Zatoichi vs. Yojimbo (1970)
Directed by Kihachi Okamoto
Genres - Action, Adventure, Drama |
Sub-Genres - Costume Adventure, Samurai Film |
Run Time - 116 min. |
Countries - Japan |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
In Zatoichi vs. Yojimbo, one of many Japanese samurai films starring the blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu), he has to battle Yojimbo (Toshiro Mifune), the title character from Akira Kurosawa's famous film. At the beginning of the film, Zatoichi is planning on retiring, yet his village is besieged by outlaws; eventually he fights, then befriends Yojimbo on his way to securing his village. The movie is a light-hearted parody of samurai films and a comic take on the genre, boasting a wonderfully funny performance from Mifune.
Characteristics
Themes
Keywords
bad-guy, blindness [physical], capture, courage, gangster, good-guy, outlaw [Western], Samurai, sword