Eastfist

Yojimbo (1961) Review

By Chongchen Saelee

“Yojimbo” is my second favorite Akira Kurosawa film after “Seven Samurai”. Yojimbo means bodyguard in Japanese. It may seem like star Toshiro Mifune is playing the same nameless archetype, but they are indeed two different characters. In “Yojimbo”, Mifune plays a nameless wandering ronin (a masterless samurai) who is pushing 40 years old and stone broke looking for odd jobs or killing men for rice and sake. He wanders into a small village where two rivals gangs are fighting for control over the silk and sake productions.

The movie opens with the nameless ronin wandering aimlessly, he even picks up a branch and tosses it and whichever direction it points to is where he’s going. Along the way, he spots a young man arguing with his father about wanting to become a “gambler” because they make money, drink sake and dress in nice silk. He wants to live it up and die young, not live at home and work on a farm eating porridge, against his father’s wishes. In movie storytelling, it’s a small useless scene… or is it?

After a sniveling crooked constable (the equivalent of the town sheriff) alerts him how to make some quick ryo (money in ancient Japan), he goes to meet up with a local big shot. When asked what his name is, being nameless, he peers out into an open field of mulberry grass and names himself after it as “Kuwabatake Sanjuro” or Sanjuro for short. (more…)

Check out Glico’s Pretz savory snacks. They are most well-known for making Pocky, their sweet snacks. This is one of a handful of reviews of Pretz flavors. Keep your eyes peeled!

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By Chongchen Saelee

Gareth Edwards is a talented director if you’ve just learned that this is only his second major motion picture. But I being a heavy consumer of all-things American, I spotted too much of the same-o-same-o to really be too impressed. (more…)

Say whaaaaaaaaaat? (more…)

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. Originally released in Japan, 1987. DVD technical details: Special Edition Collector’s Tin (2-Discs), 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, Color, English 5.1 (new translation) and Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround sound; Distributed by Pioneer; MPAA Rating: R (for re-release);

Yamagata readies to inflict pain on a rival gang member.