"Actor: Toshiro Mifune"

• Yojimbo & Sanjuro (4K UHD) | Blu Ray | (17/03/2025) from £29.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Yojimbo Like Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo was Kurosawa's tribute to the widescreen action Westerns of John Ford and was itself remade as a Western by Sergio Leone as A Fistful of Dollars (1964). Played by the great Toshiro Mifune, the film's enigmatic samurai is a scruffy and itinerant warrior who wanders into a strange town and right into the middle of a war between two clans. Showing his skills with the sword within minutes of his arrival, he soon has the town's rival factions competing for his services. Kurosawa's genius for storytelling combines with thrilling swordplay, a healthy dose of black humour, a soundtrack every bit as atmospheric and amusing as Ennio Morricone's, and a towering performance from Mifune, to make Yojimbo an irresistible widescreen action adventure.Sanjuro In response to the huge critical and commercial success of Yojimbo, Kurosawa and Mifune re-teamed a year later to make Sanjuro, a hilarious comedy of manners altogether more light-hearted than its predecessor. The story has Sanjuro (Mifune) running lazy rings around nine naïve and clean-cut samurai and two genteel ladies, whilst also cleaning up a spot of corruption in local government. Whilst Kurosawa plays most of it for laughs, expertly parodying the conventions of Japanese period action films, he stages a startling switch of mood with an intense finale which may well be the briefest, and most breathtaking duel in all cinema.Extras¢ Limited edition 2-disc set, 2 x 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-rays presented in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)¢ Newly recorded interview with Jasper Sharp (2024)¢ Audio commentary on Yojimbo by film critic Philip Kemp¢ Introduction to Sanjuro by filmmaker Alex Cox (2003, 5 mins)¢ Interview with filmmaker Alex Cox (2003, 9 mins)¢ Original trailers for both films¢ **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new and archival essays on both films, original reviews and full film credits¢ Other extras TBC

• Throne of Blood (4K UHD) | Blu Ray | (19/05/2025) from £24.85   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  New 4K restoration of Akira Kurosawa's astonishing film that's considered to be one of the great adaptations of Shakespeare's Macbeth. A truly remarkable film, Throne of Blood manages to combine beauty and terror to produce a mood of truly haunting power. Starring the irrepressible Toshiro Mifune as the doomed warlord Washizu and a wonderfully creepy turn by Isuzu Yamada as the Lady Macbeth-inspired Asaji, the film shows Kurosawa's familiar mastery of atmosphere and action combined with the savagery of war.ExtrasRestored 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Audio commentary by Japanese film expert Michael JeckOther extras tbc

• The Hidden Fortress (4K UHD) | Unknown | (18/08/2025) from £24.85   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  New 4K Restoration of Kurosawa's much-loved classic. A story of rival clans, hidden gold and a princess in distress, The Hidden Fortress is a thrilling mix of fairy story and samurai action movie. It was Kurosawa's first film shot in the widescreen process of Tohoscope, and he exploited this to the full in the film's rich variety of landscape locations, including the slopes of Mount Fuji. The Hidden Fortress became Kurosawa's biggest box office hit to date and won several awards, including the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival. Some twenty years on, the film's influence would have even greater impact on the world's box office, when George Lucas borrowed elements of its plot for the first of his Star Wars series. Extras Restored 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Newly recorded audio commentary by Japanese-cinema expert Tony Rayns Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create Hidden Fortress (2002) Interview with George Lucas (2001, 8 mins) Original trailer **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with a new essay on the film by Kenta McGrath

• Stray Dog (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (27/01/2025) from £16.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A masterful mix of film noir and police thriller set on the sweltering mean streets of occupied Tokyo.When rookie detective Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) has his pistol stolen from his pocket while on a bus, his frantic attempts to track down the thief lead him to an illegal weapons market in the Tokyo underworld. But the gun has already passed from the pickpocket to a young gangster, and Murakami's gun is identified as the weapon in the shooting of a woman. Murakami, overwhelmed with remorse, turns for help to his older and more experienced senior, Sato (a superb performance by Takashi Shimura). The race is on to find the shooter before he can strike again Extras¢ Presented in High Definition¢ Newly recorded interview with Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp¢ Newly recorded audio commentary by Kenta McGrath¢ Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create Stray Dog (2002, 32 mins)¢ **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw, archive essay by Philip Kemp and original review

