Sanjuro – 1962 Kurosawa - The Cinema Archives

The narrative lacks the brilliance and freshness of Yojimbo (that can happen with sequels- same music borrowed here) and the worldview is a little more optimistic than Kurosawa’s finest work—but damn, Kurosawa sets up immaculate deep focus, layered, widescreen composition after composition and pack them into the 96 minute running time

a strong variation on the same shot in Yojimbo— one of the best here from Sanjuro

Starts with a bang, there is a meeting of the clan of nine (of which Mifune’s titular ronin character will eventually become a part of) – and Kurosawa has five or more stunning compositions– arranging these characters in the frame– right in the first few minutes. Shots through a wooden window/door obstruction, three heads in a frame all at different depths

Shots through a wooden window/door obstruction

tohoscope wide Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

It is impossible to collect them all here- there are more than 30 of these—masterful shots of character blocking—one with Mifune in parallel profile between the gates in the foreground with the nine men strategically placed and spaced behind him

Kurosawa sets up immaculate deep focus, layered, widescreen composition after composition and pack them into the 96 minute running time

18 minutes in- the centipede- one of many- Mifune’s character calls it out in the text “centipede” as Kurosawa fits all 10 heads in the tohoscope wide Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

18 minutes in- the centipede- one of many- Mifune’s character calls it out in the text “centipede” as Kurosawa fits all 10 heads in the frame

again- there are 30 or more of these — many held for long periods of time — so the entire running time of the fim is composition after composition

Trademark wipe edits from Kuroswa- and that fits here better than some of his heavier work—this is lighter in tone—closer to Hidden Fortress
Mifune is commanding- the anti-hero— just like Bogart before him and Paul Newman and others after him. Lines like “I’m smarter when I drink”. He’s playing a cat and mouse game of strategy and Mifune is always the smartest guy in the room, nobody on his level as he calls 6-10 people “idiots” in the film- haha
A masterful use of the fame at 33 minutes—Mifune is front left profile/parallel, the middle row has three men facing back towards the background and the back row (staggered so you can see them all) has two women facing the camera.
A very nice jump cut edit when looking at and choosing his fake name- camellia
The duel at 93 minutes. Kurosawa holds this mise-en-scene frame composition forever—he knows how strong and special this one is. The two foes are parallel in profile, there are two men background left of Mifune, four in the middle, and three to the right- then the quick death and blood spray shot

The duel at 93 minutes. Kurosawa holds this mise-en-scene frame composition forever—he knows how strong and special this one is. The two foes are parallel in profile, there are two men background left of Mifune, four in the middle, and three to the right