New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Sanjûrô (1962)

post #1 of 5
3/6/09 at 5:01pm
Thread Starter 
Well, this was a totally different kind of Kurosawa flick than I've seen before, and though not nearly as good as some of his most famous, is still some solid entertainment. It's technically a sequel to Yojimbo, except this one is much more "eastern" looking to me, though I'll admit knowing next to know nothing about that way of life, culture, etc.

Yojimbo was heavily influenced by American westerns, but there aren't many western trademarks in this one, if any at all. I've read that Kurosawa had trouble getting movies made because he made his movies too western looking, and I'm speculating here, but it could be that in order to make this one he had to tone down the influences. The black and white is gorgeous, and it's fascinating to watch how Kurosawa makes this film entertaining and interesting, forgoing the big steps forward in storytelling to tell a straight forward, ninety minute story that if I were to guess, was more of a blockbuster than the more arty stuff he is more famous for. I liked it though, and Mifune is ever entertaining as Sanjûrô.

Recommended for Kurosawa completists, yes, but also for anyone that's interested in a totally different type of film than they're used to from Kurosawa, if all they'd seen (like I had) were the more famous stuff.
Reply
post #2 of 5
3/6/09 at 5:26pm
I got this as part of the Criterion boxset of 4 Kurosawa films they released a few years ago, and out of all of them this is the one I liked the least. Mifune was awesome as usual, but the plot seemed to not progress much from Yojimbo, plus I could not sympathize with the people he was protecting.

Actually, out of all the Kurosawa films I've seen (Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Hidden Fortress, Ran, Rashomon, the Bad Sleep Well, and Ikiru) this one is my least favorite. I think this is the one of very few times that Kurosawa made a film from a totally commercial perspective.

I'll have to give it a a second watch some day, just to confirm what I felt on my first viewing, but it'll be a while, because I had to sell half my DVD's while unemployed a few months ago, and that Kurosawa set went with it.
Reply
post #3 of 5
3/6/09 at 5:37pm
Kurosawa's popularity only began to decline when he became a laughing stock in Japan for his 1970 box office bomb.

Sanjuro is a movie based on a Japanese novel, Peaceful Days, which is why it lacks western influences. The film seems like it's only a sequel in name only, because that's what it is. Kurosawa was originally going to do a straight up adaptation of the book, but due to the success of Yojimbo, Toho demanded a sequel. I've also read a lot of quotes from Kurosawa that imply that he wanted to create a huge action film when he realized he couldn't actually make a faithful adaptation.

Personally I think its better than Hidden Fortress, The Lower Depths, and anything before Stray Dog, but it doesn't match up with his better films.
Reply
post #4 of 5
3/19/09 at 2:55am
It's been awhile since I watched any Kurosawa films. This one slipped thru the net. I need to create a list of films to start looking out for. Thanks for the heads up and a trip down memory lane for one of my favorite directors.
Reply
post #5 of 5
3/19/09 at 3:04am
I love this movie, probably one of my favorite Kurosawa flicks. I still remember watching it in college, and laughing my ass off at the one-take staredown duel, that ends with Tatsuya Nakadai getting popped like a tick [highlight for spoiler]. It wasn't until I read The Emperor and the Wolf that I learned why it happened that way.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home