Directed by:
黒澤明Cinematography:
Asakazu NakaiComposer:
Fumio HayasakaCast:
Takashi Shimura, Daisuke Katō, Minoru Chiaki, Isao Kimura, Seiji Miyaguchi, Toshirō Mifune, Kamatari Fujiwara, Atsushi Watanabe, Isao Yamagata, Reiko Mori (more)Plots(1)
With their village raided every year by vicious bandits, a group of peasants hire seven warriors to protect them. Initially met with suspicion, the warriors eventually gain the trust of the peasants and they join forces to face the bandits. Endlessly copied but never surpassed, Seven Samurai is a truly timeless classic. (British Film Institute (BFI))
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Reviews (10)
The Japanese can be rightly proud of themselves, because already in 1954 they came up with such a breathtaking adventure spectacle, the likes of which had never been seen in Hollywood not only until then, but even a few years later. Much has already been said about The Magnificent Seven, which borrowed the theme and, according to many, even surpassed it, but I wouldn't go into any comparisons. Seven Samurai is, after all, a very different film, one that irradiates Japanese culture, and one that fleshes out the story in a far more detailed, emotional and realistic way than its American counterpart. The Samurai were no cowboys who would not bat an eyelash at a hostile attack, but a bunch of ordinary cheerful people with admirable endurance and courage. And maybe that’s the reason I liked the Japanese film a bit more, not only does it present the heroism and determination of the protagonists, but it also focuses on their character and their initially difficult coexistence with the oppressed population. 207 minutes may look exhausting, but believe me, there's probably no better way to spend them than watching Seven Magnificent Samurai under the guidance of Master Kurosawa...
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Akira Kurosawa's sprawling work and predecessor to The Magnificent Seven (which I haven't seen yet) still offers a terrific action spectacle with an element of humour and drama after almost six decades. I'm not saying I stared at the screen with my mouth open for the entire three hours, but I just loved the fights, the camerawork and Kikuchi's awkwardness. In short, a great Japanese film that may be longer than it needs to be, but is definitely worth a watch.
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One of those films that is not glorified unnecessarily. It's a breathtaking opus that is long, but not unnecessarily so. There's drama, humor, action, and emotion here. All of this is part of the story of one village just trying to fend off bandits. Great characters and great scenes that are impossible to forget. Above all, the ending is truly poignant and shows what form gratitude can take for people who died for you.
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Seven stars for seven samurais. Oh, I can’t give that many, can I... So at least five of them. The still unsurpassed original which, unlike its more famous remake, loses only in not having a “star" amongst the baddies. Like Calvera in The Magnificent Seven. The western version also wins in terms of pace. In all other aspects, the Kurosawa version is better and since everybody is aware of the qualities of the American remake, I don’t have to sing the Samurais’ praises any further. Along with Red Beard and High and Low, this is Kurosawa’s best piece.
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The story does not differ from the more well-known American western classic, perhaps only in that Akira Kurosawa gives more space to the villagers and the viewer can sympathize with them more, whereas in The Magnificent Seven I was more concerned with how many cowboys would survive than I was about the fates of the farmers. I don't like looking for flaws in classics, but three hours for a story about saving a village from bandits is a bit too much, and especially during the second act, I found myself glancing at the clock too often. This time, Asian grandiosity did not resonate with me.
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Gallery (63)
Photo © Toho Company Ltd.
![Seven Samurai - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/167/024/167024832_d9023a.jpg)
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