And even if you haven't been exposed to the narrative via other films, the film is a gripping tale of good trying to vanquish evil and as the stakes rise, you're never quite sure whether our hero will survive. But this is a deliberate choice of Kurosawa, meant to illustrate the chaos and state of flux the town is in. Kurosawa was inspired by Hollywood westerns and that influence is clear to see in Yojimbo, from the dusty streets of the town to the wide shots of characters to even the soundtrack, an odd collection of styles and instruments that seem to clash at first with the on-screen action. His is a subtle man of action, perhaps more inclined to use words rather than his katana and it makes him far more engaging than any other character on screen besides the boyishly handsome Nakadai as the evil Unosuke, brandishing his pistol with gleeful abandon. At first, he seems like a money-hungry mercenary selling his sword to the highest bidder but the longer the film goes on, you realise that his intentions are genuinely noble - whether this is because he is a good man or because he is atoning for something in his past, we cannot tell.
Well, I say that because in truth, the film belongs to Mifune as the nameless warrior with a hundred untold stories behind him.
Kurosawa's samurai story has an air of authenticity about it - not just because of the Japanese language and costumes but it pulls you in, making you want to know more about the setting and characters on screen. Having seen remakes both official and unofficial, the narrative would feel familiar so I could just concentrate on the film itself and thankfully, this paid off in spades. I feel the need to confess right here that this was my first experience of a Kurosawa picture (long overdue, I know) and I deliberately picked the film I felt I knew the most about.
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