Original Japanese Title: Shichinin no Samurai

This probably remains by western audiences Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed movie. It was remade twice as a western in 'The Magnificent Seven' and  'The Wild Bunch' and was recently ripped off for Disneys 'A Bugs Life' The story line is a simple one. Farmers who are constantly  marauded by bandits, hire a group of seven masterless samurai to defend their village.

It's because of the simplicity that Kurosawa fill's the film with such dense characterisation. For instance all the samurai have the own individual motives and agendas for helping the farmers. Kambei (Takashi Shimura) is the leader, wiseman of the pack, he is very much the hero of the piece but is not potrayed without good humour. His motive appears to be one of only goodness. Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) initially comes across as the drunkard, comedic bad tempered one but it eventually becomes apparent that he has his own sadly tortured past. In one scene the bandits burn down a mill killing a babies parents

. Kikuchiyo cradles the baby and say's 'It's me, the same thing happened to me'. Kyuzo is the one who stays truest to the Bushido ethic. Being the best swordsman and most noble. His motive is simply to perfect his sword skills. Akira uses lots of deep focus and wide angles to deliver his shots. The action/set pieces in this film are simply breathtaking with the heightened realism missing from American action movies today. Akira made use of stop motion to deliver the bloodletting. Also the traditional Japanese sound effects and soundtrack give it its dark, sombre feeling.

The film explores the themes of who the real villains are. Are the samurai not as evil as the bandits and the villagers are revealed to be not the humble peasants they were initially made out to be. In the films final moment the three remaining Samurai look out at their four falling comrade’s graves. The villagers are happy but the Samurai's make off alone without any real belonging. Definetly one of the greatist movies ever made. A simple but profound tale, Rich characterisation and realistic battle sequences.

Toshiro Mifune

SEVEN SAMURAI Year: 1954 Running time: 207mins Written and Directed by Akira Kurosawa Cast: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Isao Kimura, Kamatari Fujiwara , Minoru Chiaki, Daisuke Kato, Seiji Yiyaguchi, Yoshio Inaba, Keiko Tsushima, Bokuzen Hidari Notes: winner of the Silver Lion Venice Film Festival (1954)

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