Three Outlaw Samurai - The Criterion Collection

This first film by the legendary HIDEO GOSHA (Sword of the Beast) is among the most canonized chambara (sword-fighting) films. An origin-story offshoot of a Japanese television series phenomenon of the same name, Three Outlaw Samurai is a classic in its own right. In it, a wandering, seen-it-all ronin (TETSURO TAMBA) becomes entangled in the dangerous business of two other samurai (ISAMU NAGATO and MIKIJIRO HIRA), hired to execute a band of peasants who have kidnapped the daughter of a corrupt magistrate. With remarkable storytelling economy and thrilling action scenes, this is an expertly mounted tale of revenge and loyalty.

Special Features:

• High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
• Trailer
• New English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri