Red Sun

	Rating: 3 out of 5 Original Title: Soleil Rouge Release Date: 1971 Director: Terence Young Netflix Link IMDb Link

I avoided this movie for forever. I am really not a fan of westerns (without Clint Eastwood), but Red Sun happens to be one of the last readily-available Toshiro Mifune movies I hadn’t seen. I bit the bullet only to find out that, as an added bonus, Red Sun also stars Alain Delon. Wait, What?! Toshiro Mifune, Charles Bronson and Alain Delon in the same movie? A French version of a spaghetti western with Comanche indians, samurai and Charles Bronson? How the hell did that happen? Seriously, how did this movie ever get made? Anyway, I’m glad it did since it’s not half as bad as I was expecting. It has an unusual story, loosely based on historical fact, but I wouldn’t exactly call it historical. If nothing else, it’s certainly entertaining to see Mifune traipsing through the American west in full samurai gear next to Bronson in search of Delon. I also enjoyed watching Mifune kick Bronson’s ass. It’s a mindfuck to see Delon and Mifune speaking English (and not too badly either). Because of my adoration of Mifune, I have waded through more mediocre to terrible films than I thought possible, especially films from his later years (e.g. The Bushido Blade), but Red Sun is better than most.

The Bushido Blade

	Rating: 2 out of 5 Release Date: 1981 Director: Tsugunobu Kotani Netflix Link IMDb Link

Let me preface this by saying that the only reason to watch this film is for Sonny Chiba and Toshiro Mifune. And I do mean ONLY. As far as I know, there are no other films that have an American perspective on Commodore Perry’s black ship expeditions to Japan and the interaction therein. So, I thought maybe, just maybe, this might be an interesting watch. Not only is it historically inaccurate, but it turns out that the premise is merely backdrop for this made-for-television-esque melodrama surrounding the retrieval of a missing sword. Mifune’s part is very small and Chiba, as usual, upstages everyone with some alright sword fighting sequences even though swordplay is not his strong suit. The rest of the movie follows arrogant Americans seducing natives and acting a fool. I’d have a hard time recommending this to anyone since it was a struggle to make it all the way through.

Shogun’s Samurai

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Yagyû ichizoku no inbô Release Date: 1978 Director: Kinji Fukasaku Netflix Link IMDb Link

Shogun’s Samurai is not the best historical drama out there. In fact, Toei rarely produced the best of anything, but that’s fine. Toei films have their place. Shogun’s Samurai, a.k.a. Yagyu Clan Conspiracy, is an historical epic set in 17th century Japan full of intrigue, double-crosses and a whole bunch of morally-gray characters. It is as entertaining a film as you will find in the chanbara (samurai action) genre. With a spectacular, star-studded supporting cast including Sonny Chiba, Toshiro Mifune, Yoshio Harada and Etsuko Shihomi, and directed by none other than Kinji Fukasaku, you can’t do much better. The ethical incertitude of the story and its characters leaves you unsure as to whom to root for. The only certainty is that Chiba takes his comparatively small part in this film and runs with it. If it weren’t for his brooding, tough guy character making an appearance now and then, Shogun’s Samurai wouldn’t be half as enjoyable. For another movie where Chiba plays Jubei Yagyu, also directed by Fukasaku, watch Makai Tensho: Samurai Reincarnation.

I Live in Fear: Record of a Living Being

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Ikimono no kiroku Release Date: 1955 Director: Akira Kurosawa Netflix Link IMDb Link

Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura and Akira Kurosawa team up again to bring you this tale of a paranoid man whose family thinks is losing his mind. On the surface, it is the story of a family headed by an old man (played by Toshiro in old man makeup – that’s him on the cover) who wants to move them away from the threat of A bombs and H bombs. But, really, I Live In Fear is a cynical exploration of the effects that WW2 had on Japanese citizens and the niggling fear that it might happen again. Nobody can really grasp this fear to its fullest other than the WW2-era Japanese. Imagine surviving and living on after two major cities in your country were wiped off the face of the planet by the biggest bombs ever used in warfare. If you can, even a little bit, you might have a better understanding of this film. I Live In Fear is worth watching if only because it makes you confront these issues.

Scandal

	Rating: 4 out of 5 Original Title: Shubun Release Date: 1950 Director: Akira Kurosawa Netflix Link IMDb Link

The recently released Post-War Kurosawa set includes several films that are not available on dvd elsewhere. Scandal is one of them. It stars a very young Toshiro Mifune, who had already perfected his bewildered head scratch, and the wonderful Takashi Shimura as his run-down lawyer. The story leaves a bit to be desired, but it still has plenty of Kurosawa’s typical philosophical dialogue and themes like the scene in the bar when everyone starts singing and wishing for a better life. I wouldn’t emphatically recommend Scandal, but as a Kurosawa and Mifune fan, it is essential viewing. If you haven’t taken advantage of it, I would recommend watching all of the films in the Post-War Kurosawa Box Set (No Regrets for Our Youth, One Wonderful Sunday, The Idiot, I Live in Fear).

