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Seven Samurai succeeds in trying to install national pride with the film’s central struggle being a metaphor for post-war Japan. The Samurais being Ronins is very apt as Japan had lost its Emperor, who at the end of the war was only a symbolic head of state. In the film the Samurai ... Read review
In sixteenth-century Japan a poor village is raided every year by a group of bandits ... more
until, driven to the brink of starvation, the villagers decide to hire professional warriors to protect them. With only three meager meals a day to offer as payment, their quest seems an impossible one. A simple plot, flawlessly executed - 'Seven Samurai' combines comedy, pathos, memorable characters, gripping tension and some of the finest action scenes ever filmed into an enthralling cinematic experience. Kurosawa's masterpiece testifies to his admiration for the classic Western, and in 1960 John Sturges repaid the compliment by remaking 'Seven Samurai' as 'The Magnificent Seven'. At 190 minutes this is the most complete version of the film available, and has been digitally remastered from a new print. This DVD features a commentary on key scenes by noted film historian Philip Kemp.
A desperate village hires seven samurai to protect it from marauders in this crown jewel ... more
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.
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Contextualizes Akira Kurosawa's celebrated film "Seven Samurai" (1954), marking its place ... more
in Japanese cinema and in Kurosawa's career. This book explores the film's roots in medieval history and, above all, the astonishing visual language in which Kurosawa created his elegiac epic.
Once upon a time (or last Thursday as it's known in this matrix) everything was fine: ... more
Humpty Dumpty sat on his wall Jack and Jill went about their lawful business the Big Bad Wolf did what big bad wolves do and the wicked queen plotted murder most foul. But the humans hacked cried havoc shut down the wicked queen's system (mirrors 3.1) and corrupted her database - and suddenly everything was not fine at all. But at least we know that they'll all live happily ever after. Don't we? Computers and fairy tales collide to hilarious effect in the latest sparkling cocktail of mayhem wit and wonder from the master of comic fantasy. More information on this book and others can be found on the Orbit web- site at www orbitbooks.co.uk
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Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Action/Adventure - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Jack Ging, Marla Heasley, Lance Legault, Melinda Culea, Mr T, Dwight Schultz, Dirk Benedict, George Peppard, Carl Franklin
Advantages: To intellectuals: Black-and-White, Japanese Disadvantages: To Muppets: Black-and-white, Japanese
...excellent fighting.
Seven Samurai succeeds in trying to install national pride with the film’s central struggle being a metaphor for post-war Japan. The Samurais being Ronins is very apt as Japan had lost its Emperor, who at the end of the war was only a symbolic head of state. In the film the Samurai are strict follows in Bushido. Kurosawa wanted to restore Bushido to it original glory as through World War II it was used to ... ...surrendering as sub-human. People had by then lost faith in all that was traditional and were more intent on modernisation.
The Bandits are a metaphor for America. The Bandits see a poor village and attack it making it poorer, like the crippling reparations demanded by America. The Bandits also have superior weapons, three guns, but the Samurai use their skill, beliefs and cunning to defeat the vast numbers of the enemy. They battle ... more
What I love most about this film is the moron filter. Those who see a black and white piece of Japanese cinema and immediately think they’re not going to like this, so pick up ‘Hard Target’ instead. It means we don’t get bogged down by people who go into ‘Traffic’ expecting a popcorn movie and coming out saying, “That were rubbish.” For anyone who would like to expand their horizons then this is the film for you as it mixes American frenetic editing and fast paced visuals with Japanese physiological characters, the transient quality of life, and is an ultimately more soulful experience than Western cinema.
The story is simple. There’s a rubbishy village they finds samurais in order to protect it from bandits. It’s told in three parts: The excellent opening where the samurais get recruited. The excellent middle where they all train and the villagers and samurais get more hostile to on another (eliminating a simple good against evil story). Then over an hour of excellent fighting.
Seven Samurai succeeds in trying to install national pride with the film’s central struggle being a metaphor for post-war Japan. The Samurais being Ronins is very apt as Japan had lost its Emperor, who at the end of the war was only a symbolic head of state. In the film the Samurai are strict follows in Bushido. Kurosawa wanted to restore Bushido to it original glory as through World War II it was used to commit atrocities against prisoners of war as they saw their surrendering as sub-human. People had by then lost faith in all that was traditional and were more intent on modernisation.
The Bandits are a metaphor for America. The Bandits see a poor village and attack it making it poorer, like the crippling reparations demanded by America. The Bandits also have superior weapons, three guns, but the Samurai use their skill, beliefs and cunning to defeat the vast numbers of the enemy. They battle fiercely for the muddy land, and upon victory it is greener and the peasants sing and care for their crops. A simple message of rebirth to the Japanese people.
Kurosawa was a keen Socialist and the idea of power through solidarity becomes evident. The Samurais and Peasants have mutual fear and distain for one another but together they win. The self-seeking peasants hamper the battle; an example is Shimo’s (a peasant girl) and Katsushiro’s (a young samurai) relationship which the farmers disprove of. The film also disregards the individual heroes, the John Wayne’s, that Western audiences have always relied on. Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) leaves his post and returns with a gun. He declares, “I deserve praise!” The response, “Going out on your own deserves no reward.” Individualism is disapproved, and characters tend to die through undisciplined actions from either themselves or the peasants that they are trying to protect.
The Bandits and the Samurais are most probably all Ronin but the Samurais are ultimately victorious for they know the true meaning of Bushido. They also alternatively fight for a moral code and to protect the weak. This is most evident in the exposition of Kambei where he shaves his head, a mark of loss of honour, but does it in order to save a boy’s life and that is most important. It’s his duty to protect the Peasants.
