Yojimbo (1961)
用心棒
Drama, Thriller • 1h 50m
Overview
A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshirō Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yōko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katō, Seizaburō Kawazu, Takashi Shimura, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Yōsuke Natsuki, Eijirō Tōno, Kamatari Fujiwara, Ikio Sawamura, Atsushi Watanabe, Susumu Fujita, Kyū Sazanka, Kō Nishimura, Takeshi Katō, Ichirō Nakatani, Sachio Sakai, Akira Tani, Namigoro Rashomon, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Gen Shimizu, Jerry Fujio, Yutaka Sada, Shin Ōtomo, Shōichi Hirose, Hideyo Amamoto, Shōji Ōki, Fuminori Ōhashi, Hiroshi Kiyama, Senkichi Ōmura, Noriko Honma, Ryusuke Nishio, Naoya Kusakawa, Nadao Kirino, Mitsuo Tsuda, Shinpei Takagi, Jun Ōtomo, Akio Kusama, Yasuzō Ogawa, Hiroshi Takagi, Jun'ichirō Mukai, Takuzō Kumagai, Ichirō Chiba, Haruya Sakamoto, Rinsaku Ogata, Takeo Ogushi, Yoko Terui, Hiromi Mineoka, Michiko Kawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion NTSC DVD overall. The 4K restoration's track is denoised and sounds muffled, but has a few of moments where it edges out in detail
Audio analysis between the Criterion 4K Blu-ray, BFI Blu-ray and Toho 4K Blu-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion NTSC DVD overall. The 4K restoration's track is denoised and sounds muffled, but has a few of moments where it edges out in detail
Audio analysis between the Criterion 4K Blu-ray, BFI Blu-ray and Toho 4K Blu-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Italy Eagle Pictures 4K Blu-ray >StudioCanal UK (slightly better encoding on Eagle?)
The US Criterion DVD has some unique supplements with 2.0 surround audio - this release contains Japan end titles.
The Japan 4K Restoration Blu-ray has some exclusive features with 4.0 audio (though the release is not English-friendly)- this release contains Japan end titles.
The StudioCanal releases contain France end titles - while their 4K Blu-ray releases contain identical features.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Italy Eagle Pictures 4K Blu-ray >StudioCanal UK (slightly better encoding on Eagle?)
The US Criterion DVD has some unique supplements with 2.0 surround audio - this release contains Japan end titles.
The Japan 4K Restoration Blu-ray has some exclusive features with 4.0 audio (though the release is not English-friendly)- this release contains Japan end titles.
The StudioCanal releases contain France end titles - while their 4K Blu-ray releases contain identical features.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
No clear winner, Criterion SDR 4K Blu-ray has better defined grain and is cleaned-up more thoroughly. But looks grayer and flatter in daytime scenes. BFI 4K Blu-ray's HDR/DV is better in contrast but the grading can be debatable.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
No clear winner, Criterion SDR 4K Blu-ray has better defined grain and is cleaned-up more thoroughly. But looks grayer and flatter in daytime scenes. BFI 4K Blu-ray's HDR/DV is better in contrast but the grading can be debatable.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Director: Mike Hodges
Director: Mike Hodges
Director: François Truffaut
Director: François Truffaut
Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray upcoming
New 4K restoration without Ritrovata color timing
Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray upcoming
New 4K restoration without Ritrovata color timing
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono
Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono
Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.
Director: Jack Glenn
BFI 720p Streaming: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/the-march-of-time no longer available
BFI 720p Streaming: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/the-march-of-time no longer available
Director: Jack Glenn
BFI 720p Streaming: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/the-march-of-time no longer available
BFI 720p Streaming: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/the-march-of-time no longer available
BFI Pioneers of African American Cinema boxset Blu-ray is likely better than Kino Lorber boxset
BFI Pioneers of African American Cinema boxset Blu-ray is likely better than Kino Lorber boxset
Directors: James Gist & Eloyce Gist
BFI Pioneers of African American Cinema boxset Blu-ray is likely better than Kino Lorber boxset
Library of Congress also have an official HD Streaming https://www.loc.gov/item/2021604059/
Directors: James Gist & Eloyce Gist
BFI Pioneers of African American Cinema boxset Blu-ray is likely better than Kino Lorber boxset
Library of Congress also have an official HD Streaming https://www.loc.gov/item/2021604059/
More Drama on Blu-ray
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl
The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.
International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl
The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.
International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.
Director: John Ford
Director: John Ford
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Kino Lorber 4k resto
The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Kino Lorber 4k resto
The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Edit History
12/4/2025
10/11/2025
Best Audio Release
From
2015 Star Media BD/2019 BFI Player WEB-DL
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Yojimbo%20%281961%29
From
2015 Star Media BD/2019 BFI Player WEB-DL
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Yojimbo%20%281961%29
Blu-ray.com
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/Sanjuro/20832/
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/Sanjuro/20832/
blah-ray
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Yojimbo%20%281961%29
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Yojimbo%20%281961%29
10/3/2025
Best Audio Release
From
2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL. For criterion and Toho they have some filtering: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22780006&postcount=71
To
2015 Star Media BD/2019 BFI Player WEB-DL
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Yojimbo%20%281961%29
From
2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL. For criterion and Toho they have some filtering: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22780006&postcount=71
To
2015 Star Media BD/2019 BFI Player WEB-DL
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/search/label/Yojimbo%20%281961%29
7/13/2025
Best Video Release
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
7/13/2025
Best English-Friendly Release
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
1/16/2025
Best Video Release
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BFI or Criterion UHD incoming
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
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BFI or Criterion UHD incoming
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
1/16/2025
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
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BFI or Criterion UHD incoming
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Criterion UHD, BFI incoming
1/16/2025
Best Audio Release
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2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL
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2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL. For criterion and Toho they have some filtering: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22780006&postcount=71
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2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL
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2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL. For criterion and Toho they have some filtering: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=22780006&postcount=71
12/15/2024
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BFI / CC / TOHO JP UHD coming out
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BFI or Criterion UHD incoming
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BFI / CC / TOHO JP UHD coming out
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BFI or Criterion UHD incoming
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2015 Star Media BD
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2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL
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2015 Star Media BD
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2015 Star Media BD/BFI Player WEB-DL
