"Actor: Mifune"

• The Life Of Oharu | DVD | (26/04/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Mizoguchi reckoned The Life of Oharu was his masterpiece, and who are we to disagree? Certainly it's among his most perfectly structured films, in which anger at the treatment of women in Japanese society is balanced by the director's flawless sense of period, and by expert pacing and visual composition. The story is set in the 17th century, when Japan had settled into a rigidly hierarchical society. Kinuyo Tanaka, in perhaps the finest role of her career, plays Oharu, a highborn woman of the Imperial court. Disgraced when she falls in love with a man of a lower class (Toshiro Mifune, in his only film for Mizoguchi), she's made the mistress of a feudal lord. After bearing him a son she's cast out, and gradually sinks into prostitution and penury. The inevitability of Oharu's fate is tempered by her resilience of spirit--and by the compassion of Mizoguchi's gaze. Although the story is set in the past, he fully intends parallels with modern-day Japan; just after completing the film, he told an interviewer, "Comparing today with [earlier] periods, I don't find much difference: women have always been treated like slaves." The Life of Oharu was shown at the 1952 Venice Festival, where it was awarded the Golden Lion. It brought Mizoguchi a belated international fame just four years before his death, and initiated the run of late masterpieces that rounded off his career. --Philip Kemp

• Seven Samuari (Blu-ray Steelbook) | Blu Ray | (21/04/2014) from £21.98   |  Saving you £-1.99 (-10.00%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Limited Edition Steelbook - includes debossed title treatment. In sixteenth-century Japan a poor village is raided every year by a group of bandits until, driven to the brink of starvation, the villagers decide to hire professional warriors to protect them. With only three meagre meals a day to offer as payment, their quest seems an impossible one. Kurosawa's masterpiece testifies to his admiration for the classic Western, and in 1960 John Sturges repaid the compliments by remaking Seven Samurai as The Magnificent Seven.

• Criterion Collection: Yojimbo | Blu Ray | (23/03/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• The Idiot | DVD | (14/11/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Akira Kurosawa's The Idiot is his only adaptation of a Fyodor Dostoevsky novel and was a cherished project on which it is claimed he expended more effort than on any other film. A darkly ambitious exploration of the depths of human emotion it combines the talents of two of the greatest Japanese actors of their generation - Toshiro Mifune and Setsuko Hara. The Idiot is perhaps the most comprehensive of all of Kurosawa's works a tone which is heightened b

• I Live In Fear | DVD | (28/03/2005) from £11.99   |  Saving you £8.00 (66.72%)   |  RRP £19.99

  When a wealthy foundry owner and bullying patriarch decides to move his entire family from Tokyo to Brazil to escape the nuclear holocaust which he fears is imminent his family tries to have him declared mentally incompetent... Made at the height of the Cold War when the superpowers were engaged in series of nuclear tests this blazing attack on complacency was one of the director's most deeply-felt but least commercially successful films. Nonetheless it deserves to be more widely

• Shogun's Samurai | DVD | (23/04/2007) from £8.08   |  Saving you £-0.09 (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  Directed by veteran Japanese filmmaker Kinji Fukasaku (Tora! Tora! Tora! Battle Royale) and starring one of the greatest martial arts stars Sonny Chiba (Kill Bill: Volume I Street Fighter) Shogun's Samurai is an all out action epic tale of loyalty and betrayal political intrigue battles and spectacular sword fights in true Japanese style. It's Imperial Japan 1624 the current Shogun General Hidetada has died under mysterious circumstances leaving the succession in doubt - his eldest son Lemestsu (Hiroki Matsukata) should succeed but he is disfigured and stammers. His younger brother Tadanaga (Teruhiko Saigo) seems better suited to the role and had the backing of his father before his untimely death as well as most of the powerful lords. A war between the two brothers soon erupts both recruiting not only government officials but also anybody who is looking for one last fight. Meanwhile the Emperor and his courtiers plot behind the scenes to exploit the chaos and return to power and it soon becomes clear that in a winner takes all struggle for power there are no heroes and villains only winners and losers.

