Imagine an Edo period samurai and his servant somehow transported to 21st century Tokyo.
What do you think?
I don't know if it would be apropriate... Despite technology ( The famous, "Japanese miracle"), Social changes in Japan had not been very deep compared to French... The reference torevolution in the visitors is important to understand charachters, whereas Japanese Meji revolution made old Daimyo being big companies directors, so social backgrounds didn't changes...
So one part of the humour would be totally lost (the part about Jacquard/ Jacouille would have no equivalent)
Check out Hong Kong movies like "The Iceman Cometh" and "Kung Fu Vs. Acrobats"- they're actually quite similar.
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The OP wrote: "Imagine an Edo period samurai and his servant somehow transported to 21st century Tokyo."
Actually, there is a 2010 movie called Chonmage purin (or A Boy and His Samurai) which tells this story, except that the samuraï is alone. It's different from Les Visiteurs in the humor, but it's pretty much the plot you talked about, and it's a nice and funny movie. As in Les Visiteurs, you see the samuraï trying to understand the new japanese society and his struggle to live in this world.
A funny and warm movie which can also be seen with kids (well, since they can read subtitles...).
There is a Japanese movie that is kind of similar, but the other time period is the Rome of Hadrian. Has a similar farcical feeling. Title is Thermae Romae. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1867101/reference
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