4/9/2023 0 Comments Yojimbo film series![]() You’ll not only see a great film but also appreciate it’s influence. Then follow it up by watching A Fistful of Dollars. It’s a true motion picture accomplishment and you don’t have to be a cinephile to appreciate it. It’s easy to see why another great director like Sergio Leone would be inspired by Yojimbo. With each viewing I gain a better appreciation for the movie and for Kurosawa’s brilliant vision. Yojimbo earns it’s recognition as a classic. Yet it’s never boring and more often times mesmerizing. The story is pretty basic but very efficient with the exception of a few too many conversations over sake at the restaurant. The cinematography is fascinating with some cleverly staged camera angles, near perfect camera movement, and beautiful wide-framed shots. Masaru Sato’s magnetic score starts with the opening credits and resonates throughout the picture. Their creative chemistry is evident in Yojimbo with Kurosawa really focusing on Mifune’s strength of communication through expressions and mannerisms. He and Kurosawa collaborated for 16 films with Kurosawa once saying of Mifune ”I am proud of nothing I have done other than with him”. Toshiro Mifune gives an impeccable performance as the solemn wandering samurai. Even Clint Eastwood’s Fistful character seems specifically patterned after Yojimbo’s samurai all the way down to his constant beard scratching. Instead of heeding the advice of a local resident, the stranger sees there’s money to be made in the village by playing both sides. Both films tell the story of a mysterious stranger who enters a small town ran by two brutal, warring gangs. Even more interesting is that it went on to be the inspiration for other westerns including Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars, which is almost a scene by scene replication instead of a remake. Yojimbo was heavily influenced by American westerns from the Japanese village’s dusty, deserted main street to the face-offs reminiscent of classic western one-on-one gun duels. Kurosawa creates a gritty and audacious period picture that manages to mix action with small bits of dark comedy while constantly showing off his technical savvy. Browse through every TV series and movie and. The actual screenplay was written by director Walter Hill.Akira Kurosawa’s 1961 classic Yojimbo is a Japanese samurai film that’s not only beautifully hypnotic entertainment but is a master’s class on camera work and film making. Reelgood is the most extensive streaming guide in the US and UK, with every TV show and movie available online. Last Man Standing (1996) was an official remake of Yojimbo, with Kikushima and Kurosawa receiving a story credit on the film. They never actually got permission to remake Yojimbo, and shortly after the film was released in Europe, Kurosawa launched a plagiarism suit. In 1964, it was remade as A Fistful of Dollars, a Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood. ![]() Yojimbo was a great influence both in Japan and the West. From pork and beef to chickens and wet rags, Minawa created a rich sound library of effects. Then we see the next great clash between the two rival sides is like a coordinated dance.Īnother fun fact is that, at Kurosawa's request, Ichiro Minawa not only recreated the sounds of swords hitting each other, he also set the industry standard for the sound of these weapons cutting through human flesh. What we see is speed, precision, and stunning movements. The first big moment is when Sanjuro takes on one gang to show the other that he's good at what he does. ![]() The fights in this film work beautifully, as Kurosawa runs away from the blood and focuses on the choreography. But the arrival of Ushitora's brother Unosuke (Tatsuya Nakadai), who carries a pistol, ultimately jeopardises Sanjuro's plan. He launches a series of traps and intrigues in which he constantly pits the families against each other. Ushitora had been Seibei's right-hand man but rebelled when Seibei decided that his successor would be his son Yoichiro.Īfter sizing up the situation, Sanjuro then decides to intervene for the good of the townsfolk. To rid a terror-stricken village of corruption, wily masterless samurai Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune) turns a range war between two evil clans to his own advantag. The families of Seibei (Seizaburo Kawazu) and Ushitora (Kyū Sazanka) exploit gambling addictions and control major economic activities. ![]() The story takes place in 1860 and is based on the arrival of a ronin, Sanjuro Kuwabatake (Toshiro Mifune), in a village that is a victim of rivalry between ambitious families. Yojimbo (用心 棒, Yōjinbō) is a 1961 film directed by Akira Kurosawa. ![]()
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