Yojimbo & Sanjuro 4K UHD (1961-1962)

[Pieter V]

Yojimbo & Sanjuro (4K UHD Set)
Director: Akira Kurosawa

Yojimbo

Like Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo was Kurosawa’s tribute to the widescreen action Westerns of John Ford and was itself remade as a Western by Sergio Leone as A Fistful of Dollars (1964). Played by the great Toshiro Mifune, the film’s enigmatic samurai is a scruffy and itinerant warrior who wanders into a strange town and right into the middle of a war between two clans. Showing his skills with the sword within minutes of his arrival, he soon has the town’s rival factions competing for his services.

Kurosawa’s genius for storytelling combines with thrilling swordplay, a healthy dose of black humour, a soundtrack every bit as atmospheric and amusing as Ennio Morricone’s, and a towering performance from Mifune, to make Yojimbo an irresistible widescreen action adventure.

Sanjuro

In response to the huge critical and commercial success of Yojimbo, Kurosawa and Mifune re-teamed a year later to make Sanjuro, a hilarious comedy of manners altogether more light-hearted than its predecessor.

The story has Sanjuro (Mifune) running lazy rings around nine naïve and clean-cut samurai and two genteel ladies, whilst also cleaning up a spot of corruption in local government. Whilst Kurosawa plays most of it for laughs, expertly parodying the conventions of Japanese period action films, he stages a startling switch of mood with an intense finale which may well be the briefest, and most breathtaking duel in all cinema.

Extras

• Limited edition 2-disc set, 2 x 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-rays presented in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly recorded interview with Jasper Sharp (2024)
• Audio commentary on Yojimbo by film critic Philip Kemp
• Introduction to Sanjuro by filmmaker Alex Cox (2003, 5 mins)
• Interview with filmmaker Alex Cox (2003, 9 mins)
• Original trailers for both films
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new and archival essays on both films, original reviews and full film credits
• Other extras TBC

Amazon.co.uk

Release date : March 17th, 2025

[Sifox211]

Fantastic! For comparison, these are the features on the Criterion BD/UHD set:

• 4K digital restorations, presented in the aspect ratio of 2.39:1, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks (4K UHD); restored high-definition digital transfers, presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks (Blu-ray)
• In the 4K UHD edition: Two 4K UHD discs of the films and two Blu-rays with the films and special features
• Optional DTS-HD Master Audio Perspecta 3.0 soundtracks, preserving the original simulated stereo effects
• Audio commentaries by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
• Documentaries on the making of Yojimbo and Sanjuro, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
• Teasers and trailers
• Stills galleries of behind-the-scenes photos
• PLUS: Essays by film writers Alexander Sesonske and Michael Sragow and comments from Kurosawa and members of his casts and crews

[nicwood]

Stray Dog and High and Low are also announced, both Blu-ray only. The latter is particularly surprising as the 4K master is incredibly detailed and perfectly suited for a UHD.

[BigDmo531]

Lol BFI stepping all over Criterion's toes with these Kurosawa releases. Definitely grabbing this

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by BigDmo531

Lol BFI stepping all over Criterion's toes with these Kurosawa releases. Definitely grabbing this

They're a UK company. Both the US and the UK should have easy to get options.

[TooOldToDieYoung]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Fantastic! For comparison, these are the features on the Criterion BD/UHD set:

• 4K digital restorations, presented in the aspect ratio of 2.39:1, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks (4K UHD); restored high-definition digital transfers, presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks (Blu-ray)
• In the 4K UHD edition: Two 4K UHD discs of the films and two Blu-rays with the films and special features
• Optional DTS-HD Master Audio Perspecta 3.0 soundtracks, preserving the original simulated stereo effects
• Audio commentaries by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
• Documentaries on the making of Yojimbo and Sanjuro, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
• Teasers and trailers
• Stills galleries of behind-the-scenes photos
• PLUS: Essays by film writers Alexander Sesonske and Michael Sragow and comments from Kurosawa and members of his casts and crews

Very happy about HDR but I hope the BFI will also have the 3.0 soundtrack like the Criterion.

[BigDmo531]

Originally Posted by bergman864

They're a UK company. Both the US and the UK should have easy to get options.

I had no idea the British Film Institute was a UK company

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Fantastic! For comparison, these are the features on the Criterion BD/UHD set:

As knowledgeable as Prince is, like with Seven Samurai I have more reasons to get the BFI than the Criterion.

Glad I missed the BFI Japan theatrical reissue a few years back so I can experience the new master.

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by BigDmo531

I had no idea the British Film Institute was a UK company

They're not stepping on Criterion's toes funny guy. The point is they serve two different markets. 4K and Region Free players have made it easy to get what you want, the point still stands.

Turbine isn't stepping on Arrow's toes when they both release the same movie. It's no different here.

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

As knowledgeable as Prince is, like with Seven Samurai I have more reasons to get the BFI than the Criterion.

Glad I missed the BFI Japan theatrical reissue a few years back so I can experience the new master.

It will be the classic conundrum: better extra features vs a possible FiM encode!

In the case of Seven Samurai, I already have the Criterion BD, so the answer was easy

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

It will be the classic conundrum: better extra features vs a possible FiM encode!

Plus the option of HDR/DV on the BFI release. I think, like Seven Samurai, the BFI is the one to get. I expect a couple more enticing extras to be added to BFI's release as well.

[PullBackCamera]

Nice! BFI save the day once again.

Shame about High & Low. Shame also that BFI don't have the rights to La maman et le putain.

[gambit64]

I already have the Criterion preordered. Now I have to decide if I want that one or cancel and preorder the BFI. Hmmmm ...

[StarDestroyer52]

Already bought the Criterion from Orbit, but you bet I will double-dip on this. Also, excited for Stray Dog, another of my big wants coming.

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by gambit64

I already have the Criterion preordered. Now I have to decide if I want that one or cancel and preorder the BFI. Hmmmm ...

I never got around to purchasing the original Criterion BD set, so I’m probably better off going with the Criterion for the special features.

[Doomhunter]

This is crazy with both BFI and Criterion putting out almost simultaneous release of Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro etc. Crazy great though. I’d love to see somethings rarer released too though, like The Last Gunfight (1960) with Mifune

[BigDmo531]

Originally Posted by bergman864

They're not stepping on Criterion's toes funny guy. The point is they serve two different markets. 4K and Region Free players have made it easy to get what you want, the point still stands.

Turbine isn't stepping on Arrow's toes when they both release the same movie. It's no different here.

Just a little joke dude.

[kristoffer]

I will have to pick this up...

[kuroshi]

Originally Posted by Doomhunter

This is crazy with both BFI and Criterion putting out almost simultaneous release of Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro etc. Crazy great though. I’d love to see somethings rarer released too though, like The Last Gunfight (1960) with Mifune

I'd like to see Drunken angel, The lower depths, The bad sleep well and red beard on blu-ray or UHD.

[trip66]

This is a whopping $13 cheaper than the Criterion at Orbit. I'm tempted to pre-order the BFI without any reviews. DV on this and not the Criterion? BFI should come out on top!