• The Samurai Collection | DVD | (29/03/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Three features: 'Red Lion' 'Ambush At Blood Pass' and 'Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'. Red Lion: With the winds of change sweeping through Japan overthrowing three centuries of Shogunate rule Gonzo (Toshiro Mifune) a peasant enlists in the Imperial Restoration Force which promises to reform the oppression of the past. Gonzo persuades his commander to lend him his Red Lion Mane a symbol of authority and rides into his old home town where he receives a hero's welcome. This tale both touching and hilarious traces the difficulties of a simple boastful humane man caught in the web of political intrigue. Casting a cold eye on politicians of all hues at its climax it achieves true tragic intensity. Ambush At Blood Pass: Yojimbo a ronin (Mifune) is secretly commissioned to travel to Sanshu Pass. This once crucial thoroughfare in the time of the warlords is now just a backroad used by outcasts. There he is to wait until an undisclosed event occurs. On his journey he rescues a woman from her violent husband and takes her away with him. They arrive at an inn run by an old man and his granddaughter. This place has become home to a bunch of misfits including a one-time physician (Katsu) a wandering gambler and an officer of the law together with his prisoner. A dramatic chain of events unfolds forcing the once hostile and untrusting characters to unite in a common cause: their own survival. Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo: The gentle breeze the murmur of a babbling brook the scent of plums. These memories call Zatoichi the blind swordsman back to a once-loved village. But memories are deceptive and he arrives to find things much changed. The former boss Hyoroku has been reduced to a carver of statues of Jizo the Buddha of Healing and his daughter Umeno has become a hostess and as she describes herself one of the bad ones. Control of the village is split between a former travelling merchant Eboshiya and his son Masagoro. Eboshiya befriends Zatoichi and seeks his aid against Masagoro's minder the drunken samurai Yojimbo the crooked crook. When a masseur is killed amidst rumours that a large amount of gold has been secreted in the village the two factions begin to size each other up. It is at this point that Masagoro's younger son suddenly decides his father needs more protection and calls on the services of the contract killer Kuzuryu.

• The Suicide Manual Intermediate Level | DVD | (27/11/2006) from £21.58   |  Saving you £-5.59 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Chilling horror based on Watari Tsurumi's non-fiction book ""Kanzen Jisatsu Manyual"" (The Complete Manual Of Suicide). There has been a surge in the number of people killing themselves; a mysterious DVD is found on the bodies of the victims. Nozomi falls under the spell of a deadly cult. Yousuke the policeman she is seeing soon realizes that the cult has something to do with the DVD. Then one day all trace of the group disappear - along with Nozomi.

• Winter Kills | DVD | (07/03/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  19 years after President Timothy Keegan was assassinated his brother Nick discovers a dying man claiming to have been the gunman. While trying to avoid his wealthy and domineering father's attempts to control his actions Nick follows the clues that have been handed to him. As he progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to discern the real trails from the dead ends and increasing dangerous as unknown parties try to stop Nick from uncovering the truth...

• Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo | DVD | (18/06/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The gentle breeze the murmur of a babbling brook the scent of plums. These memories call Zatoichi the blind swordsman back to a once-loved village. But memories are deceptive and he arrives to find things much changed. The former boss Hyoroku has been reduced to a carver of statues of Jizo the Buddha of Healing and his daughter Umeno has become a hostess and as she describes herself ""one of the bad ones"". Control of the village is split between a former travelling merchan