Cinematically the fluid choreography is masterful to watch when slowed down, for example slow motion mid shots during a moment of death. Mixing grace with barbarism. The use of multiple cameras also creates energy as they could be edited quickly to add great pace. Montages of tracking shots and the use of the telephoto lens, new to the time, meant his drama became an epic.
Well I think that’s enough food for thought for you lot but to any fans you should move on to the slower, but far deeper, works of Kenji Mizoguchi and Yasujiro Ozu. Any new ideas then whack ‘em in my comments section. Okay then, Bye
...plot itself is quite simple. Seven out of work samurai are hired by a small town which is having the life blood drained out of it by bandits. It was the first movie which took the formula of having a group of hard men assembled to solve the problems of a group of others and is a formula which has been much copied since. Of course, few, if any, have matched Kurosawa's superb direction because this man is an absolute genius. He knows exactly how to ... ...in the place of the characters whilst at the same time never letting us in on the secret that this is what he is trying to do. Modern action movies have their dramtic poses, the lighting positioned perfectly to show every bulging muscle, every tough angular facial feature...but we know it and we have come to expect it. Not with Kurosawa, it is never obvious what he is doing unless you sit down and analyse the movie and then you truly see his genius. ...
wampyrii 27.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Seven Samurai, The (Shichinin no samurai)
Advantages: The Greatest film you will ever see Disadvantages: Too long for some, old, subtitled
The Seven Samurai is set in 16th century Japan ata time when rival Daimyo battled it out on the battle field for supremacy of japan. The story itself centres around 2 key players...thes being Kambei (Takasha Shimura) and Kikuchiro (played with wonderful gutso by Toshiro Mifune).
kambei is a ronin samurai who is enlisted by a group of desperate and at times comic peasent village farmers who are constantly being raided by local bandits. Kambei then ... ...films such as the magnificent seven were remakes of this master film.
To sum up Kurasawas epic is a delight...it will depress you...make you laugh...think...and wonder...it has it all and the only real down side to both of the DVD releases are the serious lack of extra features (one features a ltd commentary and the other a full length commentary)but this can be forgiven for the quality of the film making at hand.
And to further convince you...along ...
vampireinthemoonlight 11.05.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Seven Samurai, The (Shichinin no samurai)
Advantages: Easy to understand foreign film Disadvantages: Needs to be digitally re-mastered
Seven Samurai is a Japanese film made by Akira Kurosawa in the year 1954.
Now, before you click on the 'back' button on your browser, hear me out! Yes, it is made in black in white, and the film quality isn't Lucasfilm standard. But the great thing about this movie is that it is a simple story, yet so complex. So much of the traditions of the Japanese and Samurai are blended into the film, without ever obstructing the actual story.
The story is ... ...bandits every year at harvest time. They decide that enough is enough, and go out to look for some Samurai who can assist them in repelling these attacks.
The Samurai were very well respected and held high esteem in Japanese society wheras farmers were lower in the system. The caste system was still very much in use in Japan until not so long ago. So you can imagine the tribulation of the villagers in hiring protection from a higher caste.
The ...
abdulawwal 11.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Seven Samurai, The (Shichinin no samurai)
Advantages: classic film with great action Disadvantages: subtitled and a bit too long
...hour or so they find seven samauri (most of whom are shamed in someway) who travel to the village and begin to train the villagers.
Just over an hour later the villagers are trained (there's a little bit of romance in there too!!) and the final 40 or so mins in concerned with the action. And plenty of it there is - all good old-fashioned samauri swordplay.
OK - now if you were paying attention you will have managed to do a quick calculation and ... ...and yes it is. I'm afraid it is a little slow and today would have probably been trimmed to the more normal 100 mins!!!
This coupled with the fact that its in black and white and Japanese probably hasn't helped its popularity over here in the west. However, it is a classic and was the basis for The Magnificent Seven.
If you have nothing better to do then its well worth a watch - but three hours is a long time to read subtitles. ...
Xcom 24.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Seven Samurai, The (Shichinin no samurai)
Advantages: Keeps you hooked, amazing battle scenes. Disadvantages: Maybe a bit long for some.
...'The Magnificent Seven'. Dealing with seven warriors who are paid by villagers to protect their homes from bandits. Yet at three hours plus you'd imagine it to be hard going. Far from it, being the master of cinema that Kurosawa was he manages to keep you interested in each of the characters and absorbed and moved by the plight of the villagers. The battle scenes are some of the best ever seen and the vivid monochrome camerawork is fluid and imaginative ...
JSpencer 26.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Seven Samurai, The (Shichinin no samurai)
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Advantages: Possibly The Greatest Film of All Time Disadvantages: None
This 1960 film by John Sturges is surely a candidate for the greatest film ever made. Based on Akira Kurosawa's "Shichininnosamurai" (The SevenSamurai) it is the story of an oppressed Mexican village who in desperation hire a group of gunmen to save them from a group of bandits.
When the the bandits led by Calvera (Eli Wallach), raid the village they ask the wise old man what they should do. He tells them to fight, when they say they cannot he tells the to "Learn or Die". Three villagers set off to a border town where they see Chris (Yul Brynner) with Vin (Steve McQueen) ensure that the burial of an indian takes place. They offer Chris the whole wealth of the village to help them fight off Calvera. Five more members are recruited, the half irish / half mexican Bernardo O' Reilly (Charles Bronson), gold digger Harry Luck (Brad ...
Action/Adventure - Director: Shinichiro Watanabe - Original Language: Japanese - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Ayako Kawasumi, Ginpei Sato, Kazuya Nakai
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