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3 items from 2010

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James Reviews Akira Kurosawa’s Sanjuro Blu-ray Re-release [Criterion Collection New Releases]

18 May 2010 10:04 PM, PDT | CriterionCast | See recent CriterionCast news »

The story of the wandering ronin is back once again with the Akira Kurosawa’s underrated 1962 gem “Sanjuro“, a sequel to the wonderful film “Yojimbo”. Toshiro Mifune reprises his role of Sanjuro, just appearing on the screen when the nine samurai are discussing their struggle with the ‘bad’ elders in their clan. Sanjuro just pops up from another room and of course, with his amazing wit, is already involved in the scheme of things. As with the previous film, he somehow finds a way to play the role of ‘anti-hero’ with a wonderful bravado only Mifune knows how to exude on screen. This time around he takes the name Tsubaki Sanjūrō, which translates to “Thirty year-old Camellia Tree”, a little nod to the joke in the first one where he took the name of a nearby plant. And he also adds, like in the first film, that he ‘is almost forty though. »

- James McCormick

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Criterion New Release Tuesday – March 23, 2010 – Bigger than Life, Kurosawa and Malick on Blu-ray! [Criterion Collection New Releases]

22 March 2010 4:58 PM, PDT | CriterionCast | See recent CriterionCast news »

Ah Tuesdays, when our new release thirst is quenched yet again.

This week from Criterion we get some more Akira Kurosawa on Blu-ray, in the form of the re-released Yojimbo and Sanjuro, in both boxed, and non-boxed form. Also receiving a re-release on Blu-ray is Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven. We recently reported a rumor that The Thin Red Line would be receiving the Criterion Blu-ray treatment, and I can safely say that after overhearing some chatter at SXSW, it’s more than just a rumor. Finally, we’re treated to an incredible performance by James Mason in Nicholas Ray’s Bigger than Life, on both DVD and Blu-ray.

All of these releases are packed with supplemental materials, showing the DVD and Blu-ray world that Criterion will remain a name to be reckoned with, no matter how much online streaming increases.

You can find our initial post, announcing these March Releases here. »

- Ryan Gallagher

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Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo – Criterion Collection #52 [Criterion Blu-ray Review]

19 March 2010 6:13 PM, PDT | CriterionCast | See recent CriterionCast news »

“You idiot, I’m not giving up yet. Theres a bunch of guys I have to kill first!”

So says Toshiro Mifune as the traveling ronin Sanjuro in Akira Kurosawa’s 1961 jidaigeki film Yojimbo. Mifune stars as Kuwabatake Sanjuro (which means Mulberry Field thirty-year-old, but he tends to take the surname from whatever plant is near him at the time of giving his name). Even though this is a period film with a master less samurai who travels from town to town, looking for food and drink, it feels as if it’s from a time that never was.

Sanjuro finds out the town is overrun by two warring factions, one led by Seibei who is the town brothel owner and the other led by Ushitora, the sake brewer. They’ve been at odds for many years and there seems to be no end in sight from the endless killing »

- James McCormick

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3 items from 2010

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