Three Outlaw Samurai

Hideo Gosha's 1964 debut feature film focuses on a trio of shabby swordsmen who find themselves caught up in a hostage situation involving the daughter of a magistrate, who is being held by peasant kidnappers eager to negotiate for an improvement in their living conditions. Veteran Japanese actor Tetsurô Tanba (best known for his performances in the Oscar-nominated Kwaidan and the 007 flick You Only Live Twice) brings some gusto to his role as Shiba, the bemused leader of the threesome, who also include Sakura (Isamu Nagato), who's been hired to kill the abductors but switches sides, and Kikyô (Mikijirô Hira), a security officer who carefully weighs his options before also becoming a turncoat. Although the film suffers a bit from a surplus of plot twists that only add unnecessary confusion, this is vintage Japanese cinema, sure to be appreciated by fans. Presented with a high-def digital restoration that brings a crispness to black-and-white cinematography, DVD extras on this Criterion edition include an insightful essay on the movie and its director by film critic Bilge Ebiri. Recommended. (P. Hall)