• Seven Samurai (4K, Blu-ray extras) | Blu Ray | (03/02/2025) from £24.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Their village raided every year by vicious bandits, a group of peasants hire seven masterless samurai to protect them. Initially met with suspicion, the warriors resolve to gain the trust of the villagers and prepare them to face their enemy. Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is one of the greatest films of all time, and has influenced the work of directors from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg while spawning remakes such as John Sturges' acclaimed The Magnificent Seven. Endlessly copied but never surpassed, Seven Samurai is a truly timeless classic. Extras ¢ 2-disc set including a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray disc (presented in Dolby Vision, HDR10 compatible) and a Blu-ray disc featuring an array of special features ¢ Audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin ¢ Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create Seven Samurai (2002, 49 mins): part of the Toho Masterworks series featuring interviews with Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami, writer Shinobu Hashimoto, actors Seiji Miyaguchi and Yoshio Tsuchiya, and others ¢ Philip Kemp's selected scenes commentary (1999, 20 mins): the film critic and writer analyses key scenes, recorded for the BFI's 1999 DVD release ¢ The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-cinema expert Tony Rayns on Kurosawa's career and influence ¢ My Life in Cinema (1993, 116 mins): Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Oshima discuss Kurosawa's life, career and legacy, filmed for the Directors Guild of Japan ¢ Original theatrical trailer ¢ Restoration trailer (2024) ¢ Image gallery

• High and Low (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (27/01/2025) from £16.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Based on an Ed McBain novel, High and Low is a gripping police thriller starring Toshiro Mifune. Wealthy industrialist Kingo Gondo (Mifune) faces an agonising choice when a ruthless kidnapper, aiming to snatch his young son, takes the chauffeur's boy by mistake but still demands the ransom, leaving Gondo facing ruin if he pays up.An anatomy of the inequalities in modern Japanese society, High and Low is a complex film noir, where the intense police hunt for the kidnapper is accompanied by penetrating insight into the kidnapper's state of mind. Kurosawa's virtuoso direction provides no easy answers, and in short, the police and the criminal as equally brutal, but nonetheless human.Extras¢ Presented in High Definition¢ Newly recorded audio commentary by Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp¢ Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create High and Low (2002, 38 mins): the director discusses how High and Low came to exist, and how specific sequences were filmed. Also features interviews with actors Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyoko Kagawa, Takeshi Kato, and Tatsuya Mihashi, as well as cameraman Takao Saito and Masaharu Ueda and script supervisor Teruyo Nogami¢ **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with new essay on the film by Alex Barrett, archive essay by Philip Kemp and an original review from Monthly Film Bulletin

• Throne of Blood (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (19/05/2025) from £18.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  New restoration of Akira Kurosawa's astonishing film that's considered to be one of the great adaptations of Shakespeare's Macbeth. A truly remarkable film, Throne of Blood manages to combine beauty and terror to produce a mood of truly haunting power. Starring the irrepressible Toshiro Mifune as the doomed warlord Washizu and a wonderfully creepy turn by Isuzu Yamada as the Lady Macbeth-inspired Asaji, the film shows Kurosawa's familiar mastery of atmosphere and action combined with the savagery of war.ExtrasNewly restored in 4K and presented in High DefinitionAudio commentary by Japanese film expert Michael JeckOther extras tbc

• Kurosawa: Crime Collection | DVD | (24/10/2011) from £34.59   |  Saving you £5.40 (15.61%)   |  RRP £39.99

  Akira Kurosawa, one of the cinema s greatest auteurs, has wowed audiences and inspired filmmakers as diverse as George Lucas and Sergio Leone. This highly collectable 4-disc box set highlights his mastery of the crime genre bringing together four of his finest thrillers. Included here is the yakuza gangster drama Drunken Angel (1948); the atmospheric police thriller Stray Dog (1949); the tale of corporate greed and corruption, The Bad Sleep Well (1947); and the gripping Ed Mcbain adaptation High and Low (1963).

