Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, unfaithfull presentation.
Review: Eventhough this is one of the greatest movie from Criterion collection, I can't say this is recommended for anyone who loves this film. likewise "Yozimbo", Criterion did not use new print for this DVD edition. Instead, they used same transfer from their old LaserDisc version. The print is not in good condition, neither is the soundtrack. The more pathetic thing is that you can't see all of samurais filled on the screen. Most of the time, ten samurais, including Mifune Toshiro, are fit in widescreen originaly. But in here, one or two samurais are missing in left or right side. This is almost pan & scan! I want to know why Criterion did not use Hi-Difinision transfer from Japanese LD version approved by director himself? (Did you know that one of his film "High & Low" is in 4-track surround stereo?). I realy hope that when they releace "Red beared" on DVD, they'll have the best transfer......
Rating: 
Summary: Kurosawa fans won't be disappointed.
Review: From the time that a stick is tossed at the fork in the road in the beginning, to its climax, this movie has the subtle pleasures of humor and irony. The greed of both sides is played to the upmost with the great Toshiro Mifune in the middle stirring up the trouble, saving the village and hopefully his own neck.
Rating:
Summary: A Fistfull of Yen
Review: The original on which A Fistfull of Dollars and Last Man Standing were based. Less action better content and story, though the end has plenty of violence.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as most of Kurosawa's work
Review: As usual, this DVD rendition of a Kurosawa film has almost no extras. Having become accustomed to this as part of the price of owning one of his works, I can only judge this on the merits of the film itself. The acting was good (Mifune's superb), directing and photography excellent, and script OK. Why OK? Well, our hero's power and fate seem to depend more on the improbable stupidity of his antagonists than his own cleverness. Can anyone believe the town bosses could rise to and hold their positions with such gullibility? If this is meant to be comedic, it borders on the cartoonish. Nevertheless, it is my compliment to Kurosawa that, while one of his lesser films, Yojimbo is well worth my time, and Hollywood's compliment that Fistful Of Dollars is an almost scene-for-scene knock-off. Ignoring the DVD's lack of features, I give this a 3.5.
Rating:
Summary: I'm A Fan of Kurosawa Now
Review: I loved HIDDEN FORTRESS. I have not been able to make it through SEVEN SAMURAI yet. I thought I'd try YOJIMBO ("The Bodyguard") and give Mr. Kurosawa another try. I'm glad I did. I was hooked as soon as I saw the dog trotting through town with a severed hand in his mouth. Kurosawa has a wonderful sense of humor and this movie walks the line between action and comedy very well.The story is simple: A samurai-for-hire comes to town and plays two battling factions against each other. He can be bought for rice or saki. Things get a little interesting when an Official makes a visit to make sure everything is running well. Toshiro Mifune plays the "man with no name" samurai. He is an amazing actor. I think of him as the Harrison Ford of Japan. He plays the samurai as a gruff, nose-picking, shoulder-twitching mercenary. I am also impressed with Kurosawa's story-telling. I know Kurosawa only from George Lucas -- I know that Lucas admired him and based a lot of STAR WARS on Kurosawa's style. It is evident. Kurosawa starts the story right away, in the middle of things. He tells the story economically. He uses wipes (like Lucas). My friend Michael, who I think is quite "worldly", says he won't watch subtitled films because it's too much work. I used to think the same way. ** Make yourself work! It's worth it. It's not hard to follow at all. And for heavens sake, you're home in the comfort of your own couch -- if you miss a line or two, rewind the DVD and catch up. Fear of subtitles is no excuse to ignore Kurosawa's wonderful films. Lastly, I'll comment on the Criterion presentation. I agree with one reviewer on the condition of the film used for this transfer. There are a couple of sections where heavy lines appear for a few seconds. I am not easily offended by older films with these problems. I assume none of that could have been corrected digitally or that a better print was simply not available. I have seen a few Criterion DVDs now, and think they do an admirable job -- this one included. Rent/Buy YOJIMBO. Then, follow up and view its sequel SANJURO (which I enjoyed even more!).
Rating:
Summary: One of Kurosawa's greatest films.
Review: Toshiro Mifune is exceptional in one of greatest roles. He plays the playful, vagabond samurai Yojimbo. As he enters a town torn apart by an age-old gang battle, he decides to clean up the mess in his own unique way. The character of Yojimbo is so infectious that the audience is immediately drawn to him. Although cool to the end, he shows that his righteousness is far above those around him. Mifune stamps his claim to be one of cinema's greatest treasures in the role he'll be remembered for. Amazingly, Sanjuro - the sequel - is even better!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing film, fantastic transfer
Review: I purchased Yojimbo (on DVD) shortly after stumbling across my first Kurosawa film - Sanjuro - late one night on TV. To call Yojimbo a masterpiece would simply tread well-trampled ground. My jaw was hanging in astonishment throughout most of this film. There's tons of humor subtly tucked away throughout, explosive action sequences, and one of the coolest crime-jazz theme songs I've ever heard. The bad guys are ridiculously - yet perfectly - overblown, both physically and in their mannerisms. I realized with astonishment that Japanese Anime and Manga must owe a huge debt to this film. The short, bizarre sequence with dancing Geisha girls left me absolutely floored. It's one thing to call a director "genius", but Kurosawa's more than that: he's downright hip. Yojimbo is proof of this. And it's so effortless to watch, you often don't realize the genius happening right under your nose. I had to pause the film several times to think about what he had just made look so easy. The print is absolutely glorious. When the sleeve notes call it a "luminous transfer", they're not kidding. A couple of jumpy splices, but I'll gladly forgive these. The transfer does total justice to Yojimbo's brilliant photography.
Rating:
Summary: Criterion for cinephiles ?
Review: After having read so many positive things about the Criterion Collection, my expectations were high when I sat down to look at my very first DVD from that series: Akira Kurosawa's classic Yojimbo. I already own a copy of the VHS edition from Connoisseur Video (sponsored by the British Film Institute), which is wide screen and the full 110 minute running time. But I definitely wanted the high resolution and greater durability of the DVD format. "This new digital transfer was created from a 35mm composite fine-grain master" said the sleeve of the DVD keep case. I was not disappointed on that score. I was however surprised to find that the DVD was made from a European distribution copy, with introductory credits in English instead of Kanji, and downright angry to find that this particular print was damaged in several places and disfigured by long vertical scratches running through several key scenes. If the people behind the Criterion Collection are aiming for the Cinephile segment, they need to do better than this ! Film lovers beware....
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Entertaining, Kurosawa and Mifune at their best!
Review: This is a wonderful film. Beautifully directed and performed, with splendid deep focus photography and a memorable musical score. The climax of this film is incredible, pitting Mifune against ten men, one wielding a pistol. It's such a fantastic climax, even superior to the famous Sanjuro finale. Darkly humorous and mixed with plenty of action, this is truly one of Kurosawa's greatest works. Unfortunately, while the DVD version has a superior picture quality and an all new subtitle translation that far surpasses the VHS version, it is still slightly flawed. It's not presented in its original aspect ratio, which is 2.55, but rather it is shown in 2.35. This isn't a huge deal, but it is particularly annoying during the opening credits. Even the story introduction text is slightly cut off. Still, I recommend the DVD of this film and the VHS...get both. Why not?
Rating:
Summary: One of Kurosawa's best
Review: I loved this movie. It has such a good plot, that keeps me watching, instead of drifting off. It has enough action, intelligent humor, and heart to keep most anyone with a brain amused. A good example of some of Kurosawa's work with film. Toshiro Mifune was great!
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