Here are some customer reviews of
Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection
: The students in my level one course weren't sure what they were getting into when I started this video for them. By the end, they were so into the film they didn't want to go to their next classes. Excellent addition to any history, japanese or world history, course. I highly recommend it!
I had always heard about Seven Samurai, and what a great movie it is. For whatever reason, I never saw it until recently. The only word to describe it would be "masterpiece." It works on so many different levels, and explores so many different themes, that the viewer becomes completely absorbed throughout it's 3 and a half hour run time. Director Akira Kurosawa has long been hailed as a genious, and here's the proof. It's hard to find any fault anywhere in this picture. It's absolutely perfect from it's groundbreaking cinematography, to the ensemble acting, to the the intense action sequences. I love the way Kurwosawa uses the elements like wind and rain to intensify the power of a scene.
The story itself is classic, and is the basic storyline of many American westerns, including "The Magnifficent Seven," which is a remake of this film. In 16th century Japan, a poor farming village besieged by bandits, hire seven samurai warriors to protect them. For merely a handful of rice a day, the seven men agree to help the villagers. We meet each samurai one by one, and learn of their personality traits and their various reasons for joining up. As the leader of a stellar cast is the legendary Toshiro Mifune, who plays Kikuchiyo, an orphaned peasant pretending to be a samurai as he searches for revenge.
Some viewers might shy away from the movie because of the subtitles. The themes this film deals with, like comedy, trajedy, and action are all themes that transcend the language barrior, and this movie should not be missed because of it. Every scene counts, every battle more spectacular than the last, and every performance is right on target.
The DVD is an exceptional restored version of the 1956 epic, with pretty good sound. Also features a pretty interesting commentary by film expert Michael Jeck. Don't miss this one!
One of the most critically aclaimed samurai movies from Akira Kurosawa. A sweeping epic that is worth the three hours that it takes to watch it. The film also showcases one of Japan's finest actors Toshiro Mifune, who also appears in several other Kurosawa motion pictures including Throne of Blood. A film that has heart action and comedy.
First off I would like to rant a little about the people who say this movie is a "kung fu" movie or a ripoff of of The Magnificant Seven. I would love for people like this to do a little research and even a little brain power before they put thoughts into print.
Okay, now with that off my chest, on with my thoughts on this movie. This movie is a classic and is ranked next to Citizen Kane for the top spot for best film ever made. Excellent character development, directing, acting, atmosphere. The whole film just radiates greatness.
...And yellow subtitles would be distracting, IMO. It's a 5 star film
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