Seven Samurai: Kurosawa's Blueprint - ACTION REWIND

[@benjischannel3008]

This is proof why you’ve become one of the best and most underrated video essayists and analysts of the last few years. You have a complete understanding of the art of cinema and the action genre as well. There are very few film analysts who study the action genre as an art form and how it has changed not just cinema but art in general. Thanks a lot for this. It’s always nice to come home from school to watch another masterful video from you especially since you haven’t posted anything for 3 years before this great series. I really have been paying attention to your channel like never before and I’m glad I’m doing that. Ross, you rock.

[@azohundred1353]

The cinematic bond between Kurosawa & John Ford deserves a mention. When Akira Kurosawa and John Ford met in 1957, Ford asked Kurosawa, "You like rain, don't you?" To which Kurosawa replied, "You've been paying attention to my movies." Ford got along very well with Kurosawa when they met as well. Kurosawa told the press, "When I become old, I want to be a great director like him still." He absolutely was as well. According to John Milius, Akira Kurosawa was asked about the look of his films. A journalist said, "Are there any painters or artists that you study in particular?" Akira Kurosawa replied with, "I study John Ford." In the case of Seven Samurai, Kurosawa definitely was inspired by the scene from My Darling Clementine (1946) where Henry Fonda's character Wyatt Earp subdued the crazy drunk shooting everywhere in the bar when he made the scene with Takashi Shimura's character Kambei Shimada goes in and kills the crazy character that's holding a hostage as a way of introducing the leader of the group. And many of the battle scenes and training scenes of the villagers seem very inspired by John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy movies, Fort Apache (1947), She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949), and Rio Grande (1950). Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and John Ford's Stagecoach (1939) also have a common element of the rebel joining the group last, John Wayne's Ringo or Toshiro Mifune's Kikuchiyo, and the plot of a rag-tag crew of people with many differences joining together to fight against a common enemy, learning more about themselves and each other in the process of survival. Both masterpieces. I know you showed the clip of Stagecoach at the end, I appreciate that Rossatron. This was a wonderful analysis of a cinematic work of art and of a Director's immortal contributions to the action-adventure genre as a whole throughout his entire filmography as well. This Action Rewind series has been fantastic. I look forward to the rest!

[@Rossatron]

Of course, and I considered it, but I didn’t want to tread over well worn ground, and that relationship has been discussed at length (plus the videos are quite long as is). Thank you for your kind words and for watching!

[@joemadden4160]

Ford had wanted to meet Kurosawa earlier as he had been a visitor to the set of The Men Who Tread On The Tiger's Tail and had even left a message for Kurosawa, which he never received. They had to wait a decade before they would formally meet.

[@Largentina.]

I can't believe this channel is back in such a big way. Please don't leave us again. This is glorious.

[@4thanonymousperson]

I'm a very simple person. I see a video about my favorite movie of all time, Seven Samurai I watch it and I comment for the algorithm. 😎👍

[@mightisright]

Kurosawa's such a fascinating person. He was partially inspired by Hollywood movies and American novels and his movies in turn were remade in Hollywood and Italy. And he was more loved internationally than in his own country.

[@wilmergimenez]

One of the first KZbinrs I start to follow years ago, glad to see you are making videos again, your channel is one of the few to no say the only specialized in action cinema who talks of the artistic value of the genre

[@GeahkBurchill]

I remember seeing The Seven Samurai at The UC Theater in Berkeley at 16. I became obsessed with Mifune and Kurosawa. Sanjuro and Yojimbo are still two of my favorites along with Red Beard and High & Low. What a monumental duo.

[@grahamtemple1462]

Glad to see you back Ross

[@PeculiarNotions]

I've enjoyed every video in this series so far.

[@deebsmigs]

Holy Crap. Welcome back! Seven samurai is one of my top favorite movies.

[@Rossatron]

Thank you, check out the first two episodes if you haven't already!

[@MattSaysHello]

Ross!!!! Let’s go!!!!

[@erubin100]

Welcome back, king.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

"An entire video about Seven Samurai? Surely it can't be *that* important and influential!" Narrator: "Turns out it really is *that* important and influential. And stop calling me Shirley!" (Yeah, I know the joke doesn't work that well in writing, but that's not gonna stop me!)

[@Malefication]

Fantastic episode as always, Rossatron. I'm getting more and more excited by the teases of your short film as well!

[@robs9237]

This is a Mount Rushmore type movie. Epitome of a classic

[@PierceArner]

The scene with cross-cutting between the slow-motion in *_Seven Samurai_* also feels like it's accomplishing something specific that's capturing the experience of the respective points of view. When there is something that's extremely shocking & impactful that you personally witness, it can feel like it's happening in slow motion to you. In this case, the character dying in slow motion matches the way that the death is being witnessed by everyone else, whereas the perspective back on the people witnessing it doesn't have that same impact occurring so there's no reason for that to be in slow motion. I think that hits at the core of what you were talking about with "save the cat" because while it's _possible_ to boil that down into a trope or a technique and then mimic it, it doesn't always work without understanding the deeper "WHY" of that particular choice. Whether it's translating the perspective of the camera as an experience, or the reason driving the character to perform a particular act of kindness that otherwise seems to run against their circumstances & position, each of those has individual nuances to each particular usage that will elevate them to being iconic moments, rather than just checkboxes to success that will eventually twist & over-extend their welcome the same way bloodshed did for Kurosawa. As always, it's spectacular to have you go through these various nuances, and I can't wait to see what's in store next with Hong Kong action.