• The Samurai Trilogy | DVD | (30/10/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Samurai Trilogy is based around the life of the historical character Musashi Miyamoto. Born around 1584 he perfected the technique of two sword fighting as well as developing into a considerable Zen black ink artist. Having fought his first duel at the age of thirteen he was involved in 60 other engagements before his death in 1645. Musashi Miyamoto: The first episode of the trilogy covers Miyamoto's formative years as he emerges from rural obscurity to search for fame and glory in civil war but returns home a broken man. Brought back to sanity through the love of a warm hearted girl she persuades him to place himself under the spiritual guidance of an unorthodox Buddhist priest. His methods of teaching the ways of enlightenment would make the fiercest of Zen masters seem positively gentle. Gaining in spiritual stature and insight Miyamoto is forced to choose between settling for domestic happiness or continuing his search for perfection in the art of the sword. Several versions of Miyamoto's life have been produced for cinema and television in Japan but none more prestigious than Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1955 this first film in the trilogy was also Toho's first foray into colour. Duel At Ichijoji Temple: At first a contemptuous wanderer whose only interest is to prove his prowess against the best Japan has to offer Miyamoto is brought to understand that mastery of the sword is mastery of the self. Along the way he moves from casually committing slaughter to adopting a more compassionate and merciful view of his fellow warriors... Duel At Ganryu Island: His destiny continues to pursue him! Settling down to a life on the land in a peasant village Miyamoto is drawn into protecting the villagers against marauding bandits. And beyond this battle lies the ultimate contest with the driven and obsessive Kojuo Sasaki. The epic closes in a stunning sunset duel...

• Shogun Warrior | DVD | (28/02/2000) from £9.98   |  Saving you £14.01 (140.38%)   |  RRP £23.99

  In 17th Century Japan the county is divided into two warring clans. The Eastern Army led by the Warlord Tokugawa and the Western Army which fights for the Toyotomis clan. After victory at their last battle things are still not going the Eastern army's way and Toyotomi believes the only way to turn the tide of the war is to obtain firearm's. To this end he sends his most trusted Samurai Mayeda and his son Yourimune to Spain with a small party of soldiers and a Franeisean mo

• Samurai Assassin | DVD | (02/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Threatened from the East and West Japan and the Tokugawa Shogunate are dangerously unstable. Lord Li Naosuke the 'Red Devil' has raised up a puppet figure to become the Shogun lemoshil. The year is 1860. Among his opposition is the Mito Clan. Undefeated they are planning his assassination. Amongst their numbers is one Niiro Tsurichiyo (Toshiro Mifune). The illegitimate son of a powerful nobleman Niiro has been brought up in a merchants household harbouring ambitions to bec

• Samurai Rebellion | DVD | (20/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Sasahara (Mifune) has spent his life as a retainer in the service of his lord. Yet when his lord seizes his daughter-in-law for his own gratification Sasahara is brought into conflict not only with his master but also his oldest friend Asano (Nakadai)...

• Red Lion | DVD | (18/06/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  With the winds of change sweeping through Japan overthrowing three centuries of Shogunate rule Gonzo (Toshiro Mifune) a peasant enlists in the Imperial Restoration Force which promises to reform the oppression of the past. Gonzo persuades his commander to lend him his Red Lion Mane a symbol of authority and rides into his old home town where he receives a hero's welcome. This tale both touching and hilarious traces the difficulties of a simple boastful humane man caught in the web of political intrigue. Casting a cold eye on politicians of all hues at its climax it achieves true tragic intensity.

• Musashi Miyamoto | DVD | (21/05/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Samurai Trilogy is based around the life of the historical character Musashi Miyamoto. Born around 1584 he perfected the technique of two sword fighting as well as developing into a considerable Zen black ink artist. Having fought his first duel at the age of thirteen he was involved in 60 other engagements before his death in 1645. Several versions of his life have been produced for cinema and television in Japan but none more prestigious than Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1955 it was also Toho's first foray into colour. The first episode of the trilogy covers Miyamoto's formative years as he emerges from rural obscurity to search for fame and glory in civil war but returns home a broken man. Brought back to sanity through the love of a warm hearted girl she persuades him to place himself under the spiritual guidance of an unorthodox Buddhist priest. His methods of teaching the ways of enlightenment would make the fiercest of Zen masters seem positively gentle. Gaining in spiritual stature and insight Miyamoto is forced to choose between settling for domestic happiness or continuing his search for perfection in the art of the sword.

