52-53 Yojimbo and Sanjuro

Discuss releases by Criterion and the films on them. Threads may contain spoilers!
Post Reply
Message
Author
Martha
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:53 pm
Location: all up in thurr

52-53 Yojimbo and Sanjuro

#1 Post by Martha » Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:44 pm

Yojimbo

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/1795/Yojimbo_wrap-1_w100.jpg[/img]

The incomparable Toshiro Mifune stars in Akira Kurosawa’s visually stunning and darkly comic Yojimbo. To rid a terror-stricken village of corruption, wily masterless samurai Sanjuro turns a range war between two evil clans to his own advantage. Remade twice, by Sergio Leone (A Fistful of Dollars) and Walter Hill (Last Man Standing), this exhilarating genre-twister remains one of the most influential and entertaining films ever produced. Criterion is proud to present this Kurosawa favorite in a new, high-definition digital transfer.

Disc Features

- All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Optional Dolby Digital 3.0 soundtrack, preserving the original Perspecta simulated-stereo effects
- Audio commentary by film historian and Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
- A 45-minute documentary on the making of Yojimbo, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
- Theatrical trailer and teaser
- Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Alexander Sesonske and notes from Kurosawa and his cast and crew

Original DVD:
Criterionforum.org user rating averages

Feature currently disabled

New DVD:
Criterionforum.org user rating averages

Feature currently disabled

Sanjuro

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/1792/Sanjuro_wrap-1_w100.jpg[/img]

Toshiro Mifune swaggers and snarls to brilliant comic effect in Akira Kurosawa’s tightly paced, beautifully composed Sanjuro. In this sly companion piece to Yojimbo, the jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan’s evil influences, and in the process turns their image of a “proper” samurai on its ear. Less brazen in tone than its predecessor but just as engaging, this classic character’s return is a masterpiece in its own right, now presented in a new high-definition digital transfer.

Disc Features

- All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Optional Dolby Digital 3.0 soundtrack, preserving the original Perspecta simulated-stereo effects
- Audio commentary by film historian and Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
- A 35-minute documentary on the making of Sanjuro, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
- Theatrical trailer and teaser
- Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow and notes and statements from Kurosawa and his cast and crew

Original DVD:
Criterionforum.org user rating averages

Feature currently disabled

New DVD:
Criterionforum.org user rating averages

Feature currently disabled

User avatar
exte
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:27 pm
Location: NJ

#2 Post by exte » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:57 pm

Courtesy of Google's cache, here are two key posts from the old ezboard forum:
dvdane wrote:As Kurosawa expanded the borders and rewrote the "rules" for genre, he also reexamined the nature of the ronin. I think its unfair to view the ronin protagonists as "bad-ass doesnt-give-a-damn-but-really-cares hero", as the character motivation is based on Kurosawa reexamine the nature of the samurai/ronin.

In Tokugawa Japan caste was an integrated part of society. According to Shinokosho, the four major classes were samurai, peasant, artisan and merchant. Anyone not part of these classes were heimin (commoners) and had basicly no rights, not even the right to a family name. The ronin was considered the top class of the lowest caste system, of which chori (outcasts) and hinin (nonman, beggers, prostitutes).

Kurosawa saw the ronin as a stray dog and creates an equivalent index to Sanjuro, as he crosses the path of a dog carring a human hand in its jaws. Kurosawa further illustrates Sanjuro as a man guided by fate, as he follows the path "dictated" by the falling stick.

Another addition by Kurosawa is, that his ronin protagonist(s) cant gain satisfaction by any action. In "Seven Samurai" we learn, that the old ronin "is preparing a battle that wont bring neither fame nor money" and that the battle ultimatively brinds defeat. In "Yojimbo" Sanjuro, after returning to settle the score, gains nothing by it. Without social awareness, actions means nothing. And as Sanjuro is torn between the two classes of samurai and ronin, he cannot find neither satisfaction nor any fullfillment by his actions. His swords weild with the same "reason" as the road he wanderes; They are guided by fate, by chance, by randomness.
Mr sausage wrote:Kurosawa was challanging the traditional notions of the samurai with Sanjuro. Not only is the character lazy and greedy, but he also seems to enjoy killing. He takes pleasure in taking out an entire city just for profit. Yet Sanjuro isn't really a "doesn't give a damn but really cares" hero. It's not that he doesn't care, he is just more interested in his own self preservation. Even with this in mind, he still has some sense of values. When he saves the family, it is because the two gangs so offend his values that he feels those being hurt by them should be helped. That's what makes him better then the gangs he is trying to destroy.