• Kurosawa Samurai Collection | Blu Ray | (01/09/2014) from £36.98   |  Saving you £25.00 (71.45%)   |  RRP £59.99

  The films of Akira Kurosawa one of the cinema's greatest auteurs have had a profound effect on audiences around the world and his acclaimed samurai epics - featuring international star Toshirô Mifune - have inspired filmmakers a diverse as George Lucas and Sergio Leone. This collection marks the first time all these seminal films have been available on High Definition blu-ray in the UK. Seven Samurai (1954)When the residents of a small Japanese village seek protection they hire seven unemployed ronin' (masterless samurai). Paid only in handfuls of rice the samurai remain distant from the villagers knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal. Unanimously hailed as one of cinema's greatest masterpieces Seven Samurai has inspired countless films including The Magnificent Seven. Japan | 1954 | 190 minutes | Original aspect ratio 1.33:1 Throne of Blood (1957)In this brilliant re-imagining of Shakespeare's Macbeth Toshirô Mifune plays a samurai fated to betray his friend and master in exchange for the prestige of nobility. Kurosawa's bloody tale is a triumph of economic style and the climactic battle scene is full of remarkable and brutal imagery. Japan | 1957 | 104 minutes | Original aspect ratio 1.33:1 The Hidden Fortress (1958)In this classic collaboration between Kurosawa and star Mifune a warrior and a princess try against all odds to return to their homeland with their fortune. Acknowledged by George Lucas as the inspiration for Star Wars The Hidden Fortress combines an epic tale of struggle and honour with modern comic sensibilities to masterful effect. Japan | 1958 | 138 minutes | Original aspect ratio 2.35:1 (16x9 enhanced) Yojimbo (1961)A drifting samurai for hire plays both ends against the middle with two warring factions surviving on his wits and his ability to outrun his own bad luck. Eventually the samurai seeks to eliminate both sides for his own gain and to define his own sense of honour. Yojimbo provided inspiration for A Fistful of Dollars. Japan | 1961 | 106 minutes | Widecreen 4:3 format Sanjuro (1962)After the success of Yojimbo Kurosawa teamed up once again with Mifune one year later to make this comedy of manners. The film which follows a man fighting corruption in local government offers a twist on the classic Samurai tale by gently but perfectly parodying the conventions of the Japanese period action movie tradition. Japan | 1962 | 95 minutes | Original aspect ratio 2.35:1 (16x9 enhanced)

• The Battle Of Midway | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £6.92   |  Saving you £-0.93 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  A star-studded World War II drama about the great air and naval battle in which the underdog Americans - outnumbered by the huge Japanese flotilla - won American military supremacy in the Pacific. Leading them to their heroic victory is Admiral Nimitz and Captain Matt Garth (Heston) the latter a junior officer whose life is complicated by his son's romance with a Japanese-American girl...

• Red Sun (Cult Classics) 4K UHD+BD | Blu Ray | (28/10/2024) from £19.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Billed as the first ˜East meets West' Western and directed by Terence Young, cult classic RED SUN (1971) is based on a true story from the American Wild West of 1870. When an outlaw named Link (Charles Bronson) is betrayed by his gang during a train robbery, he is forced by the Japanese Ambassador to help recover a priceless sword stolen by Link's double-crossing partner Gauche (Alain Delon). Link and the Ambassador's bodyguard, Kuroda (Toshiro Mifune), travel the West in pursuit of Gauche, kidnapping his girlfriend (Ursula Andress) along the way to lure him out. Joined in an uneasy alliance, they have only seven days to find Gauche or Kuroda must follow his samurai code of honour and die by his own sword. Delve deeper into the STUDIOCANAL catalogue with the curated CULT CLASSICS collection. Discover eclectic, boundary pushing rarities, genre classics, and forgotten cinematic treasures.

