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Nov 13, 2024 Web Exclusive By Joey Arnone Photography by The Criterion Collection

A monumental work in the history of cinema, Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film Seven Samurai is a masterclass in storytelling and arguably one of the most influential films ever made. It was, at its time, the most expensive film production in Japan, and clocking in at just under three and a half hours, it is a narrative of epic scope that is nearly unparalleled in 20th century cinema. The film’s influence, particularly its thematic focus in the first half of “assembling the team,” can be felt across late-20th century and even current cinema–from its direct American remake, 1960’s The Magnificent Seven, to modern franchises such as The Avengers and Star Wars.

Seven Samurai tells the story of a village struggling with the imminent threat of bandits hellbent on stealing their harvest. Under the advice of the village elder, Gisaku (Kokuten Kōdō), the villagers reluctantly agree to hire a group of samurai to protect them against the bandits. One by one, samurai are chosen under the approval of a seasoned rōnin named Kambei Shimada (Kurosawa regular Takashi Shimura). A group of samurai–seven in total (of course, given the title)–are ultimately chosen. Among the samurai is Kikuchiyo, played by the iconic Toshiro Mifune. Kikuchiyo, a rogue citizen who isn’t actually a samurai, fakes his way into becoming a part of the group and provides much of the film’s comic relief and personality.

The film is nothing short of a pioneer in the realm of action cinema, and a catalyst for many action films we see today. However, unlike many films from this current generation, Kurosawa always ties the action in his films to emotions. The deaths in Seven Samurai always hold significance and consequence, whether the fallen are heroes or villains. Likewise, as opposed to modern action films, which rely on frenetic and chaotic editing, Kurosawa’s restrained yet dynamic camerawork ensures that the viewer can fully understand the magnitude of what is happening on screen, and more importantly, the consequences of what is happening.

Written by Kurosawa alongside Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, the film takes its time to introduce each samurai, as well as many of the villagers, to the audience. The film’s first hour is nearly entirely devoted to characterizing each individual samurai, highlighting the different reasons that each of them have for wanting to join forces. It is a deeply humanistic film that is also steeped in ancient Japanese culture. Noted by Roger Ebert in his review of the film, the samurai and the villagers are of a different caste and present an imbalance of power, yet the threat of the bandits poses a greater risk to the villagers than their caste differences.

The film’s new 4K restoration brilliantly renders the film’s use of deep focus, highlighting Kurosawa’s mastery in utilizing the foreground, midground, and background to simultaneously relay important visual information and further the story. Kurosawa utilized several then-unorthodox filming techniques to capture the visual flair of the film. He used telephoto lenses to create the film’s unique sense of depth, while relying on a multi-camera setup to capture single moments from different points of view, adding to the idiosyncratic nature of the film’s editing (also completed by Kurosawa himself).

In addition to the new 4K restoration, the new Criterion edition of Seven Samurai features a menagerie of special features. Among them are two commentaries: a roundtable discussion featuring several renowned critics and scholars, and another by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck. Also featured is the fifty-minute documentary Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create, a part of the Toho Masterworks series which features interviews with several of Kurosawa’s collaborators, including Seven Samurai co-writer Shinobu Hashimoto.

Another endlessly fascinating feature is a nearly two-hour 1993 interview with Kurosawa conducted by In the Realm of the Senses director Nagisa Ōshima, where Kurosawa speaks at length about his life’s work. There is also an hour-long Criterion-exclusive feature which looks in depth at the history and portrayal of samurai in art, and how it ultimately influenced Kurosawa’s most well-known, renowned and influential film.

(www.criterion.com/films/165-seven-samurai?srsltid=AfmBOoph6ZDKsCDyRJWCnpa8Z-nv2Bflms8viD4JnHits_Iz_PJ4Q4N8)