• Duel At Ichijoji Temple | DVD | (20/02/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Samurai Trilogy is based around the life of the historical character Musashi Miyamoto. Born around 1584 he perfected the technique of two sword fighting as well as developing into a considerable Zen black ink artist. Having fought his first duel at the age of thirteen he was involved in 60 other engagements before his death in 1645. Several versions of his life have been produced for cinema and television in Japan but none more prestigious than Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy. Winne

• Japanese Classics Of Horror And Fantasy | DVD | (30/08/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A box set containing some of the best horror and fantasy films ever produced in Japan! Portrait Of Hell Created by premier Japanese novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa (creator of Roshomon) 'Portrait of Hell' is a mesmerising look into humans creating hell on earth in their own unique ways. Must be seen to be believed! Illusion Of Blood From Shiro Toyoda director of the nightmarish 'Portrait Of Hell' comes a chilling story of love betrayal and vengeance. Tatsuya Nakadai stars as the selfish samurai Iyemon who after the loss of his lord has been left impoverished. He become outraged that his father-in-law intends to sell his two daughter's into prostitution. It is not love but respectability that Iyemon desires... Tokyo The Last Megalopolis When Masakado was executed for crimes against humanity over a thousand years ago his malevolent spirit refused to die with him merely becoming dormant and waiting for the chance to rise again. To disturb it is to awaken a terrible vengeance on the city of Tokyo. The demonic psychic Kato attempts to revive the slumbering evil and use its energy to plunge the city into a hell on Earth. It is up to a lone spiritual warrior Keiko a descendant of Masakado to stop the maniacal Kato before the spirit is released and the ancient curse is unleashed upon the world. Princess From The Moon Toshiro Mifune stars in this enchanting film based on the traditional Japanese fairytale 'Kaguya' as the male half of a country couple who find a baby girl in the bamboo and raise her as their own until the truth is revealed when she is taken back...

• Classic Kurosawa | DVD | (28/11/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £59.99

  Throne of Blood (1957): Kurosawa's film career began in 1936 at the Photo Chemical Laboratories in Tokyo. His directorial debut in 1943 Judo Saga bore evidence of his economy of expression and marked his humanist approach. His Rashomon won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1951 and this led to the 'discovery' of his other works and those of his mentors and peers notably Ozu and Mizoguchi. Kurosawa's transposition of Shakespeare's Ma

• The Toshiro Mifune Trilogy | DVD | (09/05/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Sword Of Doom: Tatsue (Nakadai) a man brought up to recognise only the way of the sword as the way of life finds that the art of killing is a pleasure. Ranged against him is Shimada (Mifune) who regards the use made of the sword as the manifestation of a man's spiritual state and vows to end Tatsue's spree in an era without values... Samurai Assassin: Threatened from the East and West Japan and the Tokugawa Shogunate are dangerously unstable. Lord Li Naosuke the 'Red Devil' has raised up a puppet figure to become the Shogun lemoshil. The year is 1860. Among his opposition is the Mito Clan. Undefeated they are planning his assassination. Amongst their numbers is one Niiro Tsurichiyo (Toshiro Mifune). The illegitimate son of a powerful nobleman Niiro has been brought up in a merchants household harbouring ambitions to become a samurai. A swordsman of outstanding ability a social outcast earning his living through brawling and blackmail. Now the Mito Clan suspect him of being a spy... Samurai Rebellion: Sasahara (Mifune) has spent his life as a retainer in the service of his lord. Yet when his lord seizes his daughter-in-law for his own gratification Sasahara is brought into conflict not only with his master but also his oldest friend Asano (Nakadai)...