Seven Samurai (1954)
Year: 1954
Country: Japan
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion Spine Number: 2
Reviewed: March 2014
Country: Japan
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion Spine Number: 2
Reviewed: March 2014
Sometimes you watch a film and it burrows its way into your soul. Something about that film speaks to you on a very deep level and you take it into your heart and it becomes instantly one of your favourite movies. It’s happened to me a few times, with films such as Tokyo Story, Koyaanisqatsi, Paprika, Where The Wild Things Are, Spirited Away and Hedwig And The Angry Inch. After you watch these films, you feel like a different person than the one who sat down to watch it. Something is different within you, something you can’t quite place. It’s like you feel a little more whole. Seven Samurai was one such film. I’d heard of this film many times, of course, and knew of its monumental reputation (many lists rank it as one of the top 10 greatest films of all time), but this
put me off slightly (it always does with the ‘big films’ like Citizen Kane and Tokyo Story because I think, what if I don’t like it? Am I a bad film watcher? Then, I end up watching them and they become my favourites) as well as the three and a half hour running time. However, with this Criterion marathon, I decided that I was finally going to sit down and watch it. And I’m so glad I did. It’s one of the few films that I could honestly say are truly perfect. It tells an epic but beautiful story, filled with memorable characters that you take into your heart. You cry when they do, you celebrate when they do and you feel that sense of melancholy when you witness the film’s ending. We watch them grow from this motley band of swordsman to this awesome team of samurai able to defend a village from bandits. We learn their histories and are intrigued by each new revelation. We are drawn into their world and want the best for them. After the movie draws to its conclusion, there’s the feeling that we have learnt so much about these characters, yet still I was desperate to learn more. After three hours, I still wanted more. An hour and a half is pushing it for some films, but to leave an audience wanting more after three hours? You’re really doing something right. I’m sorry this review has seemed a bit all over the place, but I find it almost impossible to review perfect movies. There’s nothing to complain about and it all ends up becoming superlatives. And I’ve run out for Seven Samurai. It’s quite simply one of the very best movies I’ve ever seen.
put me off slightly (it always does with the ‘big films’ like Citizen Kane and Tokyo Story because I think, what if I don’t like it? Am I a bad film watcher? Then, I end up watching them and they become my favourites) as well as the three and a half hour running time. However, with this Criterion marathon, I decided that I was finally going to sit down and watch it. And I’m so glad I did. It’s one of the few films that I could honestly say are truly perfect. It tells an epic but beautiful story, filled with memorable characters that you take into your heart. You cry when they do, you celebrate when they do and you feel that sense of melancholy when you witness the film’s ending. We watch them grow from this motley band of swordsman to this awesome team of samurai able to defend a village from bandits. We learn their histories and are intrigued by each new revelation. We are drawn into their world and want the best for them. After the movie draws to its conclusion, there’s the feeling that we have learnt so much about these characters, yet still I was desperate to learn more. After three hours, I still wanted more. An hour and a half is pushing it for some films, but to leave an audience wanting more after three hours? You’re really doing something right. I’m sorry this review has seemed a bit all over the place, but I find it almost impossible to review perfect movies. There’s nothing to complain about and it all ends up becoming superlatives. And I’ve run out for Seven Samurai. It’s quite simply one of the very best movies I’ve ever seen.
Best Scene: The incredibly poignant ending
Overall Verdict: 10
Overall Verdict: 10