Sanjuro (Akira Kurosawa, 1962)

I'm not usually one that watches Asian films but I know there is some great work that originates there and one of the masters, Akira Kurosawa, is revered by almost all directors working today. I strive to be well rounded when it comes to film, so I know I need to watch films such as Sanjuro (Akira Kurosawa, 1962). And though the film is not my usual cup of tea it does have great merit. I can see what so many take from the work of Kurosawa, and the portrayal of the title character by Toshiro Mifune is also something to watch. Mifune has a particular aloofness to his work, maybe it's a Japanese thing, but he has it down. What really struck me in this film though was although it ostensibly is a violent film (the final killing shows you where Tarantino got his inspiration for Kill Bill's gratuitous blood splashing) the recurring theme throughout the film is peace and patience. Repeatedly the young group of rebels wants to rush out and capture and kill their enemies. Yet repeatedly Sanjuro reels them, preaching patience. Even in that last fight, he doesn't want to fight and only does when forced to. I can see how these films are immensely popular, particularly in Japan.