Seven Samurai

From legendary director Kurosawa comes quite simply one of the greatest films ever made. A village that are constantly under the attack of bandits who loot and pillage, consult an elder for advice. He tells them that they cannot afford to get weapons and defend themselves, but they can find men who will do it for them, samurai who are looking for hospitality. They find a veteran samurai who has fallen on hard times who agrees to help them and recruits six other samurai (one a little suspect…) to return to the village and teach the villagers how to stand up to the bandits and defend themselves. Finally, the film culminates with a fierce battle against more than forty bandits.

A recurring theme in the film is rebellion against social convention. Traditionally farmers and samurai did not mix because they were deemed of different social ranks. These boundaries are crossed when the youngest samurai Katsushiro (Isao Kimura), who has been accepted into the group as Kambei’s apprentice, allows himself to be seduced by Shino (Keiko Tsushima), a farmer’s daughter. In a similar vein a secret about Kikuchiyo (Toshirô Mifune), the vigorous and boisterous know-it-all is revealed, with significant resonances.

You really cannot say this film is anything but flawless, a universally accepted fact. There is a reason it is number 6 in the IMDB Top 250 and any three and a half hour long film that can hold a captive audience throughout must have something going for it. The pace is pitch-perfect throughout, a good half hour spent exploring the characters, their history and motivations before we even reach the village in trouble. The battle scenes are and the fast-paced editing is ground-breaking. The cast is incredible, but the scene-stealer is Toshirô Mifune, who proves why he became one of Japan’s most notorious film actors. His work as the brave, bold outcast of the seven is awe-inspiring all the way through. Takashi Shimura is also amazing as the brave and honourable leader. Quite simply outstanding; you have to see it.

Hannah Upton