He is also challenging the traditional notion of the samurai in the movie Sanjuro. Kurosawa shows that the traditional ways of the samurai can no longer succeed in the more modern world. The group of young warriors follow the values and beliefs of the samurai and its codes. Yet each time they follow those traditions they are almost killed. It's Sanjuro, the samurai who lacks all these traditional values, that saves them.

User avatar
kortik
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: Seattle

#3 Post by kortik » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:33 am

wow what happen to all the other post that was here before is it all lost?

User avatar
Dorian Gray
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:38 am
Contact:

#4 Post by Dorian Gray » Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:50 am

By the way, here's a link to my Criterion vs R4 comparison for Yojimbo.

Eclisse
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:29 pm

#5 Post by Eclisse » Wed Apr 13, 2005 1:56 pm

Dorian Gray wrote:By the way, here's a link to my Criterion vs R4 comparison for Yojimbo.
Yes. The Hidden Fortress is the only "solid" dvd from criterion's 4 Samurai Classics boxset.

DVD Beaver Sanjuro comparison.

Criterion desperately needs to reissue the box set or/ Seven Samurai as a single release and Yojimbo / Sanjuro as a double feature.

User avatar
lord_clyde
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2004 4:22 am
Location: Ogden, UT

#6 Post by lord_clyde » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:18 pm

Roger Ebert has just added Yojimbo to his ever growing list of 'Great Movies'. About fucking time.

User avatar
kortik
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: Seattle

#7 Post by kortik » Thu Apr 14, 2005 2:14 pm

but when are they going to reissue.Its always a time consuming thing

User avatar
lord_clyde
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2004 4:22 am
Location: Ogden, UT

#8 Post by lord_clyde » Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:43 am

A lone mercenary wanders into a desolate town overrun by rival gangs. This mercenary decides to play both sides against each other for profit. But when he rescues an innocent woman, his life is in danger and he must use his extraordinary killing abilities to, er, kill everyone. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars, and Last Man Standing in luminous transfers (For real this time) and the same Walter Hill commentary playing over all three films (with certain names dubbed when necessary, e.g. "Bruce" would be dubbed by Stephen Prince as "Toshiro" or "Clint"). Also features a trailer for Die Hard.

User avatar
Kristoffer4
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 6:55 pm
Location: Aarhus DK

#9 Post by Kristoffer4 » Sun Jun 05, 2005 6:45 pm

Just saw Yojimbo tonight again and boy it is begging for rerelease! A proper framed 16:9 with clean up done by Lowry thank you! Is this even on the rumor list?

User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

#10 Post by zedz » Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:57 pm

Hope it's a 3 -disc release a la Scenes from a Marriage, Leopard, etc...
I think Criterion's finicky numbering system would preclude the box-set treatment, though it's the obvious way to go.

User avatar
kortik
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: Seattle

#11 Post by kortik » Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:18 am

We look forward to re-releasing SEVEN SAMURAI, YOJIMBO, and SANJURO in 2006. These releases may well include Toho Masterworks programs.
good news, but what to do w/previous releases that I already own? more money to spend again dang it.

User avatar
bjeggert82
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:36 pm
Location: www.deepfocusreview.com
Contact:

#12 Post by bjeggert82 » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:16 pm

Hope it's a 3 -disc release a la Scenes from a Marriage, Leopard, etc...
I disagree. I think they are both films that deserve to stand alone as each a whole. Packaging them together in my mind doesn't do them justice as individual films in my mind.

Anyone else agree/disagree?

User avatar
FilmFanSea
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:37 pm
Location: Portland, OR

#13 Post by FilmFanSea » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:56 pm

Artistically, both films may 'deserve' to stand alone but, from a marketing perspective, Criterion would be smart to release them together. Since most potential buyers will already own the previous releases, they will entice many more people to upgrade by offering a 3-disc boxset priced at, say, $49.95 or $59.95, than to release each as a stand-alone special edition priced at $39.95.

Besides, Yojimbo and Sanjuro are far more suitable box-mates than many films in other Criterion sets.

Ted Todorov
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:00 pm

#14 Post by Ted Todorov » Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:24 pm

zedz wrote:I think Criterion's finicky numbering system would preclude the box-set treatment, though it's the obvious way to go.
Why??? The Antoine Doinel box features spine number 5 (400 Blows) and 185-188. Obviously there are no spine number rules.

