Seven Samurai: Blu-ray Review

[@JMxx6204]

One of the greatest pieces of art created in the 20th century.

[@Flood520]

Absolutely!

[@VgnRaj]

This has not only been an inspiration for hundreds of international movies but within itself a Doctoral class in movie making, acting and cinematography.

[@JimParshall]

I did training at Lucasfilm many years ago on sound and THX and seven samurai was used for three of our classes. So many modern film tropes first got their start in seven samurai it is hard to get your head wrapped around how influential that movie was

[@Flood520]

An absolutely seminal work. Influential beyond comprehension, and rightfully sp.

[@shaunwilson2537]

As a teen I saw Kagemusha at a cinema when it came out and later on Ran. When home video began I got to see this one and Throne of Blood, Yoshimbo, Rashomon. Many years later I found Kurasawa's earlier contemporary-set films like Stray Dog and though I've yet to get to see well known greats like High and Low, I have found a few barely known earlier films from wartime and early post-war that I have to say were transfixingly good, perhaps better than 100's of better known classic films. Never miss an opportunity to watch anything Kurasawa did.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

If you haven't seen Ikiru then that's the other candidate for his absolute best.

[@ravesensation5533]

This and KING KONG 33 are my favorite films of all time. I never get tired of either of them.

[@Dontuween]

Possibly the two most influential features of all time!

[@thribs]

@@ravesensation5533 didn’t know they made that many Kong movies

[@ravesensation5533]

@@thribs oh yes. And some people even believe that the second film “KING KONGS” is even better than the first. But even die hard fans will admit that the last dozen or so are a bit rubbish.

[@jpenir]

One of the best movies of all time

[@danthsmith]

I once saw John Woo interviewed. Asked what the greatest action movies were he immediately answered Seven Samurai, Wild Bunch.

[@matthewh.9544]

This is a masterpiece and it's only going to get better the more films try and fail to copy it

[@budobrass]

I literally finished watching this film 15 minutes before your review posted.

[@suething5587]

In addition to being part of Kurosawa's impressive stable of actors,Takashi Shimura also lent his considerable acting chops to the original "Gojira". I always thought of him as the Japanese Max von Sydow.

[@jpenir]

Shimura is fantastic in anything hes in. He was also in several other Godzilla films after the 1st in 1954

[@kamenriderkfp6684]

My favorite Takashi Shimura performance has to be in my favorite film, Ikiru. One of the most soul crushing and yet heart lifting performances ever put to the screen and Shimura's talent in bringing it to life demonstrates his mastery in the field of acting

[@euansmith3699]

I'm glad that Zach Snyder hasn't taken it upon himself to remake this film.

[@karlkarlos3545]

You mean like in Rebel Moon?

[@maduramarine]

Just give him a minute.

[@JMxx6204]

Or “McG”

[@euansmith3699]

@@JMxx6204 😂😂😂

[@skylx0812]

Wheat. Wheat up to your ash...

[@Flood520]

Also, sorry for my THIRD comment on the video, but man... This was the opening of my totally healthy and normal man-crush on Toshiro Mifune. What a goddamn legend. My understanding is that he was seen as basically a Japanese Sean Connery. Well earned and deserved if true.

[@rynehall9990]

I remember seeing this on ch11 in Chicago when I was 7 or 8 around 1972.

[@robertmyers5269]

I recall that broadcast. Watching it on a 19" Admiral black and white set in my dining room (best room in the house for a group to gather round). The days when we had to grab art on film when it came around.

[@JamesSimmons-d1t]

Perfect review, length, focuses, critique. Saw in film course in university early 70s... When I shave or electric clip back of head, and rub the area with palm...feeling unique...this perfect gentleman's only smile of note comes back to me. Impersonating a monk to save a life by justifiably killing a ...mad dog of a human ...a beautiful irony. What would Gandhi do, etc. Thank you...already bell-iconed. Do Vigo, Renoir, Jean-Pierre Melville. Please.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

There may be five or 10 movies that are its equal, but there are none greater. It sits on the Mt. Everest of cinema.

[@55Quirll]

I love watching this, this is what all current movies are based on - The Magnificent 7, was a good one, Yojimbo = For a Fist Full of Dollars and Last Man Standing are good English versions. You are doing a great job at telling it and the way it stands the test of time. I am going to download it and watch it tonight. Thank you for a great video and commentary.

