Streaming Gems: Seven Samurai (1954)
Photo from IMDb
From Shane Conto
Have you explored the cinematic world of Japan’s greatest filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa? Limiting him to just his nation does not do him justice as Kurosawa is easily one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. He created some of the greatest samurai films ever put on the big screen. His explorations into the world of feudal Japan are unmatched in scale, filmmaking, and story. Few filmmakers can say they have one of the most consistently great filmographies throughout their careers. Any of his films are a wonder to experience with the richness of Japanese culture brought to life on screen as well as all the technical mastery on display with his films. If you seek his crown jewel of the samurai genre as well as arguably the greatest samurai film of all time, you don’t have to look further than Seven Samurai.
Before diving into the individual merits of this film, you can look at the legacy this film has. Seven Samurai is one of the most adapted films and influential films in the history of cinema. You see a group of warriors teaming up in a film to defend the innocent? Some of that stems from Kurosawa’s epic. The most direct connection is that The Magnificent Seven is a western remake of this film. Trading in swords for guns makes for a great film but it does not reach the heights of this original set in feudal Japan. The Magnificent Seven even got a modern remake in the 2010s. If you grew up on Pixar, you have seen a fun send-up of this epic samurai film in the form of A Bug’s Life. They are circus bugs who are mistaken for warriors to defend an innocent colony (aka village) against a gang of grasshoppers (instead of bandits). Even Zach Synder just ripped off Seven Samurai for his big time science fiction epic in Rebel Moon. There have been anime adaptations and even episodes of television like Star Wars: The Clone Wars that channel this fantastic story of a group of ronin who team up to prevent bandits from pillaging a small village. Watching this three and a half hour epic will open your eyes to where action cinema has gone thanks to this film.
Speaking of… how great is the action? The final act of this giant film is something to behold. The staging is incredible. There are multiple waves of enemies running in at different times from different places. There is rain that comes in and makes things more complicated. There are horses and plenty of running characters. Just from a logistics standpoint, this finale is one of the greatest action sequences in film. Kurosawa creates a visceral atmosphere that makes every death and attack feel impactful and have weight. But most importantly, this film has consequences and stakes that few big time action films are willing to commit to. Not all seven of these warriors make it out of this climactic fight.
What makes this action so effective? Kurosawa. His direction is most impressive. He has shown over the course of the decades of his career that he was one of the greatest filmmakers ever. The way the camera moves is immersive and engaging. There is a scale that Kurosawa was an expert at. The final battle feels like a miniature war because Kurosawa knows how to leverage the staging, production design, and the size of his cast. When you have a team of seven characters who need to receive introductions, Kurosawa knows how to use his camera to create engaging and memorable scenes that leave an impact on the audience.
But it is not just Kurosawa that makes this a must see, right? The whole cast is full of incredible performers who do what they need to do to create characters. But there are two legendary actors who make this film so special. Takashi Shimura portrays Shimada who is the de facto leader of this team of warriors. There is a wise nature to this man and an intelligence for battle. He also has a sense of honor that stands out for someone who is a hired sword. Shimura brings a steady hand in creating a memorable and empathetic character. This is a man we can see leading this crew into battle. Then you have the legendary Toshiro Mifune, arguably the greatest actor in the history of Japan, stars as the manic and impulsive Kikuchiyo. The performance that Mifune delivers is at twenty out of ten. Mifune knows how to imbue rage and insecurity into such a character who is just a young man who has so much to learn from the rest of this team. Mifune’s presence is incredible and it is no surprise that he starred in so many of Kurosawa’s films.
Is Seven Samurai a classic epic worth the long runtime commitment? This is such a perfectly crafted and impactful film that it has stood the test of time. There is depth to this film as Kurosawa explores the morally gray area that the ronin exist in and how the villagers fear them along with the bandits. This is the perfect film to explore to open up a whole new subgenre of film that deserves your attention.
Seven Samurai is now streaming on Max.
