Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956)
Directed by: Hiroshi Inagaki
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Kōji Tsuruta, Kaoru Yachigusa, Mariko Okada
Rated: NR
Running Time: 1h 45m
TMM Score: 4.5 out of 5
STRENGTHS: Characters, Story, Themes
WEAKNESSES: Mellow Drama
Samurai Musashi, by now an accomplished swordfighter, finds himself at odds with Sasaki Jokiro, a ronin swordsman, when they are both considered for employment with the Shogun.
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Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)
Directed by: Hiroshi Inagaki
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Kōji Tsuruta, Mariko Okada, Kaoru Yachigusa
Rated: NR
Running Time: 1h 43m
TMM Score: 4 out of 5
STRENGTHS: Characters, Story, Themes
WEAKNESSES:
Musashi, ever the wanderer, continues his journey, dueling and gathering knowledge to become a respectable samurai.
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Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)
Directed by: Hiroshi Inagaki
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Rentarô Mikuni
Rated: NR
Running Time: 1h 33m
TMM Score: 3.5 out of 5
STRENGTHS: Characters, Story, Themes, Color, Japan
WEAKNESSES: Action, Blocking
An aspiring warrior joins the losing side of a feudal war, sending him on a downward spiral as he finds himself a wanted fugitive in the land he once called home.
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The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Kyoko Kagawa
Running Time: 2h 31m
Rated: NR (best guess, PG)
TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5 (I liked it)
STRENGTHS: Character Development, Theme
WEAKNESSES: Pacing
Everyone knows that something corrupt is going on at Public Land Corporation, all they need is a whistle blower. As mysterious disappearances, ghostly apparitions, and bold accusations are levied at the heads of the company, will any of them submit to disgrace and turn the rest in, or will they continue to honorably kill themselves to hide their shame and save face for their superiors?
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Seven Samurai (1954)
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima
Running Time: 3h 27m
Rated: NR (best guess, R)
TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5
STRENGTHS: Character Development, Cinematography
WEAKNESSES: Pacing. Maybe.
Bandit raids have brought a dirt poor village of farmers to the point of starvation. Are there any Samurai of honor who will help because of principle rather than pay?
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