Farmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.Farmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.Farmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 5 wins & 9 nominations total
Toshirô Mifune
- Kikuchiyo
- (as Toshiro Mifune)
Yukiko Shimazaki
- Wife
- (as Yukio Shimazaki)
Isao Kimura
- Katsushiro
- (as Ko Kimura)
Kokuten Kôdô
- Old Man Gisaku
- (as Kuninori Todo)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAkira Kurosawa's original idea for the film was to make it about a day in the life of a samurai, beginning with him rising from bed, eat breakfast, go to his master's castle and ending with him making some mistake that required him to go home and kill himself to save face. Despite a good deal of research, he did not feel he had enough solid factual information to make the movie. He then pitched the idea of a film that would cover a series of five samurai battles, based on the lives of famous Japanese swordsmen. Hashimoto went off to write that script, but Kurosawa ultimately scrapped that idea as well, worrying that a film that was just "a series of climaxes" wouldn't work. Then, producer Sôjirô Motoki found, through historical research, that samurai in the "Warring States" period of Japanese history would often volunteer to stand guard at peasant villages overnight in exchange for food and lodging. Kurosawa then came across an anecdote about a village hiring samurai to protect them and decided to use that idea. Kurosawa wrote a complete dossier for each character with a speaking role. In it were details about what they wore, their favourite foods, their past history, their speaking habits, their reaction to battle and every other detail he could think of about them. No other Japanese director had ever done this before.
- GoofsIn the closing moments of the final battle, the bandits fire two musket shots only seconds apart. It is clear from the plot that at that point they possess only one musket. The black powder muskets of the age required much more time to reload. This error was pointed out in the commentary of the deluxe DVD edition.
- Quotes
Kambei Shimada: This is the nature of war: By protecting others, you save yourselves. If you only think of yourself, you'll only destroy yourself.
- Alternate versionsThe film's original Japanese release version runs 207 minutes, plus intermission, which includes four minutes of entr'acte music against a blank screen. This is the version that has been generally shown worldwide since the 1980s, though sometimes it is shown without the intermission and entr'acte, resulting in a listed running time of 203 minutes. The initial U.S.A. release was re-titled 'The Magnificent Seven' and released November 1956, with English subtitles, and ran 158 minutes. Some European releases were even further shortened to 141 minutes. Landmark Films re-released the film in the U.S. in December 1982, the first time outside Japan the film saw a major release with its running time intact (although the intermission and entr'acte were removed). Later U.S.A. releases by Avco-Embassy Pictures, Janus Films, and Films Incorporated, and by BFI in the UK, are also the full original version of the film.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Objective 500 Million (1966)
Featured review
Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai': A Timeless Masterpiece of Cinema
Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" is a true masterpiece of cinema that has stood the test of time. Released in 1954, the film tells the story of a group of samurai hired to defend a small village from bandits. With its stunning cinematography, rich characters, and epic scope, "Seven Samurai" is a triumph of filmmaking that has influenced countless filmmakers over the years.
The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing for the development of its many characters, each with their own unique story and motivations. Kurosawa's direction is impeccable, capturing the beauty of the Japanese countryside and the intensity of the battle scenes. The film's climactic battle sequence is a true masterpiece of action filmmaking, with Kurosawa's camera capturing every detail of the action in stunning black and white.
"Seven Samurai" also tackles complex themes such as honor, sacrifice, and class struggle. The film's portrayal of the samurai as warriors with a strong sense of duty and honor has made it a classic of the genre, while its commentary on the plight of the peasants and their struggle against oppression is still relevant today.
Overall, "Seven Samurai" is a timeless masterpiece that should be seen by any fan of cinema. Its influence can be seen in countless films, from Westerns to science fiction to superhero movies. Kurosawa's direction and the film's stunning visuals make it a true cinematic treasure that will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.
The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing for the development of its many characters, each with their own unique story and motivations. Kurosawa's direction is impeccable, capturing the beauty of the Japanese countryside and the intensity of the battle scenes. The film's climactic battle sequence is a true masterpiece of action filmmaking, with Kurosawa's camera capturing every detail of the action in stunning black and white.
"Seven Samurai" also tackles complex themes such as honor, sacrifice, and class struggle. The film's portrayal of the samurai as warriors with a strong sense of duty and honor has made it a classic of the genre, while its commentary on the plight of the peasants and their struggle against oppression is still relevant today.
Overall, "Seven Samurai" is a timeless masterpiece that should be seen by any fan of cinema. Its influence can be seen in countless films, from Westerns to science fiction to superhero movies. Kurosawa's direction and the film's stunning visuals make it a true cinematic treasure that will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- ¥125,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $773,942
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $15,942
- Jul 28, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $801,551
- Runtime3 hours 27 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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