• Seven Samurai - Limited Edition 4K UHD | Blu Ray | (18/11/2024) from £29.05   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  One of the greatest films of all time, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai has influenced the work of directors from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg, and spawned remakes, most notably John Sturges' acclaimed The Magnificent Seven. When 16th-century farmers whose village is repeatedly attacked by merciless bandits ask an elderly, masterless samurai (Takashi Shimura) for help, offering nothing but food in return, he hesitantly agrees and assembles a band of warriors to defend and train the villagers. Boasting terrific performances (with Shimura and Toshiro Mifune as a peasant masquerading as a samurai particularly memorable), superb camerawork, and expertly mounted battle sequences, Seven Samurai is undoubtedly one of the greatest action movies ever made. Newly restored by Toho in 4K, the BFI is delighted to release this all-time classic on UHD for the first time. Available as a limited edition 2-disc set with a book, a set of four postcards and a double-sided poster.Extras- 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)- Newly recorded audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin- Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create Seven Samurai (2002, 50 mins)- The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-cinema expert Tony Rayns discusses Kurosawa's career and influence- Original trailer- BFI rerelease trailer- Double-sided poster featuring artwork by Matt Needle and the BFI's poster designed for the film's rerelease- A set of four postcards featuring iconic scenes from the film- Perfect-bound book featuring new and archival writing on the film- Updated and improved English subtitles - Other extras TBC

• Seven Samurai (Blu-ray Edition) | Blu Ray | (25/08/2014) from £18.75   |  Saving you £1.24 (6.61%)   |  RRP £19.99

  One of the greatest films ever made – Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai has influenced the work of directors from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg and spawned remakes such as John Sturges’ acclaimed The Magnificent Seven. With their village raided every year by vicious bandits a group of peasants hire seven warriors to protect them. Initially met with suspicion the warriors eventually gain the trust of the peasants and they join forces to face the bandits. This special edition includes alternative presentations of the film a new and exclusive interview with Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns and the film’s original Japanese trailer. Endlessly copied but never surpassed Seven Samurai is a truly timeless classic. Contents: Digitally re-mastered in High Definition Play with or without original intermission Original Japanese theatrical trailer The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013 49 mins): Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns discusses Kurosawa’a career and influence Fully illustrated booklet with essays and credits

• Rashomon | DVD | (13/10/2008) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-0.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Famously, Rashomon - which won both the Golden Lion in Venice and the Oscar for Foreign-Language Film - introduced Western audiences to Japanese cinema in general and to the thrilling artistry of Akira Kurosawa in particular.

• Seven Samurai - Limited Edition Blu-ray | Blu Ray | (18/11/2024) from £25.65   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  One of the greatest films of all time, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai has influenced the work of directors from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg, and spawned remakes, most notably John Sturges' acclaimed The Magnificent Seven. When 16th-century farmers whose village is repeatedly attacked by merciless bandits ask an elderly, masterless samurai (Takashi Shimura) for help, offering nothing but food in return, he hesitantly agrees and assembles a band of warriors to defend and train the villagers. Boasting terrific performances (with Shimura and Toshiro Mifune as a peasant masquerading as a samurai particularly memorable), superb camerawork, and expertly mounted battle sequences, Seven Samurai is undoubtedly one of the greatest action movies ever made. Newly restored in 4K by Toho, the BFI is delighted to be able to rerelease this all-time classic on Blu-ray in a limited edition 2-disc set with a book, a set of four postcards and a double-sided poster.Extras- Newly restored in 4K by Toho and presented in High Definition- Newly recorded audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin- Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create Seven Samurai (2002, 50 mins)- The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-cinema expert Tony Rayns discusses Kurosawa's career and influence- Original trailer- BFI rerelease trailer- Double-sided poster featuring artwork by Matt Needle and the BFI's poster designed for the film's rerelease- A set of four postcards featuring iconic scenes from the film- Perfect-bound book featuring new and archival writing on the film- Updated and improved English subtitles - Other extras TBC