[@Ned_of_the_Hill]

Marvelous review! These new releases will be very tempting, even though I already own a copy of "Seven Samurai" on DVD.

[@AlmostReadyMovie]

I was watching 'McCabe and Mrs. Miller' last week and while no one in their right mind would consider it an action film, the climactic showdown is the most intense I've seen in any western. Also like Seven Samurai, the aim is for realism rather than romantization and is a perfect film in every way.

[@timhrklittimothyherrickvid169]

thank you for reminding us why we love The Seven Samurai is why we love cinema. Great clip, as usual!

[@georgemetcalf8763]

Probably one of the most profound film endings I can think of.

[@WilliamChico-m6r]

For me, Seven Samurai is one of my favorite Akira Kurosawa movie of 1954. Along with Game of Killers is one of my favorite martial arts parody flick of 1978.

[@sweepsp8468]

I remember seeing this on BBC 2 back in the seventies and was taken aback, this film is so good all the other look a likes are crap against this. it must have been good cos its still the film I mark all others.

[@ericjanssen394]

It takes a while to get started, but once the samurai arrive, this 3-1/2 hour movie feels like a half hour. And, like the samurai, I will die on the hill defending John Sayles’ script for “Battle Beyond the Stars”. 😎🍿

[@robertmyers5269]

Yep. One of the most entertaining riffs on this.

[@Flood520]

It may have been a mess, but it was a beautiful mess.

[@sampoernaquatrain1710]

A stone cold, untouchable CLASSIC! Every time I watch it I think about how super-sharp a samurai's swords had to be, and wonder how in the world they kept them that way.

[@travisrygg3317]

Akira's other masterpiece that I really need to watch sometime. The only Japanese movies I watch are Godzilla, kaiju, and a few other science fiction flicks. That may be a stereotypical thing for me to say, and I would apologize for that. I should expand my interests in Japanese cinema because there are other iconographies in their nation and samurais are among them.

[@TheGuyInTheCheapSeats]

Don't feel bad. You have to start somewhere.

[@Flood520]

I've got the Criterion edition. Both the quality and importance of this film cannot possibly be overstated but nonetheless I'm glad you're covering it just on the chance for any kind of exposure to a younger or otherwise unaware potential audience. My favorite Kurosawa movie is actually Nora Inu ("Stray Dog"). I was taking an unpleasant but necessary cross-state trip many a year ago and it was on the hotel TV at like 4am. I couldn't sleep but it immediately grabbed my attention and held me enraptured. What happy serendipity. I had heard of Kurosawa, but it was my first actual exposure to his work, and it was literally life changing. True story. All these years later I now teach a few sections of Cambridge Global Perspectives, and as prep for their essay, I show my students Rashoman and require them to deconstruct and reconstruct the perspectives of the various witnesses. And this all happened from a chance late night 20ish years ago. Anyways, cheers and thanks for your attention to this seminal work of art.

[@georgemetcalf8763]

I forgot to mention its drumbeat echoed in Conan the Barbarian when the trio sneak into Thulsa Doom's lair.

[@earlleeruhf3130]

I watched a film Once Upon a Time on a Battlefield. It was about a war between several rulers before China became united. The film covers many different aspects of a battle both comical and tragic. All Asian actors and quite interesting.

[@goodlookingcorpse]

Today, of course, this film is only remembered as a footnote, the film which inspired Rebel Moon.

[@andrewyoung2796]

As much as I enjoy Robins British humor His scholarly takes on classic s rule

[@robertmyers5269]

Ok. Have this on a nice DVD (Criterion). But take my money for this on 4K. As side notes -- waiting for the 4k of 'Once a Upon a Time in the West', and the release of '2001: A Space Odyssey" was my reason to by a 4k player..

[@bentramer682]

I watched this film for the first time yesterday with a couple of people. It was just as amazing as everyone says it is.

[@Flood520]

Wow, what amazing timing! Glad you felt the love for this absolute masterpiece.

[@DanDoty-i5n]

In Kurosawa movie there are no extras. Everyone is an actor.

[@hippybuddhist]

Dear Santa...

