Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category
Yojimbo (1961) Review
yojimbo is about as great a samurai film as you are likely to find that is both true to the style and spirit of the genre yet has appeal to mainstream audiences. the atmosphere and imagery of this tiny town in feudal japan are memorable in spite of their simplicity. for all intents and purposes, the entirety of yojimbo unfolds along one single stretch of road. at either end of this road are two rival gangs and standing squarely in the middle (high above the dusty blood stained road, enjoying the carnage from a comfortable vantage point) is the quintessential man-with-no-name, the two-bit samurai portrayed by the legend toshiro mifune. comparison to akira kurosawa’s other work is inevitable. i’m in the process of working through his filmography and yojimbo is only my second kurosawa film (for shame, for shame). the other of his films that i’ve seen is, of course, the epic seven samurai. having seen both films, i will say yojimbo is not better than seven samurai, but it is much more digestible and accessible to casual movie goers. watching seven samurai is an undertaking (a worthwhile undertaking that i encourage everyone to pursue). watching yojimbo was just fun.
a review from a professional with which and whom i mostly agree
my rating: 4.5 out of 5
