Seven Samurai

Hailed as the greatest film in the history of Japanese cinema, Seven Samurai is director Akira Kurosawa's undisputed masterpiece. Arguably the best of all jidai-gecki (or historical swordplay films), 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 during the civil unrest of 16th century Japan, as the cowering residents of a small farming village seek protection against seasonal attacks by a band of marauding bandits. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a peasant farmer's son, desperately seeking glory, acceptance, and revenge against those who destroyed his family. Led by the calmly strategic Kambei (Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa's previous classic, Ikiru), the samurai form mutual bonds of honor and respect, but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal. (Kurosawa masterfully composes his shots to emphasize these group dynamics, and Seven Samurai is a textbook study of the director's signature techniques, including extensive use of telephoto lenses to compress action, delineate character relationships, and intensify motion.) While the climactic battle against raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed, Seven Samurai is most triumphant as a peerless example of an ensemble character study (it spawned dozens of copycat films, notably the American western remake The Magnificent Seven). Boasting a gorgeous fully restored high-definition digital transfer, the Criterion Collection's three-disc set of Seven Samurai presents the film on the first two discs, along with a pair of audio commentaries, and a 2002 “making-of” documentary. The third disc adds the two-hour "My Life in Cinema," an interview with Kurosawa conducted by fellow filmmaker Nagisa Oshima, and "Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences," an all-new documentary placing Kurosawa's classic in both historical and cinematic context. Finally, the set includes a lavishly illustrated 58-page booklet with brief essays on various aspects of Seven Samurai, written by noted film scholars or film directors (including Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet), coupled with a closing reminiscence by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, excerpted from a 1993 conversation. A perfect showcase for a cinematic masterpiece, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (J. Shannon)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 12, 2010—Criterion, 2 discs, 207 min., in Japanese w/English subtitles, not rated, $49.95—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1954's Seven Samurai features a great transfer and a DTS-HD soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are identical to the previous DVD release, including two audio commentaries (the first with film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Prince, Tony Rayns, and Donald Richie; the second with Japanese film expert Michael Jeck), a “My Life in Cinema” video conversation between filmmakers Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Oshima (116 min.), a featurette on “Origins and Influences” of the samurai traditions (56 min.), a Toho Masterworks “making-of” documentary that is part of Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create (50 min.), a posters/stills gallery, trailers, and a booklet featuring essays and a 1993 interview with costar Toshiro Mifune. Bottom line: an excellent Blu-ray debut for a cinematic landmark.]