Yojimbo (1961)

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A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town. (imdb)

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Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Written By: Akira Kurosawa, Ryûzô Kikushima

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Eijirô Tôno, Kamatari Fujiwara, Kô Nishimura, Daisuke Katô, Susumu Fujita, Seizaburô Kawazu, Isuzu Yamada, Yôko Tsukasa, Hiroshi Tachikawa

Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Crime, Action

Franchise: Yojimbo

Country: Japan

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Yojimbo belongs to 91 collections

1. Criterion Collection (collaborative: moderated by caffe - 166 stars)

2. IMDB Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 122 stars)

3. Roger Ebert: Great Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 80 stars)

4. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2008 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 39 stars)

5. Empire's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time (public: Ross - 36 stars)

6. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)

7. New York Times' The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 31 stars)

8. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)

9. Best of criticker: Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 26 stars)

10. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)

11. AAA: Empire's five star movies (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 24 stars)

12. IMDb Top 250 Complete (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 23 stars)

13. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)

14. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray) (collaborative: moderated by epiphany - 20 stars)

15. Best of criticker: Drama (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 18 stars)

16. Kinema Junpo 200 Greatest Japanese films (2009 list) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 17 stars)

17. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)

18. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)

19. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)

20. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 14 stars)

21. Samurai (collaborative: moderated by mpowell - 13 stars)

22. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

23. films101.com's 5 star films (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 11 stars)

24. International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 11 stars)

25. Criticker top 250 (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 11 stars)

26. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)

27. Best of criticker: Suspense / Thriller (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 9 stars)

28. Best of criticker: Crime (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 8 stars)

29. IMDb Top 250 (250 most recurrent) (public: sianaa - 8 stars)

30. Essential Samurai Films (collaborative: moderated by TheDenizen - 7 stars)

31. Black and White Photography (collaborative: moderated by JooJoo - 6 stars)

32. Great Fights (collaborative: moderated by doctor7 - 6 stars)

33. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)

34. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2007 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 4 stars)

35. IMDb Top of The 1960's (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 4 stars)

36. 19th century period film (collaborative: moderated by djross - 4 stars)

37. Great Japanese Films (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika - 4 stars)

38. Remade (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 4 stars)

39. Men+ (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 4 stars)

40. Average Percentile >70 (collaborative: moderated by peyrin - 4 stars)

41. TIME All-Time 100 (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 3 stars)

42. Sword Fight (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 3 stars)

43. Edward Copeland's Ray Memorial 100 (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 3 stars)

44. Best of criticker: Action (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 3 stars)

45. Full Unemployment Cinema (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 3 stars)

46. Criticker Top 100 Movies (collaborative: moderated by SpeedlimiT - 3 stars)

47. Japanese director (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 3 stars)

48. Criterion Collection (Blu-ray and 4K) (public: PepeCamello - 3 stars)

49. Djross film as art (public: djross - 3 stars)

50. Spike Lee's List Of Essential Films Every Filmmaker Must See (collaborative: moderated by comepelicula - 2 stars)

51. Top 2000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 2 stars)

52. imdb top 250 / 100% (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 1 star)

53. Moviedrome: Alex Cox (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 1 star)

54. Duology (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 1 star)

55. Halliwell's Four Star Films (collaborative: moderated by MacSwell - 1 star)

56. Moribunny finds this highly overrated (public: Moribunny - 1 star)

57. Chanbara (public: PerryStroika - 1 star)

58. Asian Cinema Experience: Styles, Spaces, Theory (public: ComradeSolar - 1 star)

59. IMDb Top 250 (2 years) (public: sianaa - 1 star)

60. Akira Kurosawa (public: kendell - 1 star)

61. IMDB Top 250 (public: Jason212 - 1 star)

62. The Greatest Movies of All Time - Filmweb's Alternative Top 500 (public: Hadleyreis - 1 star)

63. Ratings (collaborative: moderated by cheapthrills)

64. Kazuo Miyagawa - cinematographer (collaborative: moderated by JooJoo)

65. Jidaigeki (collaborative: moderated by tirefeet)

66. Films Available on Archive.org (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)

67. Available on Divicast (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)

68. Foreign films on Divicast (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)

69. Intended Viewings (public: Grit)

70. Foreign - Japanese (public: NhanLa)

71. Djross 1961 top ten (public: djross)

72. Films to get (public: Scelsi)

73. to watch [TG] (public: teckgecko)

