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The collision of Japan's two most famous cinematic swordsmen--Shintarô Katsu's blind masseur, gambler, and rascally hero Ichi and Toshiro Mifune's unnamed wandering mercenary and scruffy antihero who goes by the appellation Yojimbo (which means, simply, bodyguard)--makes this one of the most riveting chapters in Zatoichi's long-running saga. Not quite friends and not really enemies, the rival swordsmen meet in a once-peaceful village caught between rival gangs, a swarm of government spies, and a fortune in stolen gold. Director Kihachi Okamoto gives Yojimbo a marvelous ambiguity that Mifune invests with a grubby sense of honor, whether growling and drinking and stirring things up or fearlessly strolling through the climactic gang war, dispatching attackers with a swipe and a grimace. But if the story belongs to Yojimbo, the film is Zatoichi's: his minor scams and clowning demeanor hide a reluctant warrior and a tragic hero. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Samurai movie fan must see.
If your a Toshiro Mifune fan or a Shintaro Katsu fan this movie will be entertaining. If you happen to be both, like myself, you'll find it fascinating.

Comparing this film to the likes of Yojimbo, Aka Hige, or The 7 Samurai isn't really appropriate. It would be like Classic American Western to Spaghetti Western, both are western genre but not really comparable.

Toshiro Mifune (the bodyguard) and Shintaro Katsu (the blind masseur Ichi) hook up as opportunists playing two yakusa syndicates against each other. Does this sound familiar?

The predictable theme and general story line lets the really subtle relationship build between Ichi and the Yojimbo. It evolves to be a bit more complex and fun than the typical Japanese morality play.

Excellent Movie
I loved this movie and found it very entertaining. I don't know what the other reviewer was griping about but Toshiro Mifune's character was very much like his hard drinking, money grubbing of a samurai in Yojimbo. The performance of both lead actors was enough to keep me watching the entire movie with total interest.

Great DVD of a fun movie!
This DVD is absolutely worth getting!

The picture quality is fantastic and the movie is fun too. Katsu Shintaro turns in his usualy good performance as Zatoichi, and Toshiro Mifune is always fun to watch, especially in roles similar to Yojimbo.

This DVD has some good extras, great video, and good audio. Add all that to a good film, and there's no reason not to buy this DVD!

Be warned!
First things first, for those that are concerned (and I'm sure you will be as I was), Toshiro Mifune is NOT playing the Yojimbo character from the Kurosawa movies. The title is purely a cash-in, though I'm not sure if it is for the modern Western market or the original title translates as such and was designed to con the Japanese market. The only other film I know of where Mifune genuinely plays the Yojimbo character is "Ambush at Blood Pass" which was the film the both actors completed after this one. In all respects, this is a bad film sadly. It has a few nice moments but its clear this was a commercial venture utilising the two most famous male Japanese actors and characters at the time. In all honesty, I know little about the Zatoichi character, but imagine that the original film must be far superior to this. I couldn't really recommend this film to anyone unless you're a hardcore fan of Japanese Cinema or of the two actors. There are many, many better films of the genre to choose from. Even "Ambush at Blood Pass" which is not a great film is still significantly superior to this one. "Zatoichi versus Yojimbo", like many Japanese films of the time seems confused over what audience its aiming at. The result is an unsatisfactory soup of part comedy, part slasher, part period drama, part morality tale which limps from moment to moment. As said previously, some of these scenes are nice in themselves, but the overall effect is somewhat bland with some scenes almost cringe-worthy. For the uninitiated, always try a Kurosawa film first, if not (and you are interested in Samurai films from an historical perspective) then you may prefer to look at the films of Mizoguchi or Kobyashi. If you just want to see a good samurai flick with Mifune in it, then you may want to look at films such as "Red Lion", "Samurai Assassin" or "Samurai Banners" which are more rounded films and are currently available. As said, I don't know much about Zatoichi, but I would imagine the original and early films are better than this one and worth the effort. Still, I hope this proves useful, it would have saved me money!

entertaining for the Toshiro Mifune/Samurai flick fan
Not your typical action movie. Fights scenes aren't spectacular but enjoyable. Must be able to pay attention to the not-so-obvious plot advancing scenes. If you are into Toshiro Mifune/Samurai movie, you will enjoy this long but entertaining movie ... Read more

Description

Legendary/notorious Japanese novelist and cultural icon Yukio Mishima makes a rare screen appearance as Takeo, a young yakuza who reluctantly leaves prison to re-enter a dizzying world of kidnappings, attempted assassinations, attacks and retaliations. Torn by family duty, self-preservation, and his desire for his new-found love Yoshie (Ayako Wakao, "Manji"), Takeo blasts and bluffs his way through this treacherous maze until he finds he can no longer outrun destiny. Japanese New Wave master Yasuzo Masumura propels this delirious, fast paced yakuza satire with a jazzy score, eye-popping visuals, and a trademark sense of the absurd. Fantoma is proud to present "Afraid to Die" for the first time in the US. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Well...
It's not _bad_, exactly, but I never would have sat through to the end if Mishima hadn't been in it. Overall, I think his performance is pretty solid, and so are the others in the film, but it's not really spectacular; there are better yakuza films out there. Any fan of Mishima should definitely see it, though, for novelty's sake, and bear witness to just how incredibly skinny his legs were.

A flawless gangster epic
I was a bit skeptical of a movie featuring novelist Mishima as an actor, but he carries the lead with a swagger. Think of a cross between Bogart and Sean Penn. The story never misses a beat; you will be gripped by its gaudy brilliance right to the end. Visually, this is an excellent transfer to DVD. The sound can be a bit muddy at times, but it never distracts. Great stuff! ... Read more

Description

The dutiful, unhappy wife of a lawyer falls in love with a young, mysterious woman she encounters at an art class. Soon their affair involves her husband and the young woman's impotent lover and the four slowly descend into web of desire, deceit, blackmail, blood oaths and suicide pacts. Featuring superb performances and director Yasuzo Masumura's stunning visual precision, this exquisitely wrought tale of erotic obsession is a hothouse of tangled passions and over the top emotion. Fantoma is proud to present this landmark film for the first time in the US. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Obsession and annihilation
I was originally interested in this movie because two of my favorite Japanese actresses were in it, Ayako Wakao and Kyoko Kishida. I had also read Tanizaki's book upon which this movie is based, so I was curious to see film director Yasuzo Masumura's interpretation. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Movies about lesbian love and twisted sexual affairs may seem tame in today's world. But keep in mind this film was made in 1964, and in Japan no less! The plot centers around Mitsuko and her efforts to emotionally control her male and female lovers. This movie is erotically charged without being exploitive. There is very little nudity. What Masumura gives us is a very good portrayal of how sexual obsession can lead to annihilation. The acting is outstanding. This is a hard movie to classify, but it's definitely one that leaves an impression.

Strangely affecting
This film was the second Masumura film that I saw. Like "Giants and Toys", the film feels broad for its first half. The acting feels a little bit overwrought, but by the end of the film, the character's plight actually resonates. The film is based on a Tanizaki novel, so while there is a bit of "erotic" content, it's not cheap or exploitative. The booklet contains an excellent essay with cultural background for the film and analysis by a film scholar that I found useful.

For the record, Manji is the name of that swastika looking symbol on the front cover. (It has nothing to do with Nazism. It's a Buddhist symbol.) Recommended for fans of Japanese Cinema. ... Read more