Yojimbo and Sanjuro Limited Edition Blu-Ray

Yojimbo (1961)

Like Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo was Kurosawa's tribute to John Ford's widescreen westerns and was itself turned into a western by Sergio Leone as A Fistful of Dollars (1964). The film's mysterious samurai is played by the great Toshiro Mifune and is a shabby, wandering warrior who wanders into a strange town and finds himself in the middle of a war between two clans. He demonstrates his skills with the sword within minutes of his arrival and soon has the town's rival factions competing for his services.Kurosawa's brilliant storytelling is combined with exciting swordplay, a healthy dose of black humor, a soundtrack as atmospheric and entertaining as Ennio Morricone's, and a unique performance by Mifune, making Yojimbo an irresistible action adventure in widescreen format.

Sanjuro (1962)

In response to the enormous critical and commercial success of Yojimbo, Kurosawa and Mifune collaborated again a year later to make Sanjuro, a humorous comedy about manners that was considerably lighter than its predecessor.

The story is about Sanjuro (Mifune) who messes around with nine naive and honest samurai and two distinguished ladies, while cleaning up corruption in the local government. Kurosawa laughs at most things and skillfully parodies the conventions of Japanese action films from the period, but he stages an astonishing change of mood with an intense finale that may well be the shortest and most breathtaking duel in the history of cinema.

Extras

• Newly restored in 4K and presented in High Definition

   

• Sword For Hire (2024, 25 minutes): Kurosawa scholar Jasper Sharp discusses Yojimbo and Sanjuro in this analytical assessment

   

• Audio commentary on Yojimbo by film critic Philip Kemp (2000)

   

• It is Wonderful to Create - Yojimbo (2002, 45 min): the film is examined in detail in this documentary study

   

• Introduction to Sanjuro (2003, 5 min): filmmaker Alex Cox introduces Sanjuro

   

• Newly recorded audio commentary on Sanjuro by Japanese-Australian filmmaker Kenta McGrath

   

• It is Wonderful to Create - Sanjuro (2002, 37 min): the film is examined in detail in this short documentary study

   

• Out of the Dust Storm and into the Koi Pond (2025, 18 min): Nic Wassell examines the role of nature as a backdrop to human intrigue in Yojimbo and Sanjuro and the role of nature as a backdrop to human intrigue in Yojimbo and Sanjuro

   

• Alex Cox on Kurosawa (2003, 9 min): the director discusses Akira Kurosawa's life and work

   

• Original Japanese trailers

   

• Image galleries

   

• Both films feature 3-channel Perspecta original sound

   

• **FIRST PRINTING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with new text about both films by Hayley Scanlon, text about both films by Akira Kurosawa, originally published in 1964, original reviews and afterwords

• Subtitles: : English