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90. 90+ (public: Daria)

91. 1960s Mile High Club (public: Dunstan-xxx)

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
20	doctor7	99 _99th
Akira Kurosawa started the ground-breaking movie concept of the "anti-hero," played to absolute perfection by Toshiro Mifune as he uses sword fighting and political manipulation to force the two rival gangs to fight each other to death. Packed with larger than life characters whom you will never forget and teeming with Kurosawa's brilliant direction this movie is an absolute must for any film buff or samurai film fan.
9	terrymac	93 _99th
Mifune puts in a masterful performance as the crafty ronin out-thinking and out-fighting some unpleasant criminal types. The direction, editing and camerawork are exceptionally good, and the score is very effective. I haven't absorbed the source material yet, but enjoy seeing how Yojimbo has influenced other films. This is a truly great piece of work, undercut with some lively humour, and very rewatchable. The sequel is pretty good as well...
8	pompousass	100 _98th
Kurosawa's bloody-minded political parable about the struggle for supremacy in a godforsaken 17th-century rural village. The feudists on both sides are uniformly petty, pea-brained, and baboonish (the only thing protecting them from one another is their cowardice), and justice is done when an unemployed samurai wanders into their midst and capriciously slaughters them all.
6	MartinTeller	95 _98th
Mifune's great performance, dazzling camera compositions, wonderful score, and whiz-bang entertaining from start to finish. Perhaps the best pacing of any Kurosawa film. It really flies by and leaves you feeling completely satisfied.
6	Farzan	95 _96th
Yojimbo is an extremely well made film. The anti hero who is played by Toshiro Mifune is such an awesome and deeply texturized character that its really hard not to appreciate him. The action is intense, as well as the great performances from Mifune, and the townsfolk altogether. One thing that makes Yojimbo so special is how the Sanjuro character disposes of his enemies. Not only using brawn, but brains as well. It is just extremely clever and action packed. Better than a Fistfull of dollars.
6	frederic_g54	10 _97th
Nearly flawless and absolutely badass, Yojimbo evoked a wide range of indescribable feelings, that will linger in my mind for quite some time. Kurosawa's crafty direction and Mifune's spot on portrayal of the anti-hero are worth mentioning as well. This may be the most enjoyable film Kurosawa has ever made (and might I add, the best one). When I think of cinema in the future, I'll immediately think of Yojimbo. Highly recommended!
6	torontodog	100 _99th
Brilliant acting by Mifune and timely anti-capitalist themes make this a masterpiece of the action movie genre. There are so many tensions: corruption vs morality, greed vs self-sacrifice, the old samurai order vs the new gangster chaos, even the sword vs the gun. It's hardly a surprise when the streets are eventually filled with dead bodies. Endlessly entertaining.
6	Barthalen	92 _98th
If this isn't your cup of tea then you shouldn't be allowed near tea, ever. An absolute, completely badass classic.
5	Alex Watkins	4 _70th
Very entertaining and funny. This is my favorite Mifune performance, because he manages his usual dominant screen presence while also playing a more subtle character than his turns in, say, Seven Samurai or Rashomon. He's surprisingly restrained, especially given the nature of his character. As usual, Kurosawa is pitch-perfect behind the camera.
4	Pickpocket	9 _93rd
Mifune is always a joy to watch and here his performance is subtle and restrained. If you are expecting the same guy from Seven Samurai you won't get it, it's almost like a different actor. This movie is endlessly ripped off and it's easy to see why, it's excellent. Love the music and it looks really beautiful.
4	Nathan S	5 _93rd
One of the most important pieces of connective tissue. It exhibits the hallmarks of western genre trope, transmogrifies them into a weird and whimsical tornado of violence from which Italians would fashion their own westerns, and bears the standard for a golden age of sleek samurai films that would cascade out of Japan. Of course, all that has been written before, and so too has this: it's such an amusing film, packed with animated characters and virtuoso style. What more is there to be said?
