Director: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima, Isao Kimura
Have I Seen It Before: Oh, sure. That time in every boy’s life when he wants to insist to the world that he’s seen all the right movies* inevitably led me to this one. At the time, I found it interminable and tried to just nod along when others raved about its fundamental qualities.
Yes, this is going to be one of those reviews where I spend at least part of our time not reviewing the movie at hand, and more reviewing my simultaneous adolescent pretension and insecurity.
Did I Like It: It is still very, very long. So long that the intermission in the middle feels less like a reprieve and more like just one more way to extend the runtime.
This is not to say I didn’t enjoy the film more than I did twenty-plus years ago. It’s influence on subsequent films can’t be denied. The performances are terrific, especially Takashi Shimura as the leader of the seven. There’s always a risk that the samurai might start to blend together as the adventure unfurls, but each is distinctive in their personality and how they come across on camera. The scope is undeniably epic.
So epic, in fact, that an American might get a little lost in the proceedings. I get the sense that this is arguably Kurosawa’s most beloved film because it is so quintessentially Japanese. This is more than just a simple adventure story, but a sprawling meditation on Japanese cultural identity. It can feel a little loaded to the uninitiated. That’s all right, I am perfectly content to be a polite guest within this film.
So, where does that leave us so far as a recommendation? I’d honestly start with Yojimbo (1961) or Sanjuro (1962). If you are at all meant to have a taste for the adventure films of Kurosawa, this will light the fire. From there, The Hidden Fortress (1958) will continue to hook you. After that, you might be ready for the feast that is Seven Samurai.**
*That impulse doesn’t really go away, apparently…
**Yeah, I noticed that those are in ascending length, too. Americans can’t entirely help being American.