[@BertTurbaville]

Brilliant analysis- thank you!

[@grumpyoldwizard]

I saw value in this film. It took me a few tries but I finally watched this in one sitting. It is amazing. I don't know anyone willing to watch it, much to their loss. I am going to include this new edition in my Christmas list.

[@dbsommers1]

Got my blu ray several months ago. Worth every cent.

[@heatrayzvideo3007]

Throne of Blood review would be great.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHK6qoCCbtp2fMk&pp=ygUTZGFyayBjb3JuZXJzIHRocm9uZQ%3D%3D

[@Litauen-yg9ut]

You know, to this day I've never watched the whole movie start to finish. I can't even explain why, but it's always been portions of it at different times it was on. And it's a decent movie too...

[@tomjohnson4922]

you know it's an epic when there's a musical intermission.

[@DocZFlux]

Timeless Classic!

[@AnotherCanadianSenior]

A masterful review of a masterful movie... one of the greatest of the cinematic age. It can move you to tears and stir your senses with the sweep of its battle pieces. My most memorable scene manages to combine both pathos and horror when the "good guys" capture a bandit early in the struggle and they are trying to decide who and how they will kill him. Their choice [no spoilers here] both saddens and horrifies the viewer in a few wordless moments that sums up the ultimate futility of life. Kurosawa was a master.

[@sneakyskunk1]

With so many modern films rapidly ballooning to the 2 hour plus mark, I feel it is high time to re-introduce the musical intermission(at least for the theatrical runs of those films not being first run on streaming services). It would be nice to get up and walk out of a movie to take care of nature's call and know you weren't going to miss any critical plot elements.

[@joshua2814]

I loved Robin’s 50 weeks of Kurosawa (and Japanese cinema). I watched every title that year.

[@marlasotherchannel9847]

Absolutely! ❤

[@TerryAraguz]

Brilliant movie! Well done!

[@vasilypugh696]

Utterly majestic.

[@derworfnet]

_Ran_ is probably still my favourite Kurosawa-film, but this is a very close second. But they’re all excellent.

[@AlmostReadyMovie]

Kurosawa is one of those filmmakers where picking one favorite is too much of a task. Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Throne of Blood, Kagemusha, Ran. It could be all of those and more.

[@morgangallowglass8668]

The very definition of the term Masterpiece.

[@robertfaulkner1824]

I got the BFI myself and I’m in the US

[@brenthenshaw3585]

08:02 Paraphrased by C-3PO in Star Wars.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

It is a good film. The only one that comes near it, in my mind, is Hells Angels On Wheels. Outlaws who live by their own rules and are not afraid to laugh at themselves and not afraid to kill.

[@ViaFerrataCH]

One of my favourite films

[@danthsmith]

Saw it this year. Don’t watch on tv, wait for a cinema show

[@gregevans6044]

Best movie ever made

[@e.j.vkanty4482]

I hadn't heard of this until I found out the Star Trek: DS9 episode "Blood Oath" was inspired by it.

[@DeltaDemon1]

While I like the movie, it is, much like the Magnificent 7, one that I feel no need to rewatch. Once was enough for me. I'll probably watch it again once or twice if it ever comes to TV (which is incredibly rare) or free streaming (I doubt it) but that'll be it for me. However, the special features intrigue me.

[@itowmyhome797]

Thank you

[@patanouketgersiflet9486]

Watched it way back when and I liked it, but never felt the need to watch it again. Maybe I should despite its runtime. Toshiro Mifune is one of the few actors who can pull off overacting so brilliantly. Then I thought of another actor who chewed the scenery like an absolute boss in a particular movie, and the more you described this movie's and Kurosawa's qualities, the more it applied to that other movie and that director. Characters who don't talk much yet you know who they are, brilliant action at the end, crossing all the t's and dotting all the i's, suspense slowing going up, movie that's inspired dozens without ever being surpassed etc. The actor is Eli Wallach in Sergio Leone's The good the bad and the ugly. Oh, right.

[@jasonsantos3037]

Samurai movies are like Western's they are good to watch.

[@lorddevilfish5868]

I just had a horrifying revelation you can technically connect the Universal monster series to the showa Godzilla series through Frankenstein conquers the world. I saw Universal because of the appearance of the creature having a fat head! Also weird seeing one of the greatest non-horror films discussed on this channel!