• Rashomon (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (17/04/2019) from £8.99   |  Saving you £11.00 (122.36%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This 1950 film by Akira Kurosawa is more than a classic: it's a cinematic archetype that has served as a template for many a film since. (Rashomon's most direct influence was on a Western remake, The Outrage, starring Paul Newman and directed by Martin Ritt.) In essence, the facts surrounding a rape and murder are told from four different and contradictory points of view, suggesting the nature of truth is something less than absolute. The cast, headed by Kurosawa's favourite actor, Toshiro Mifune, is superb. --Tom Keogh

• Throne of Blood (DVD) | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £15.85   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A champion of illumination and experimental shading, Kurosawa brings his unerring eye for indelible images to Shakespeare in this 1957 adaptation of Macbeth. By changing the locale from Birnam Wood to 16th-century Japan, Kurosawa makes an oddball argument for the trans-historicity of Shakespeare's narrative; and indeed, stripped to the bare mechanics of the plot, the tale of cut-throat ambition rewarded (and thwarted) feels infinitely adaptable. What's lost in the translation, of course, is the force and beauty of the language--much of the script of Throne of Blood is maddeningly repetitive or superfluous--but striking visual images (including the surreal Cobweb Forest and some extremely artful gore) replace the sublime poetry. Toshiro Mifune is theatrically intense as Washizu, the samurai fated to betray his friend and master in exchange for the prestige of nobility; he portrays the ill-fated warrior with a passion bordering on violence, and a barely concealed conviviality. Somewhat less successful is Isuzu Yamada as Washizu's scheming wife; her poise and creepy impassivity, chilling at first, soon grows tedious. Kurosawa himself is the star of the show, though, and his masterful use of black-and-white contrast--not to mention his steady, dramatic hand with a battle scene--keeps the proceedings thrilling. A must-see for fans of Japanese cinema, as well as all you devotees of samurai weapons and armour. --Miles Bethany

• Red Sun (Cult Classics) | Blu Ray | (09/09/2024) from £10.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Billed as the first East meets West Western, and directed by Terence Young, RED SUN is based on a true story from the American Wild West of 1870. When outlaw Link (Charles Bronson) is betrayed by his gang during a train robbery, he is forced by the Japanese Ambassador to help regain a priceless sword stolen by Link's double-crossing partner Gauche (Alain Delon). Link and the Ambassador's bodyguard, Kuroda (Toshiro Mifune), travel the West in pursuit of Gauche, attempting to lure him out by taking his girlfriend (Ursula Andress) as hostage. Although Kuroda plans to kill Gauche straight away, Link needs him alive to find the loot from their last robbery. Joined in an uneasy alliance, they have only seven days to find Gauche or Kuroda must follow his samurai code of honour and die by his own sword. EXTRAS: On the set of Red Sun - Extract from Pour le cinéma (Director: Pierre Mignot © INA 1971)NEW Interview with Steven Okazaki Original Trailer

• THE FALL OF AKO CASTLE (AKA Swords of Vengeance) | Blu Ray | (11/12/2023) from £20.25   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• The Hidden Fortress (Blu-ray) | Unknown | (18/08/2025) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  New restoration of Kurosawa's much-loved classic. A story of rival clans, hidden gold and a princess in distress, The Hidden Fortress is a thrilling mix of fairy story and samurai action movie. It was Kurosawa's first film shot in the widescreen process of Tohoscope, and he exploited this to the full in the film's rich variety of landscape locations, including the slopes of Mount Fuji. The Hidden Fortress became Kurosawa's biggest box office hit to date and won several awards, including the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival. Some twenty years on, the film's influence would have even greater impact on the world's box office, when George Lucas borrowed elements of its plot for the first of his Star Wars series. Extras Newly restored in 4K and presented in High Definition Newly recorded audio commentary by Japanese-cinema expert Tony Rayns Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create Hidden Fortress (2002) Interview with George Lucas (2001, 8 mins) Original trailer **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with a new essay on the film by Kenta McGrath