Akira Kurosawa's Sanjuro Review
"Centipede vs. Goldfish Dung"
Sanjuro, released just a year after its predecessor Yojimbo, involves more Samurai culture, is a little more overtly humorous, and features a broader story compared to the first yojimbo film.
The English introduction in the first film Yojimbo implies that a ronin-like existence is the norm for Samurai of this era. In the sequel we find Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune) getting accidentally involved in the political intrigue of an established and organized Samurai clan. It seems that Japanese Samurai communities throughout Japan have not completely dissolved after all.
This film has a lush feeling in comparison to the first yojimbo movie as it takes place in a vaster arena with more diverse sets. I still suggest starting with Yojimbo as your first yojimbo film selection. Yojimbo has a more efficient and simple story that results in a much more memorable film and a better introduction to the yojimbo character.
Sanjuro is lighter in feeling and not as significant a film as Yojimbo, but it is similarly entertaining in many parts. If you enjoyed the first film as much as I did, you will very likely enjoy this one. Sanjuro has many non-explicit sword fighting scenes like Yojimbo. There is only one exception to the non-explicit rule with Sanjuro. The final fight scene features a short geyser eruption of black and white blood after a very short fight scene. In black and white it is not nearly as unpleasant as it would have been in color. The geyser is perhaps also a little unintentionally comical in its exceptional ferocity.
Toshiro Mifune’s character Sanjuro is not as alone in his exploits in this film as he was in Yojimbo. In this movie he has found an empty temple to sleep in overnight. He ends up overhearing the conversations of nine young Samurai who are all worried about traitors and conspirators within their clan.
The earnest but clueless nine make a wrong assumption about the identity of their enemy, and Toshiro Mifune’s Sanjuro steps out of the shadows to reveal where they are going wrong in their thinking.
The rest of the movie features Sanjuro assisting and saving these hapless young Samurai from their own poor judgment, and eventually solving the Samurai clan’s problems by exposing the traitors.
This action packed film ends as the first movie did, with Toshiro Mifune saying, “Abayo,” and then marching off down the road, presumably to yet another adventure. (Japanese language students may want to read my explanation of the unusual word abayo at the end of this review.)
Though Sanjuro is certainly not in the same category of excellence or nearly as distinctive and memorable as Yojimbo, it is still a substantially entertaining film and serves up a welcome dose of Mifune's yojimbo coolness.
Savage Japan Misc. Tidbits
The actor Tatsuya Nakadai, who played the only character wielding a gun in the Yojimbo film, returns here to Sanjuro in the role of bad guy Muroto. It is surprising to see Nakadai's face and psychotic stare show up again with Sanjuro after just seeing Nakadai's character die in the first yojimbo film, especially if you watched them back to back as I just did. Nakadai did seem well-suited to both roles though, and he was enjoyable to watch.
It has been a few years since I last watched A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars more, but as I recall there was a similar recycled bad guy actor in those movies. Coincidence I'm sure, but interesting. A Fistful of Dollars is known for being modeled after Yojimbo.
This film's preview trailer is not really any better than the Yojimbo trailer as I referenced in that film's review, and I recommend watching it only after viewing the movie. However, I really do suggest watching Sanjuro's preview trailer at some point, even if for only one funny alternate translation it provides. In one scene in the movie, Mifune's character refers to the nine young Samurai following him as if they are a centipede. It is amusing in the context of the film. In the trailer however, that line is translated as a possibly more literal, "Following him around like a trail of goldfish dung." I will try to determine what is really being said there later. Please email me if you have any ideas about it.
Also, somewhat oddly, camera angles that would be unusable in the film, sort of like behind the scenes footage, are used in the preview trailer. Only one of those shots really seems to make sense for use in the preview. That shot features one likely staged or play acting sequence of Kurosawa directing. It has been speculated by others that weak footage was used in this preview because of a rush to get the preview out before the promotions department had full access to the main footage.
Special Note
If you are considering acquiring this film and do not already own Yojimbo, I highly recommend the Criterion Collection special two movie set (Amazon link provided above on the left). As mentioned in the Yojimbo Review, these films are rare "keepers" likely to be appreciated by all you share them with. If you only plan to keep only a few classic Kurosawa films in your collection, you can't go wrong starting out with Yojimbo and Sanjuro.
For Japanese Language Students
For the same reasons mentioned in the Yojimbo review, Samurai guttural dialogue with an older listenable but less than pristine soundtrack, Sanjuro may not be the best film for Japanese language listening comprehension practice. I did find it a little better for listening practice than Yojimbo. Sanjuro had more diverse and casual conversation scenes.
Abayo, the final line delivered by Toshiro Mifune in both Yojimbo and Sanjuro, is a word that I have never seen in my early Japanese studies. A Japanese friend recently explained to me that abayo is an old expression for goodbye that is not used in daily conversation now. It can imply that you will not show up again. It can also be directed towards an enemy, suggesting that you will leave the person for good. If used in a friendly way, it should never be used with someone who may be considered of higher status (like a teacher or maybe an older adult). Abayo seems to be a word that is not necessary to know, even if you are an advanced Japanese student. Another reminder that Samurai movies are likely to feature an older style of Japanese dialogue that you might not want to emulate too closely.
Dan Savage
Dan@SavageSnow.com
(not rated by MPAA)