4	BillyShears	100 _98th
Welp, see you later.
4	purgatos	94 _95th
The fact that it only took 3 years for a remake to get released says more than I can.
4	calharding	98 _99th
A beautifully shot Japanese crossover samurai film /spaghetti-western. Toshiro Mifune's acting is sublime as the indifferent but calculating Sanjuro. Korusawa makes every shot deliberate and significant and a story of a man at a crossroads after the collapse of the feudal system - perhaps mirroring Japan itself - is poignant and timeless. A sincere masterpiece.
4	TimeCapsule	93 _96th
Honestly, not only am I not well versed in the 'classics', I am especially ignorant of most "foreign" films. That said, I'm pretty sure I've never seen a Japanese movie that wasn't weird. So it seemed odd when the last two I saw didn't have any giant robot fighting monsters or some kinky sex stuff, but instead were all like cinematic and stuff. However, I didn't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a film history class to figure out that it might have something to do with this Kurosawa fella.
3	Magb	90 _85th
Kurosawa doing a western homage...? Where do I sign up? I want to sign up. Give me a pen.
3	Ronin167	100 _99th
A brilliantly shot film from Kurosawa. One of the films that best highlights his flair for imagery. Combined with Mifune's wonderful performance, "Yojimbo" is one of Kurosawa's best.
3	blayze	100 _98th
It isn't the deepest or most beautiful Kurosawa, but it's my favorite Kurosawa piece bar none. Sanjuro is a straight-up hustler, often acting Janus-faced.
3	Luna6ix	87 _93rd
This one is one of Kurosawa's most celebrated movies, and there's nothing wrong with that supposition, it's fantastic. It's a clever plot, interesting, and Mifune is great as always.
3	inhmn	99 _92nd
yo, jimbo ! A masterpiece - nothing more, nothing less ... Kurosawa after all
3	glumpy_99	99 _97th
Extraordinary samurai film, doubling as western, clear inspiration for Leone's Dollars movies (especially FISTFUL). Mifune is extraordinary as wandering samurai with no loyalties to anyone; supporting cast of Japanese actors equally fine (love the ruthless matriach of one of the rival clans!) Kurosawa shows why he is considered one of the masters of the medium, with this impeccably shot, directed, edited and scored masterpiece. Extraordinary work.
3	Insan3	94 _96th
As much as I love a Fistful of Dollars, Mifune's acting and Kurosawa's directing win out in the end. Mifune is amazing in the title role, with a completely different character from The Seven Samurai and arguably all the better for it. I see Clint owes a lot to this guy. The music is great, the dialogue is fantastic, and overall this is a movie that has aged extremely well. A well deserving classic.
3	mattorama12	87 _96th
Kurosawa and Mifune are likely cinema's greatest collaborators. Mifune's character is the ultimate badass, who wields his cunning as deftly as his blade. Probably the most purely entertaining Kurosawa film of the ones I've had the pleasure to see.
3	The Pirate	89 _90th
Better than Seven Samurai in my opinion. The stranger was an incredible character, balancing ingenuity in swordsmanship and strategy, but I was more taken by Unosuke, the one with the pistol. I can't remember a character I wanted to punch more than him; he made me sick with how infatuated he was with his gun. A perfect representation of cowardice disguised by a mask of power. Perfect villains, great story, quality action, I loved it!
2	NeuroticErot	93 _94th
badass
2	Kavu	90 _94th
Yet again timeless action by Kurosawa. Mifune is brilliant as one of the first anti-heroes ever.
2	chow25	95 _97th
Quick, entertaining film. Mifune can act!
2	baskil	94 _90th
Funny, intense, action-packed masterpiece.
2	CinematicESP	95 _96th
Kurosawa + Mifune = a masterpiece every single time. Compelling storyline, classic western style, and tons of fun.
2	Nickoten	100 _96th