[@skylx0812]

I've never seen it. I've seen Rashomon and RAN and am still processing.

[@Flood520]

Please by all means watch it. Also let me humbly recommend Nora Inu/Stray Dog. A powerful and affecting film in it's own right, but also a fascinating look at the culture and state of Japan only a few years after the end of WW2. One of the most fascinating time capsules you could even unearth.

[@tommydarbe1524]

Inspirational

[@l.a.gothro3999]

I have never seen this movie, even though it was one of my late father's favorites, along with the US film it inspired, "The Magnificent Seven". Which I think I may have seen, not sure. Then again, I'm not much of a fan of the genre; even Eastwood's stuff got too formulaic to me. Is "Blazing Saddles" a Western? What about "Cat Ballou"? "Support Your Local Sheriff"? I like all of those very much

[@l.a.gothro3999]

And the odd thing about my father liking it was that he flew on a B-24 in the Pacific as a gunny sergeant during WWII - he pretty much respected the Japanese people, their leaders not so much. BTW, Dad really enjoyed "Battle Beyond the Stars".

[@thribs]

Got the 4K but I haven’t watched it yet. Didn’t realise how long the movie is

[@anthonymunn8633]

Don't worry,it goes by quicker than you'd expect.

[@thribs]

@@anthonymunn8633 Still nearly 4 hours.

[@thribs]

@ Still nearly 4 hours.

[@jackbrennan1125]

Review the Creature from the Black lagoon movies

[@matthewh.9544]

Why, it's shit

[@Philbert-s2c]

@@matthewh.9544 True but it's not like they don't trade in that here.

[@karlkarlos3545]

@@matthewh.9544 Wash your mouth. Creature from the Black lagoon is an absolute classic.

[@karlkarlos3545]

@@matthewh.9544 Because he is a film historian that specializes in monster movies. And Creature of The Black Lagoon is an absolute classic of it's genre.

[@jackbrennan1125]

@@karlkarlos3545 Finally, a man of culture

[@robertbest579]

Can't hit like again

[@Flood520]

I got your back, bro.

[@NinjaNezumi]

It's funny you say nothing touches the original, when Kurosawa said the Magnificent 7 was superior - because of 2 reasons: 1. He was never allowed to make a western 2. The ending for the youth was clearer (upon his own request)

[@DarkCornersReviews]

He also called it a disappointment and 'not a version of 7 Samurai'. He said different things in various interviews.

[@NinjaNezumi]

@@DarkCornersReviews His 1966 interview never made any sense to me considering he was given script approval and rights approval. It also goes contrary to what he said after screening the movie. I always wondered if he was talking about a sequel to the Magnificent 7 as opposed to the first movie.

[@NinjaNezumi]

You don't do this: "Kurosawa watched "The Magnificent Seven" and immediately sent Sturges a samurai sword as a gift, presumably because the director was so impressed with Sturges' work." ...if you don't like the person or their work. The social implications of being gifted a sword in Japan is on a level that I can't express. I truly think he had to have been talking about the sequel, which had nothing to do with the original movie or the script. That's something he directly mentions in his interview that decries it.

[@Philbert-s2c]

Little off the mark for this channel but a brilliant pick nonetheless. This film is one of the greatest ever made.

[@jspaingreene6350]

Whatever interests them is what I want to hear about

[@karlkarlos3545]

He made a whole series about Kurosawa. Why do you think it's of the mark?

[@DarkCornersReviews]

We like to mix our love for all genre films. On Patreon we did a 50 episode series covering all of his films. It is a problem that KZbin likes to pigeonhole channels. For better or worse we follow our passion.

[@Flood520]

​@@DarkCornersReviewsMan, if my money weren't so funny right now, I'd drop the cash just to watch that! As it is, please take my "thanks" post above, as well as my actual, sincere thanks. I have certainly not seen Kurosawa's entire filmography, but I've seen a decent chunk of it. The only one that did not work for me was Madadayo. I found it to be a real slog. But that was late 20's me. Pushing 50 me might appreciate it quite a bit more if I ever take a chance to re watch it.

[@Flood520]

Thanks!