Shichinin no samurai
A poor village under attack by bandits recruits seven unemployed samurai to help them defend themselves in Kurosawa’s influential classic.
Kambei the samurai assembles his team of reluctant warriors to participate in a probable suicide mission that will bring them neither money nor fame. The second act explores the strained relationship between villager and warrior class while the last act depicts the epic final battle when the bandits attack the village.
The shoot lasted a year but the results are there to be seen with its sublime photography and choreography. Kurosawa’s approach to historical realism was utterly committed with meticulously researched sets and costumes with masterful deployment of natural lighting and weather conditions to enhance the drama. We are screening the 4K restoration.