Description: This extraordinary tale of adventure, romance, humor, and suspense has been hailed by critics worldwide as one of the best films of all time. A peasant village hires seven medieval mercenaries to defend it from marauding bandits. When the samurais arrive, a spectacular series of battles begin in which a splendidly mobile camera seems to be everywhere: shooting through foliage, rainstorms, dust, and wind. Toshiro Mifune's performance is ferocious as an overzealous and loudmouthed would-be samurai. He is complemented by the wise, veteran warrior played masterfully by Takashi Shimura. The inspiration for the Hollywood Western The Magnificent Seven, Kurosawa's classic explores the timeless themes of personal bravery and the resilience of the human spirit.
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
Truly amazing Nothing less than incredible. My fiancee and I loved every minute. Definitely worth sitting down for the whole 3 1/2 hours of this movie.
THE Masterpiece Tension in all aspects best illustrates "The Seven" Warriors without masters who sell out to farmers. Even sexual tension grips the youngest who survives the battle, only to surrender to the true winners. The American rip-off does not hold a candle to the actors, action, or message. Hollywood still can not get it perfect as "The Seven" is perfection and greatness. Swords beaten into plows!
Don't Stop Here Remarkable film. Just don't forget that there's more Kurosawa to be had. Amazon has a Yojimbo & Sanjuro set for sale also that's absolutely stunning. The other 450 reviewers have pretty much said all that can be said about a movie. This is just a friendly reminder to keep exploring.
Often imitated but the original is still the best Hollywood remade the 7 Samurai and called it the Magnificent 7. This was also a good film but the original is still the best. One can learn a lot about Japanese culture by watching it. The villagers also go to the village elder for advice. The hired Samurai village protectors count the number of bandits and assume that they have to fight every last one. They know that none of them will run away, even if the face certain defeat. I guess there is even honor amongst thieves. The love story only constitutes a few scenes, but the class differences between a farmer girl and a samurai determine the end result. Another lesson, love doesn't conquer all and in fact such a union will result in tragedy and unhappiness. Of course the craftsmenship of the film itself is stellar.
Best Samurai Film ... No Epic ever. Yea I know what your thinking and yea this DVD is Pricey (Seven Samurai - 3 Disc Remastered Edition Criterion Collection). But The transfer is great, the special features are sweet, and I believe this is the best possible version of Kurosawa's most influential / exciting film ever. If you are new to Kurosawa this film is a perfect treat to cut your teeth on. Great story, characters, and Plot combined with excellent cinematography add up to one excellent buy.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
