About ten-years ago, there was an independently owned video rental shop near where I lived, that has since, unfortunately, gone into obscurity. They carried a large stock of foreign films along with the mainstream. Every Tuesday, one could rent VHS tapes for $1.50 each for a three day period. So, for a slight investment, I'd take home four to 6 films at a time, many of which were foreign imports that caught my eye, and I made scads of discoveries of great and nearly great foreign movies. I was the only one in my immediate family that didn't mind reading the English subtitles; while it is distracting from the action on the screen, I got used to reading the bottom line just in time for my hearing to go bad.

     I learned a lot from these imported treasures on buck-fifty Tuesdays. I learned that if it's a German language film, somebody in the story would graphically vomit on screen before the movie was over. If it were a French film, a young woman would walk around nude in several scenes. And, if it were a Franco-German production, a nude would puke at some point in the story line!

     From these observations one should not get the idea that foreign movies aren't worthwhile; to the contrary, there are lots and lots of overseas gems that I've seen on VHS, and I am looking for some of them to appear on DVD in this country. Among my most wanted list are several Japanese films, most notably those directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa.

     I'll certainly be recommending them as they become available, some of which are out in the US right now, and the first among them is Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" (bodyguard), staring acting legend, Toshira Mifune, as Sanjuro, a wandering Samuri/Ronin (if you recall from my review on the movie "Ronin" the word means a masterless Samurai, i.e., unemployed) who roams where the winds take him in search of a fistful of Ryo.

     Some of you may already know that "Yojimbo" was the source for Sergio Leone's "Spaghetti Western", "A Fistful of Dollars" which is nearly identical to "Yojimbo", shot for shot, wherein, Clint Eastwood does the Mifune role, complete with facial ticks and scruffy appearance! You may also recall the sequel to Dollars, "For a Few Dollars More" which is taken from the sequel to "Yojimbo" entitled "Sanjuro". Then of course, there's another American version of Yojimbo, with Bruce Willis, entitled "Last Man Standing" Confused? Don't be, just keep one eye on the subtitles and the other on the action.

     This 1961 production is richly shot in glorious, living black and white, with camera angles that make the story surreal. There's been heated discussion about Kurosawa's western film influence, and he was soundly pounded within Japan's film industry for it, but his genius won out in the end!

     "Yojimbo" is about a pure hearted mercenary who strolls into a village run by rival gangs of petty criminals. The first thing he sees is a stray dog running about with a man's severed hand in his mouth; a visual borrowed by several American directors since.

     He also sees an opportunity to gain money by playing both ends from the middle, offering his prowess with a sword to each side in order to destroy each, thus doing the locals a great favor, and pocket enough ryo to see him on his way.

     As to the violence in this film, it's not all that bad...honest! Most of it takes place off camera and we see the result. The sword fighting scenes are so quickly done that you don't have time to react! Remember, the Samurai sword was to Japan's 19th century what the Colt Peace Maker was to our American West. And once you get into these Japanese Samurai flicks, you see the artistry of fencing in their classic style!

     The DVD is from The Criterion Collection. (www.criterionco.com) produced by The Toho Co. with recently retranslated subtitles for us Westerners, with original trailer. There's a 2.35:1 aspect ratio which is what we'd call wide-screen, but no stereo sound as the film was shot in monaural. If you're a fan of "A Fistful..." You can turn off the subtitles and follow the story with your memory! Either way you watch it, "Yojimbo" is a master piece of film making!

     Give those foreign films a try! They're pretty good!