ability to outrun his own bad luck. Eventually the samurai seeks to eliminate both sides for his own gain and to define his own sense of honour. Yojimbo provided inspiration for A Fistful of Dollars
Japan 1961 110 minutes Japanese language, with optional English subtitles Original aspect ratio 2.35:1
Sanjuro
After the success of Yojimbo , Kurosawa teamed up once again with Mifune one year later to make this comedy of manners. The film, which follows a man fighting corruption in local government, offers a twist on the classic Samurai tale by gently, but perfectly parodying the conventions of the Japanese period action movie tradition.
Japan 1962 99 minutes Japanese language, with optional English subtitles 2.35:1
I have written a full review, which you can find here. The film is available with English subtitles in both Blu-ray and DVD. Do note that these are American versions, and at the time of writing there are no English friendly releases in other regions.
A ronin (Toshiro Mifune, often referred to as "yojimbo") is instructed to go to a mountain pass and await further instructions. On the way he rescues Okuni (Ruriko Asaoka), a woman abused by her husband. While at a roadside inn, the ronin meets several characters including the disgraced doctor, Gentetsu (Shintaro Katsu), a pompous police constable, and a criminal he has arrested. The ronin uncovers a plot for bandits to steal gold as it is being transported along the mountain pass. As Mifune's yojimbo had done in previous plots, he plays all sides and pretends to aid the bandits. At the end another layer to the scheme is uncovered, and the mastermind who dispatched the ronin and informed the bandits about the gold is the same person. There was never any gold, and it was all a ruse to have the bandits killed.
Machibuse was produced by Toshiro Mifune's production company and released in Japan by Toho on April 29, 1970.[1] It was released by Toho International in the United States with English subtitles as The Ambush on December 18, 1970.[1] The film was re-issued in 1971 under the title Machibuse.[1] It is also known in English under the name, "Incident at Blood Pass."
Be careful - these movies are not the best learning materials to learn Japanese, especially if you are a beginner, but they are definitely one of the most enjoyable ways to immerse yourself in Japanese culture! And now, with Japanese subtitles, you can do it without any interference from English language!
38c6e68cf9