Poetic Film Review: Yojimbo (1961)

In feudal Japan's twilight, where shadows play,
A ronin wanders, masterless, yet on his way,
Sanjuro, a name that echoes through the land,
A bodyguard, a swordsman, with a noble hand.

With eyes that see beyond the violent strife,
He navigates the factions, a cunning life,
Seibei and Ushitora, two clans in disarray,
Their thugs and henchmen, in a deadly, endless sway.

The town, a battleground, where blood is spilled,
A dog, a severed hand, a gruesome, ghastly thrill,
Yet, amidst the chaos, a glimmer of peace,
Sanjuro's goal, to bring solace, to release.

Kurosawa's lens, a masterful, black-and-white gaze,
Softens the violence, yet renders it in dazing ways,
The jazz score whispers, a modern, ironic flair,
As Sanjuro faces Unosuke, with revolver and sword in air.

A complex anti-hero, morally ambiguous, and gray,
Mifune's portrayal, an iconic, lasting sway,
Inspiring countless others, in cinema's realm,
Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name, a nod to Sanjuro's helm.

A Fistful of Dollars, a remake, a controversy born,
Kurosawa's displeasure, a legal dispute that would scorn,
Yet, in the end, a testament to Yojimbo's enduring might,
A classic, influential, and entertaining, a true cinematic delight.

Through the decades, its impact, a ripple, a wave,
Inspiring adaptations, reimaginings, in diverse, fantastical caves,
Yojimbo's legacy, a shining star, that guides and illuminates,
A must-see classic, of Japanese and world cinema, that creates and participates.

In the realm of cinema, where art and craft entwine,
Yojimbo stands tall, a masterpiece, sublime,
A tribute to Kurosawa, a director, a visionary, and bold,
A film, that continues, to captivate, to inspire, and to unfold.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo

Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e

BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7