Samurai Assassin

	Rating: 5 out of 5 Original Title: Samurai Release Date: 1965 Director: Kihachi Okamoto Netflix Link IMDb Link

Set at the end of the Edo period, while Japan’s shores were already threatened with foreigners like Commodore Perry’s American Black Ships, Samurai Assassin is a fairly historically accurate tale of a small set of events that contributed to the end of almost 300 years of Tokugawa rule. Certainly, the events of Samurai Assassin were only a small part of the Tokugawa downfall. Really, the end of the peaceful, xenophobic Edo Period was inevitable. Samurai Assassin’s story is one of deceit and a vicious circle of Shakespearian magnitude. Toshiro Mifune plays a down and out ronin looking to become a full-fledged samurai by killing an important lord. What he doesn’t realize is that, by killing the daimyo, he is setting off a chain reaction leading to a new government wherein the samurai class is completely obsolete. There’s another, even more brutal twist regarding Mifune killing the lord but you’ll have to see that for yourself. If you are a fan of samurai films or Japanese history, Samurai Assassin is well worth your time.

Samurai Rebellion

	Rating: 5 out of 5 Original Title: Jôi-uchi: Hairyô tsuma shimatsu Release Date: 1967 Director: Masaki Kobayashi Netflix Link IMDb Link

The Japanese do love their tragedies. Samurai Rebellion is an epic drama full of heartbreak and conspiracy. Based in part on truth, the story highlights the cruelty and absolute power of the Daimyo ruling class where even people were considered property. Samurai Rebellion is more like Japanese folklore rather than factual historical record. Toshiro Mifune is wonderful as the henpecked husband turned outspoken leader of the Sasahara family when he is moved by the love of his son and the wife who is forced upon them. Once again, Mifune is pitted against Tatsuya Nakadai in a battle to the finish. I hadn’t seen this film in a while. Watching it again and seeing the full range of emotion, history and context presented in this film, I upgraded it to a 5-star rating.

The Sword of Doom

	Rating: 5 out of 5 Original Title: Dai-bosatsu tôge Release Date: 1966 Director: Kihachi Okamoto Netflix Link IMDb Link

Tatsuya Nakadai is one of the great actors of 60′s samurai cinema. You get a preview of his capabilities in Yojimbo. But his heartless character in that film has got nothing on Ryunosuke Tsukue in The Sword of Doom. Nakadai plays the most sociopathic samurai ever. Squaring off against the great Toshiro Mifune amongst others, Ryunosuke manages to destroy the lives of all those around him. The Sword of Doom has seemingly disparate characters that all become intertwined as the film progresses. Even though Mifune’s role isn’t all that beefy, he has some great fighting sequences. Particularly one where he takes on multiple opponents in the snow as Ryunosuke looks on in amazement. The only problem with this film is the precipitous ending due to the fact that Sword of Doom was intended to be the first film in a trilogy which, sadly, never came to fruition.

Rashomon

	Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Release Date: 1950 Director: Akira Kurosawa Netflix Link IMDb Link

It’s a case of he said, she said, the dead man said. It finally takes a reticent Takashi Shimura to sort it all out. Even though I love this film and it’s highly acclaimed by all, Rashomon is not among my absolute favorite Kurosawa movies. Personally, I think the message is a little heavy-handed, especially the ending. It clobbers you over the head with humaneness and morality unlike some of his more subtle stories exploring the same themes such as Ikiru or Red Beard. But, all things considered, it is yet another fine film from Kurosawa starring the supremely talented Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura among others. Toshiro, especially, gives an outstanding performance in his typical wild, spirited way. Rashomon has beautiful, dynamic cinematography and fine performances all set to a unique Bolero-esque score. For 1950, Rashomon was years ahead of its time.

Sanjuro

	Rating: 5 out of 5 Original Title: Tsubaki Sanjûrô Release Date: 1962 Director: Akira Kurosawa Netflix Link IMDb Link

How do you follow a movie like Yojimbo? With something easily as good, yet different, like Sanjuro. This film is far sillier and sassier than Yojimbo with Toshiro Mifune playing the cantankerous character to full-effect. Constantly thwarted by the incessant stupidity of the people he’s helping, Sanjuro is basically on his own fighting a whole army in order to save someone he doesn’t even know. While it doesn’t have the depth of either story or visuals that Yojimbo does, Sanjuro is faster paced and more fun. Hollywood could take a lesson from Kurosawa on producing good sequels.