Tsubaki Sanjûrô

The sad truth is very few Japanese under 35 have seen a Kurosawa movie. They just aren't interested in something so old-fashioned. With this in mind, it's actually a good thing that they remade this movie. Sure, it pales in comparison to the original. But it is very entertaining – especially if you haven't seen the original. Yuji Oda, one of the top stars in Japan, has a lot of fun playing the scruffy master-less samurai who calls himself Tsubaki Sanjuro (the thirty-year- old Camelia). He's rude and cynical and domineering, but still willing to help the innocent-but- hopeless young samurai rescue their chamberlain from a group of corrupt officials. There's a lot of bloodless sword action, though the sound effects are pretty descriptive. Director Yoshimitsu Morita gives the film a light touch, and it flows by quickly, which is perfect for this generation. And if it makes them want to see Kurosawa's originals, so much the better.