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Seven Samurai (1954)

★★★★★ — Seven Samurai (1954)

Akira Kurosawa made Seven Samurai at Toho Studios in Japan at a point when his reputation was already well established domestically, though Rashomon (1950) had only recently introduced him to Western audiences via its surprise Venice Golden Lion win. The production was famously gruelling, running well over schedule and over budget, with the climactic rain-soaked battle sequence alone taking weeks to film. Kurosawa insisted on using multiple cameras simultaneously for the action scenes, a relatively unconventional approach at the time, and the final cut runs to over three and a half hours. The film arrived during a period of quiet Japanese national rebuilding, and its setting in a feudal village under siege carried its own resonances for postwar audiences. It would later be remade in Hollywood as The Magnificent Seven (1960).

One of the all-time greats. Seven Samurai is over 70 years old so it's like a literal time machine. Akira Kurosawa, probably the greatest director of all time along with Toshiro Mifune, one of the best actors of all time. Seven Samurai is an absolute timeless classic.

Rating: ★★★★★ | Year: 1954 | Watched: 2025-04-07

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Where to watch (UK)

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Physical: Amazon UK

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