Description: A desperate village hires seven samurai to protect it from marauders in this crown jewel of Japanese cinema. No other film so seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action. Featuring Japan's legendary star, the great Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is an inspired epic a triumph of art, and an unforgettable three-hour ride.
Amazon.com essential video: Unanimously hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of the motion picture, Seven Samurai has inspired countless films modeled after its basic premise. But Akira Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set in the 1600s, when the residents of a small Japanese village are seeking protection against repeated attacks by a band of marauding thieves. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a farmer's son desperately seeking glory and acceptance. The samurai get acquainted with but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal. The climactic battle with the raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed. It's poetry in hyperactive motion and one of Kurosawa's crowning cinematic achievements. This is not a film that can be well served by any synopsis; it must be seen to be appreciated (accept nothing less than its complete 203-minute version) and belongs on the short list of any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com: Stills from Seven Samurai - 3 Disc Remastered Edition
"Japan's Towering Achievement" This film arguably Kurosawa's greatest film. This particular version allows us to see his masterpiece in unprecedented clarity. The new translation provides the audience a greater emotional understanding of the plot.
The humor and action are timeless entertainment. I was honestly expecting to become bored given the extremely lengthy presentation, but not a scene is wasted. It tells a fairly simple story but develops each character meticulously. You will remember scenes from this movie for weeks to come and will be compelled to watch it again and again.
The documentaries are excellent additions. One provides information about early Japanese films and the other gives us an entertaining glimpse into what it was like to shoot Seven Samurai. There is a very dull interview with Kurosawa that should be skipped by all except the most avid of Kurosawa fans.
I also feel bizarrely inclined to mention the beautiful packaging. The fold-out DVD box is adorned with iconic scenes from the film. The color scheme is pleasant. The booklet that comes with it also looks very artsy. It comes with information to teach us about the creators of the film and essays from various movie buffs to provide different perspectives about the importance of the film.
All in all, a fantastic package that should not be missed by anyone who considers themselves a movie fan. As trailers of the movie gloated without restraint, it might be "Japan's Towering Achievement" in film. 5/5
A definitive edition of a definitive movie For purposes of this review, I'm going to assume you know the plot of "Seven Samurai" and its place as an esteemed film (do a little reading up on it if you don't). I will focus on the product itself.
This is one of those rare "remastered editions" that is actually worth the buy. The movie itself is incredibly crisp and has all the "lost" footage, allowing the viewer to see the entire movie in a detail not seen since its theatrical release. The clarity, however, never detracts from the movie itself - it takes multiple viewing the fully grasp the content of each shot, including many details that were too small to notice in the VHS release.
The subtitles are also crisp and clean, another vast improvement over the VHS. As another review already stated, the movie is only subtitled, not dubbed, so if you have poor eyesight keep that in mind.
The movie itself is split neatly at the intermission (which has been left intact at the end of disc one) into a pair of DVDs, with a third disc of special features. There are two excellent bonus commentaries by film scholars - one solely by Michael Jeck, the other by four scholars (one at a time, each getting 25% of the movie), including Joan Mellen (who wrote the book - literally - on "Seven Samurai"). These commentaries are very insightful and discuss both thematic and theatrical elements of the movie.
There is also a small booklet included that has various commentaries by film critics and a small piece by Toshiro Mifune. It's short but a nice little extra.
If you like "Seven Samurai," this is the edition you want, hands down.
Seven Samurai - Especially good for those understanding Japanese Seven Samurai is a truly great movie. Unfortunately, I am legally blind and am unable to read the English subtitles. If only there could have been an English-speaking version.
I'm very disappointed after paying the stiff price and receiving what I could barely understand by watching it but without any effective translation on what waws being said.
Unhappy Review
terrible 7 samurai is probably the best film of all time. but this is not the version to get. it has been split up into 2 discs instead of being on 1 disc like the other release. this really ruins the experience. also, the grainy quality of the pre-restoration version added character and pathos. it looks too slick now. another huge problem is the low - resolution, jagged subtitles. couldn't they have gotten something better? its like looking at an ancient computer font and causes extreme eyestrain and headaches. Also, this film really should be dubbed into English. I want to focus on Kurosawa's masterful imagery but instead I find myself constantly staring at the ghastly subtitles. You can turn them off but then you cant follow the story, so really this should be dubbed. The extras here are mostly throw-aways and not worth the extra money. The best of them is michael jeck's commentary but that was on the older criterion release as well. i recommend getting that version instead as its cheaper and better.
Truly inspirational This earnestly is one of the finest achievements of cinema, particularly of it's time. Though hailed as only the third greatest piece of Japanese cinema of it's year, it has easily outlasted it's two predecessors. This movie is basically flawless. Multi-layered and symbolic, there is no wasted film in the entire movie. Every shot has depth and the storyline is fascinating.
It's storyline has been ripped off and parodied numerous times, from The Magnificant Seven, to the often boring futuristic anime of the same name, to video games, This is character development and using the cinema as a medium to portray statements at it's finest.
No matter how many times you watch it, you WILL notice something different, and noting how revolutionary it was at the time, it is truly mindblowing. Kurosawa has always been a master, but this is truly his masterpiece, and watching the master at work is atrue pleasure.
The acting is also sensational, particularly Toshiro Mifune (One of my favorite actors period) and Seiji Miyaguchi who until this movie has never touched a sword before. Still, every actor down to the most insignificant extra adds depth to the world of Seven Samurai. The script is fantastic, and no line is wasted in this three and a half hour film.
The class statements are just as relevant today as the time it was based in, and you really see see the main three classes (peasent, nandit, and samurai) as human. You even understand the plight of the bandits before the film is over. There is no black and white only gray circumstances, and ultimately that's what the movie is about more than anything.
There truly cannot be enough good things to say about such an epic masterpiece, and it will be continued to be revered in the future.
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