Reviews of Seven Samurai (1954) and related work
- Remake: The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Seven Samurai (1954
)
A village learns it will be attacked by bandits. A small group of somewhat sly villagers go to the city to hire samurai, of whom less than half will live.
An epic about a skirmish. Lots of impressive realism melded with nice symbolic archetypes, but few other sources of amusement. The 203 minute edition deserves some cutting.
References here: “You Cannot Depict the Wild Without Showing Its Brutality and Cruelty: A Dialogue with Tadao Satō” (1997), “Princess Mononoke and the Attraction of Medieval Times: A Dialogue with Yoshihiko Amino” (1997), “Forty-four Questions on Princess Mononoke for Director Hayao Miyazaki” (1998), Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire (2023).
moving picture Japanese production fiction
‣ The Magnificent Seven (1960)
An excellent performance by Yul Brynner, aided by iconographic personal props for the heroes.
References here: “The Magnificent Ferengi” (1998), Mythbusters (2003).