[@nessakhurramhumayun2406]

Excited to watch this 🫨

[@stephenkilby7851]

another great video and a great overview of a true masterpiece, cheers really enjoyed that

[@michealbarnes4286]

I literally did a double take when I saw your channel pop up on my feed again. Great work as always! Glad you’re back!

[@UnreasonableOpinions]

Seven Samurai is just such a... complete film. It's so difficult to find anything to even criticise in good faith, and its impact on cinema is inescapable. But as excellent as it is, my favourite of his works has to be Ikiru, the most hope-inspiring gut punch in the medium.

[@domdomdomdom]

I don't know if it's meant as complimentary or not (prob not) but I love that you use that clip from OUT FOR JUSTICE for that example. I love that movie. You could have used anything from the 60 years of cinema that followed SEVEN SAMURAI and you chose to use that. I thank you.

[@Rossatron]

I love out for justice. I made a video on seagal and his first 5 action films years ago. I consider it his only truly good film.

[@elderlyinfant3917]

I just watched Seven Samurai for the first time a few weeks ago in cinemas. They had a 70th Anniversary screening of the 4k restoration, it was absolutely brilliant! Best time I've ever had in a cinema. Everyone still laughed at the jokes, the comedy was spot on. The deaths hit hard. Seven Samurai is the best, I am no Kurosawa-pilled.

[@Deadite1982]

Sam Peckinpah used the cross cutting back and forth between time, because he was a war veteran who was examing what violence did psychologically. The ugliness of violence was part of what he was talking about. Now that I defended the great bloody same lol, I love this series. can't wait for john Woo and HK cinema next week. The killer is, to me, the great action film.

[@Rossatron]

Don’t worry the sam peckinpah slow motion references are building to episode 5 where that all gets paid off.

[@pendantblade6361]

Praise Rosatron for these timely uploads.

[@KillerTacos54]

It's so nice having you back man, great video

[@sntxrrr]

Yes, homage to the Master. This is proper. This is how it ought to be.

[@flippedoutkyrii]

Growing up on cinema and then watching Seven Samurai had me and buds go “Wait, it’s ALL Seven Samurai”? Great video! Amazing touch with the Bugs Life clip too, 7S is perhaps one of the most influential movies in all of Black and White cinema.

[@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm]

I don't know if I shouldn't just watch 7 samurai before watching this. I have owned the boxset for years.

[@ghosface353]

There is an interesting through from Sergei Eisenstein's montage editing in Battleship Potemkin, to Seven Samurai, to Sam Peckinpah, to John Woo and to Hong Kong and Hollywood directors (Robert Rodriguez, Walter Hill, QT, etc, to many to name them all). But I think that have been studied to death. Especially Woo inspiration from Peckinpah, and we know he was inspired by Kurosawa, and Eisenstein is kinda the grand father of the way action scene are edited.

[@ghosface353]

I ordered last week the new Seven Samurai 4k, even thought I own it on blu-ray and rewatched it last year after I watched Rebel Moon Part 1, because I needed the real thing.

[@bobkins]

Will you be making an "Action Rewind" playlist?

[@Rossatron]

@@bobkins have now!

[@abritishguy2243]

Pointless comment for your algorithm. I love your work.

[@pontiusporcius8430]

I wonder what you would think of Them, it feels like the bigger inspiration for aliens than starship troopers, which it predates by 5 years.

[@Rossatron]

I absolutely love Them

[@GokuXiao]

19:55 one could argue that the idea of hiding in the box is so cowardly and lacking in honour that they would never think of it themselves

[@Rossatron]

@@GokuXiao it’s a good point, but the way it is staged, it is like the villains don’t even see it

[@joemadden4160]

I've always admired the fact that Kurosawa used the firearm as the ultimate nullifier of the samurai, and their way of life. The samurai that die are all killed by gunfire. Modernity kills them, much as it had killed the forces of Saigō Takamori.

[@deckardthe2nd]

Wb my guy

[@J.Panxer]

Good on you for ullustrating how marvel movies always destroy stakes and tension by relying on humor at the worst moments and always in the worst ways.

[@tahnadana5435]

i could only imagine what you think about movies like the shadow strays, small minded film makers thinking they're already geniuses

[@SmithMrCorona]

FINALLY! Someone is talking about a movie that nobody has really heard of. I'm glad Kurosawa is finally getting the recognition he's due, since nobody has really studied him. Sure, he inspired indie film makers like Lucas and Spielberg, but he's hardly encroached into mainstream Hollywood.

[@Rossatron]

@@SmithMrCorona I cannot totally tell if this is sarcasm or not but since I expect it is, I do go into this pretty much at the very start of the video

[@jwnj9716]

Toshiro Mifune stole the show.

[@tubbylumpkins4885]

Bump.