• Release year: 1954
• Director: Akira Kurosawa.
• Producer: Sôjirô Motoki.
• Screenplay by: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hachimoto and Hideo Oguni.
• Cinematography by: Asakazu Nakai.
• Music by: Fumio Hayasaka.

Shotgun Commentary: riveting story that has rightfully earned its place in cinema history.

Recap

There is always a huge risk of disappointment when you watch a classic for the first time. Is it really that good? Is it just the director/star’s name that makes in popular? Has it been completely overrated? Has it aged well? Lots of variables can spoil your experience and, when it comes to a revered classic, the expectations are quite high, even if you try to lower them.

On top of this, you have a shocking three and almost half hours of footage to get through. Sure, films like Oppenheimer (2023) are so incredible that they make three hours seem like thirty minutes. But, sadly, that’s not often the case, Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) comes to mind. As such, you can imagine this writer’s apprehension to face Seven Samurai.

Why now?

Surely, lots of you will be thinking “you’ve never watched it before?!”. Well, the answer is no. There are tons of classics out there. So, even though it was mentioned more often than not in film school, one simply can’t get around watching everything.

That being said, the BFI’s decision to make a 4K restoration of this masterpiece available offered the perfect opportunity to finally watch it. A chance that deserves my eternal gratitude because this movie is uber-awesome. Not a very technical description, but the best one to express how incredibly compelling this work is.

Not only is it a beautiful piece, but thanks to BFI you can now watch it in high definition. If you are a fan of 50s films, you will be in awe at the level of details you can now see clearly. The restoration comes with some fascinating extra content, but more on that after the review.

Review

As you might have deduced from the synopsis, Seven Samurai has served as inspiration for many, many films after it, especially westerns. Films like The Magnificent Seven (1960 and 2016), The Invincible Six (1970), or Rebel Moon (2023), and shows like The Mandalorian (“Chapter 4: Sanctuary”, 2019), follow this same pattern.

A structure that is also replicated by many other films featuring a group of misfits that don’t quite get along fighting for justice. The Expendables (2010), The Avengers (2012), and shows like The A-Team (1983-1987) are a few of the most popular examples. All this comes to show that, even if you still haven’t watched this masterpiece, chances are, it will feel incredibly familiar.

It also bears mentioning that, out of the whopping three hours and twenty-three minutes of film, not a single scene feels irrelevant. Not even the five minutes of intermission included in the BFI restoration, perfect for a very much needed break.

One can’t help but think that nowadays this wouldn’t be possible. This exact content would be filled with irrelevant scenes and turned into a trilogy without thinking twice about it. Therefore, this feature has not only kept its relevance as a story, but gained further value as proof that well-edited films, even if they are eternally long, are worth watching a lot more than overstretched plots that have been turned into sagas just to get more money out of them.

The beauty and the rebel

Perfect editing and engrossing main narrative aside, there are three things that stand out over the rest: cinematography, the character creation, and the female presence. The first one is achieved thanks to a really talented team, a wonderful cinematographer, and gorgeous scenery.

It is not often that you catch a film from the fifties where you can tell day from night. Unless there is some explicit mention or clue on screen, that is. However, this film makes it incredibly clear. A feat made even more enjoyable after the BFI restoration, in which you can see all the shots from the nighttime as crisp as your hand in front of you. This detail might seem small in comparison to all the technical aspects that go into making the film look as good as it does, but it truly does wonders in terms of storytelling. Especially considering that the whole film revolves around time and strategy.

The characters are arguably the best thing about the whole film. Much like all the aforementioned remakes and products of the “misfits assembling for justice” trope, each of the samurai brings something unique to the group. The wise leader, the young apprentice, the quiet assassin, etc. The most lovable and charming, of course, being the rogue of the team, Kikuchiyo, played by Toshirô Mifune.

Kikuchiyo brings in the drama and the laughs. The man has absolutely no reason for being there. Yet, under his facade of aloofness proves to be the most caring of all. This character arc has been repeated infinite times but, why fix it if it’s not broken, no? Mifune delivers a beautiful performance that ranges from almost comedic sketches to heartbreaking scenes seamlessly.

No weak links here

As for the female presence, it is truly worth analysing, especially considering the decade in which the movie came out. There are three relevant women in the film: a town elder, a kidnapped, wedded woman, and a young girl. Despite the low numbers in comparison to male characters, their story and personality make their presence fascinating. Don’t get too excited, tough. The feature won’t pass the Bechdel test anytime soon, but it is still groundbreaking in terms of character arcs.