Mifune's best, for me. Seven Samurai is epic and innovative and all that, but nothing in there beats the way Mifune plays Sanjuro. Still my favorite Kurosawa movie.
2	nilkynarfy	99 _98th
Filmed and financed entirely in Japan. The writer/director's Japanese. The protagonist is a samurai, the antagonists include sake brewers and geisha pimps. This is one of the greatest American crime films of all time.
2	Stain	60 _47th
Not bad, but somehow I just don't care that much about this samurai stuff. Is Sanjuro really the first anti-hero, like another review here claims? Hasn't doctor7 ever seen _This Gun For Hire_ (1942)?
2	vesupria	9 _95th
Whilst it's not as sensationally epic as some of his more highly regarded films, it's an intriguing game of cat and mouse (possibly two cats and one mouse, if you like). Mifune is great in this one, as usual. His presence is at times astounding. He's not one for many words, but he delivers some classic, and indeed, highly influential lines. Again Kurosawa delivers, perhaps more minimalistic than usual, but the end result is still great to look at.
2	4rchmage	90 _75th
I love Fist Full of Dollars, but I love Yojimbo considerably more! Well framed shots, excellent pacing, and a classic plot- amazing film making!
2	filmspit	100 _90th
For those who see Yojimbo for the first time, after watching Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" many times throughout the years, it is surprising to see how faithful a remake "Dollars" is. Story, main character (man with no name), and final showdown (wind blowing dusts and all) will never feel original. The fact is, Yojimbo is the original, and its influence over Leone's westerns or any following example of western genre is real.
2	avinash	92 _86th
This movie is baller. One of Mifune's best roles. You can see the inspiration for Sergio Leone's The Man With No Name. Everything about this film is fucking great, and the strategy used is classic (Pit your enemies against each other, let them destroy one another).
2	UniqueName	92 _95th
Depends on the day, sometimes this is my favorite Akira Kurosawa...
2	letskillrobots	34 _97th
Think of it as the prequel to every spaghetti western
2	omgfridge	9 _92nd
Is it wrong to prefer 'A Fistful of Dollars'? This is still a very good movie, I just happen to like the plot more in a cowboy environment then in a samurai one.
2	CRAYON	99 _99th
This movie has everything, and I loved everything it had. The action, humor, suspense, everything. The setting and characters are all very cool and fun to watch, and they are filmed beautifully. Mifune plays the part of Sanjuro the ronin to perfection. Yojimbo is the best samurai film ever. Sorry Seven Samurai.
2	SirStuckey	90 _94th
In what very well may be the first action comedy ever made, Yojimbo is a darkly humorous tale about an anti-hero who plays two gangs off each other in an attempt to rid the town of both. Mifune is great as is Kurosawa's direction. The action was pretty good considering the time period, and the story was perfect. This would not be a bad choice for people wanting to watch there first Kurosawa flick, as it's easily the most watchable of this films.
2	billkerwin	92 _89th
Mifune defines the samurai in this cynical thriller.
2	SeanBerndorff	70 _53rd
Japanese samurai western... yeah why not.
2	Jerky	65 _83rd
Moral of the story: Never trust a samurai
2	Paxton	82 _90th
Man I wish they could have filmed this story in the time of guns.
2	backwardsuit	92 _98th
Most fun to be had in Kurosawa's cinema. 100% inspired filmmaking all around with awesome score, great script, Mifune at his best, brilliant cinematography, lightning bolt action, witty comedy, impeccable directing, beautiful sets, fun surreal details, delightfully dark tone, iconic characters, spot on pacing, simple yet thrilling narrative... I could just go on and on but you get the point.
1	Moribunny	53 _41st
A bit tedious and totally overrated. Leone's Western remake to this ("A Fistful of Dollars") is much better, even in terms of photography and music which are Yojimbo's strengths.
1	TheDenizen	95 _98th
Superb samurai drama with solid characters, humor and action, highlighted by great performances from Tatsuya Nakadai and Toshiro Mifune. A classic picture which has been remade a half dozen times at least.