Ted

User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

#15 Post by zedz » Wed Dec 07, 2005 4:42 pm

Wow, there seems to be a lot of talk about Criterion's numbering system lately. The Doinel box does indeed contain one out of sequence number, but that's a far cry from a release in which the discs are numbered 52 and 53 and the box which contains them is numbered 346 or something.

My prediction is that Criterion will release the new versions individually but also make them available as a "collector's set" (since they're so keen on Samurai-themed collector's sets), thereby sidestepping the box numbering issue.

The Tati box could go either way. At least there should be a couple of new titles included, so it will be more like the Doinel situation where the box number is associated with at least some of its contents.

Are we nerds or what? Help, I think my pocket protector has sprung a leak!

User avatar
toiletduck!
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 5:43 pm
Location: The 'Go
Contact:

#16 Post by toiletduck! » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:10 pm

Seeing as how the three announced rereleases already make up 75% of a current gift set, wouldn't it make sense for Criterion to slightly retool (prolly a new price) the current set to match the new releases?

-Toilet Dcuk

User avatar
kortik
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: Seattle

#17 Post by kortik » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:40 am

I dont like box sets but Seven Samurai should be a 3 or more disk.

Yojimbo and Sanjuro I would still buy even if there are separeat for $40 each.

User avatar
porquenegar
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:33 pm

#18 Post by porquenegar » Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:39 pm

kortik wrote:wow what happen to all the other post that was here before is it all lost?
Sadly lost during the last crash. I mourn the loss of information but because I thought it was a particularly informative thread ranging from the details of what is wrong with the transfers to the practice of lacquering teeth.

User avatar
skuhn8
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 4:46 pm
Location: Chico, CA

#19 Post by skuhn8 » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:54 am

The only reason I could see for NOT packaging them together is if one would consider buying one and not the other...which is quite absurd IMO. As far as a combined package compromising the integrity of the film...well, that's ridiculous. It's packaging, convenience...not a slam.

User avatar
blindside8zao
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:31 pm
Location: Greensboro, NC

#20 Post by blindside8zao » Wed Sep 06, 2006 9:32 pm

where the hell did these go? Early 07 now?

User avatar
bjeggert82
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:36 pm
Location: www.deepfocusreview.com
Contact:

#21 Post by bjeggert82 » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:33 pm

blindside8zao wrote:where the hell did these go? Early 07 now?
They haven't announced December titles yet... there's still hope.

j. alfred prufrock
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:02 pm

#22 Post by j. alfred prufrock » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:55 pm

It looks like these won't be coming this year. A real shame. And the promised! Sorry- I guess that is a bit childish. There is hope that it will still be announced in the next day or two, but not likely. December is usually a light month and what they have announced so far seems about right. Please let it be January-I would also really love these to be packaged together. It just makes sense and would strenghten the tie between the films.

User avatar
bjeggert82
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:36 pm
Location: www.deepfocusreview.com
Contact:

#23 Post by bjeggert82 » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:10 pm

It's really, REALLY disappointing that these weren't announced today. I don't think it's childish to say, "They promised!" That's what I was thinking.

Personally, I don't want them to be packaged together, because they're both masterpieces in their own right and deserve individual recognition. Perhaps a mini-boxed set with two individually packaged discs...

But, I suppose the delay allows for the vast improvements, hopefully liken to those made with the awe-inspiring Seven Samurai re-release, we'd all expect from Criterion.

User avatar
tavernier
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:18 pm

#24 Post by tavernier » Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:24 am

Charles Taylor in a fall DVD preview column in The New York Observer, out this week:
The Criterion Collection, the gold standard for all DVD releases, continues its seemingly never-ending release of treasures. The Sept. 5 upgrading of Akira Kurosawa's epic The Seven Samurai will be followed in early December by newly remastered versions of Kurosawa's wonderful collaborations with Toshiro Mifune, Yojimbo and its sequel, Sanjuro.

User avatar
keeproductions
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:45 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

#25 Post by keeproductions » Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:25 pm

The new issue of Premiere (Daniel Craig on cover) has a full-page Criterion advert for Seven Samurai and much of their Kurosawa output. At the bottom of the very eye-catching page is the following:

COMING SOON: Glorious new special editions of Kurosawa's Samurai classics Yojimbo and Sanjuro.

FWIW.

Post Reply