The elder woman proves to be vengeful and strong despite her apparent physical weakness. In fact, she single-handedly makes a decision for the whole village without consulting anyone, and they all just go with it. For a town where everyone asks the chief before even sneezing, this is a bold move that showcases the extent of her power.

A couple of centuries ahead

As for the kidnapped woman and the young girl, their stories are similar in a way. The first is taken by the bandits and presumably sexually abused, and the second has a sexual encounter with a samurai outside of wedlock. Mind-blowing as it may be, they both seem to be as shocking for the Japanese society of the time.

Still, instead of being punished for their sexuality and exposed for the male gaze to enjoy, the film stirs towards common reason and acceptance, an incredibly forward-thinking take for the 50s. Not only do they not appear naked at any point, but it is the husband of the kidnapped woman who defends the young girl’s actions, thus gaining the whole village’s respect and making clear the director’s point of view on the matter.

Not just decorative

Furthermore, the young girl’s story is incredibly different from the “girl falls in love with hero” plot lines that are so popular even today. Instead of being a starry-eyed girl who falls hopelessly in love with the samurai and follows him around like a puppy, she is a strong woman with her own concerns and priorities.

Sure, she likes the man, but it is made clear that she doesn’t have sex with him out of a sudden infatuation, but as a way to cope with her limited chances of survival in the war that is taking place. She is her own person, despite her father’s outdated views and his desire to cage her. He goes as far as to cut her hair to make her look like a boy, trying to take with that action, not only her hair and beauty, but also her sexuality. A ridiculous attempt that backfires big time.

All in all, Seven Samurai is still very much a masterpiece whether you consider yourself a cinephile or you just like action films. The story is hypnotising and the characters so charismatic that the feature will go by like a short film. If you like the trope or any of the works mentioned at the beginning of the review, this is 100% your next must-watch.

If you want to enjoy Seven Samurai in all its splendor, it will be released on Limited Edition UHD and Blu-ray, iTunes and Amazon Prime on the 18th of November 2024.

SET SPECIAL FEATURES

• UHD: Restored 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Blu-ray: Restored in 4K and presented in High Definition
• Audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin
• Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create – Seven Samurai (2002, 49 mins): part of the Toho Masterworks series featuring interviews with Kurosawa, script supervisor Teruyo Nogami, writer Shinobu Hashimoto, actors Seiji Miyaguchi and Yoshio Tsuchiya, and others
• Philip Kemp’s selected scenes commentary (1999, 20 mins): the film critic and writer analyses key scenes, recorded for the BFI’s 1999 DVD release
• The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-cinema expert Tony Rayns on Kurosawa’s career and influence
• My Life in Cinema (1993, 116 mins): Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Oshima discuss Kurosawa’s life, career and legacy, filmed for the Directors Guild of Japan
• Original theatrical trailer
• Restoration trailer (2024)
• Image gallery
• Set of four postcards depicting iconic images from the film
• 80-page book with new essays by Tony Rayns, Cristina Álvarez López, Charlie Brigden and James-Masaki Ryan, plus writing by Philip Kemp and Jasper Sharp, and contemporary reviews by Gavin Lambert and director Tony Richardson

PRODUCT DETAILS – UHD

• RRP: £34.99 / Cat. no. BFIB00010 / PG
• Japan / 1954 / black and white / 207 mins / Japanese language with English subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.37:1 // Disc 1: UHD100: 2160p, 23.98fps, DTS-HD MA 1.0 mono audio (48kHz/24-bit) // Disc 2: BD50: 1080i, 29.97fps, LPCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/16-bit)

PRODUCT DETAILS – BLU-RAY

• RRP: £29.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1526 / PG
• Japan / 1954 / black and white / 207 mins / Japanese language with English subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.37:1 // Disc 1: BD50: 1080p, 23.98fps, DTS-HD MA 1.0 mono audio (48kHz/24-bit) // Disc 2: BD50: 1080i, 29.97fps, LPCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/16-bit)

Pre-order the UHD version or the Blu-ray version from the BFI Shop now!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Always get a group of misfits to fight for you if some pesky criminals like to bully you.
• Never go after a man yelling at a house in flames.
• Laughter heals everything life throws at you.

What’s your take? Have you watched Seven Samurai? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