1	grimsooth	76 _83rd
I watched this movie 47 years after it's release, and easily could have been the inspiration for every western since it's creation. It would be an odd coincidence if this movie isn't widely copied, since it's virtually a template for the crime lord/vigilante flick. Somehow though, everything else really does feel like a copy, and this movie is good in it's own right.
1	TheDiceman	80 _95th
One of the best samurai films ever.
1	Ytadel	8 _93rd
The samurai film meets the Western right in the middle. A bit more lighthearted than the usual Kurosawa fare, but with proper bursts of action and Mifune doing the same badass anti-hero character type Clint Eastwood would later come to dominate (indeed, in a remake of this very film). And it ends with a pistol versus sword showdown for the ages. Nice.
1	martryn	95 _97th
Classic film. Original badass. Clint Eastwood was good and all, but this is the original, and it's damn good.
1	Anomaly	93 _97th
A western samurai film? Hell yeah. Mifune is awesome, and practically carries the entire thing.
1	WoozyB	95 _94th
One of Kurosawa's greats.
1	psychedelicr	90 _85th
Kurosawa is a master!
1	tathiel	92 _98th
For me it is Kurosawa's best movie. The character concept is great and Toshirô Mifune is absolutely stunning in his performance. Maybe he embodies the coolest guy in cinema history.
1	Bmunise	95 _80th
Kurosawa adapting Dashiel Hammet to samurai films, which in turn was adapted into western films, which in turn was adapted into sci-fi films.
1	Ocelot	80 _89th
Jesus Christ, this movie is confusing. Great, but confusing.
1	robosapien	7 _60th
Kurosawa makes something like Coen-Bros or Tarantino cinema where there isn't any soul in it. I don't feel fucking anything watching what few movies by him I've seen. But ah well, Mifune is cool and makes the whole thing enjoyable. I like gun vs. swords, that's good stuff.
1	Kiralio	100 _98th
5/5
1	FrankHowley	85 _90th
Really good. The action scenes are surprisingly very badass.
1	Rufam	75 _72nd
"Yojimbo" is a western set in the East, with swords instead of pistols. Kurosawa's violent tale has proved vastly influential and is widely acknowledged as inspiration for the Spaghetti Western. And although it is definitely outdated now, and I occasionally found myself rather bored, you can't deny its sheer visceral power. The innovative cinematography, the terrific soundtrack and Mifune's seminal performance enhance that. The final bloodbath is just some brilliant filmmaking.
1	ribcage	95 _97th
It is most definitely a masterpiece and should be seen by everyone for its expert use of frankly every aspect of film... Sight sounds score performance. So why no 100 from me? Because Im a monster and for overall entertainment value i still prefer Fistful of Dollars and Eastwood.
1	bof	92 _98th
"Two coffins." Thud. "Make that three."
1	lex	95 _91st
With its mysterious-cool hero and sharp pacing, Yojimbo is Kurosawa's finest entry in pure entertainment. The Western genre inspiration this took from and influence it would carry on to have in the form of Leone westerns and their stylistic counterparts/successors make it a relevant work and easy recommendation.
1	lisa-	7 _92nd
another great kurosawa film that is about the death of the japanese old west: what use is good swordsmanship if someone has a gun?
1	MacSwell	85 _86th
Mifune is exceptional as the mysterious anti-hero who cunningly plays two cowardly gangs against one another. The supporting cast excel in impressively distinctive roles and the cinematography is superb, and even though it's too drawn out at times, this makes the explosive action - most notably the spectacular finale - all the more satisfying. Kurosawa shows immense attention to detail throughout.
1	tuerda	93 _93rd
The entire "western" genre of movies is basically nothing but Yojimbo plagiarism. This movie did it first and best, and comes from much further east than you would expect. John Wayne be damned, Mifune is the only true cowboy!
1	RottenT	97 _93rd
As effortlessly engaging as it is widely influential, Yojimbo represents Kurosawa at the peak of his powers -- and lays the groundwork for the modern American western.

Average Percentile 76.93% from 3708 Ratings