Seven Samurai
Set in 16th century Japan, Akira Kurosawa's film tells the story of a poor farming village persecuted by brigands. Facing starvation and death, the villagers attempt a seemingly impossible tasktrying to persuade samurai to defend them. Most of the warriors they approach scoff violently at the insult of such an idea, but eventually a varied band of seven take up their cause, some out of compassion, some hungry for a good fight, some simply out of boredom. (If the plot sounds familiar it is because Kurosawa's film was later re-made in Hollywood as a western, The Magnificent Seven.) Led by veteran samurai Kambei (Takashi Shimura), the samurai fortify the village and combat the attacking bandits in a series of bloody skirmishes.
Seven Samurai is effective on all levels, as an historic epic, thrilling action-adventure, and deep human drama. Toshiro Mifune is particularly outstanding as Kikuchiyo, the wild-eyed swordsman (who may or may not be a real samurai) displaying violent fury in the battle scenes and comic relief in between. Rife with impressive swordplay, Kurosawa's action sequences are masterpieces of cinematic technique, and his eye for movement and montage set a new and influential standard.
This tragic epic is perhaps Kurosawa's strongest genre, and in Seven Samurai he is at the top of his form, displaying a brilliance he would not match again until Ran, 30 years later. Not many films deserve the label "masterpiece," but Seven Samurai is one of those few which undeniably does.
Paul Andrew MacLean
© 1998
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