Seven Samurai

Akira Kurosawa, Japan 1954, 200 minutes

Perhaps Akira Kurosawa's greatest triumph, The Seven Samurai is a bona fide classic of cinema, a regular on many critics all-time top tens. So, if you haven't seen it before, why not?

One day a villager overhears a gang of bandits as they pass through his village; the bandits are going to come back and raid it at harvest time. The villagers decide to try to recruit some Samurai to defend them. Most, when they hear of the low rewards and high odds, are uninterested. Eventually however, seven defenders are recruited. Six are true samurai (the old timer, the novice, the ascetic swordsmaster, and the professionals) all fighting only for honour and their daily rice. The seventh, Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) is different, being a loudmouthed peasant masquerading as a Samurai and desperately seeking acceptance from the others. The seven Samurai drill the peasants and prepare the village for attack. The rains and the bandits come, and a series of dramatic clashes take place, culminating in a breathtaking battle to the finish.

What makes The Seven Samurai a really special film is the depth of detail and characterisation Kurosawa provides (the bandits, samurai and villagers all even have their own musical themes). We also get a real sense of 16th century Japanese society: The interactions between villagers and samurai are frequently awkward, each group having its reasons to distrust the other. The Samurai could oppress the peasants just as easily as the bandits, whilst the peasants were plainly not adverse to picking off the odd samurai when it suited them.

The tension between the Samurai and villagers, combined with Kurosawa's technical mastery in the action sequences, means The Seven Samurai is a film to see again and again. It rewards repeat viewings as much as first ones; something you can say of all too few films nowadays.

Review by Keith H Brown
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98

Kurosawa's best film, and probably one of the best films ever made, tells the story of a troop of hungry warriors in early modem Japan hired by a village to protect itself from bandit attack Dealing with the fears of the peasants and organising the defence of the village occupies the samurai - and then the bandit attack

Peasants, samurai and bandits, each group possessing a particular theme tune and style of dress, are variously compared with each other; the samurai's stoic near-altruism contrasting with the peasants' disregard for morality and kindness in favour of self-preservation and a life of fearful ritual observance. However, as one character notes, it's the samurai and their raping, warring, and destruction of the land which keeps the peasants in perpetual fear. Indeed, the samurai and bandits seem to be conducting a private war; pitting the individual and ancient skill on the one hand against sheer numbers and technology (and the emergeant new Japan) on the other; the samurai prefering to fight with swords rather than rifles.

The heroism of the seven emerges in their willingness to do what is right, regardless of the outcome, and to help people without making judgements about their fallabilities and occasional immorality.

In Seven Samurai, Kurosawa manages to incorporate, slapstick and situation comedy, unmatched epic battle scenes and obligatory love interest as he progresses with near continuous movement and action. Seven Samurai is a film of great drama and humanity which demands your attention and should gain your appreciation.

Review by Ian Lindley
Taken from EUFS Programme 1994-95