“Seven Samurai”, a masterpiece by maestro Akira Kurosawa, is being re-released in theaters on July 3 in a full 4K version. A monument of Japanese cinema, the film is an absolute must-see!
A great classic in the history of cinema, Seven Samurai returns to theaters on July 3 in its full 4K version thanks to the distributor The Jokers. Directed by the maestro Akira Kurosawa in 1954, the film is set in medieval Japan at the end of the 16th century.
The tranquility of a small Japanese village is disturbed by repeated attacks from a band of looters. Seven masterless samurai agree to defend the helpless peasants. This re-release was launched to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the feature film, whose influence continues to infuse the minds of many filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.
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“Kurosawa’s fourteenth film, it is the one in which he decides, for the first time, to talk about this period of civil wars which ravaged Japan in the 16th century. It is an era which fascinates him because, according to him, it is the last century where the individual can choose his destiny.”explains Catherine Cadou, director of the documentary Kurosawa, the way.
An essential work
“Every time I shoot a film, whether it’s an action film, a comedy or a war film, I watch Seven Samurai. I ask my cinematographer to watch Seven Samurai, and also the choreographer. For all my films, even for a film like Mission Impossible 2I refer to this film. Seven Samurai is an unforgettable film!”filmmaker John Woo said.
Seven Samurai was first released in France on December 2, 1955. The film won the Silver Lion at the 1954 Venice Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar for its sets and costumes. Rated 4.6 out of 5 by the press, the feature film is one of the most famous Japanese films in the world.
The feature film marks the 7th collaboration between Akira Kurosawa and his favorite actor, the legendary Toshirô Mifune. In total, the two men would work together sixteen times, notably on the sets of Rashomon (1950), The Spider’s Castle (1957), The Hidden Fortress (1958) and Yojimbo (1961).
Initially running for 3 hours and 20 minutes, Seven Samurai was largely cut during its original release in Europe and the United States to reach 2 hours and 10 minutes, thus losing part of its meaning and becoming a true western. The original cut of the film was not released until 1980 in France. On July 3, the public will be able to enjoy a full 4K version lasting 3 hours and 26 minutes!
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An epic shoot
The filming of Seven Samurai was not easy for Akira Kurosawa and his team. The shooting began in May 1953 and had to be spread over almost a year. For a long time, the feature film was the most expensive in the history of Japanese cinema.
Originally, the shoot was only supposed to last 71 days; of course, that wasn’t enough to shoot this gigantic fresco. The spread of the shoot allowed Kurosawa to film fight scenes in torrential rain. While these sequences are dazzling on screen, the crew was put to the test, having to deal with numerous storms.
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In addition, 5 main locations had been determined for the shooting, a real challenge for the team, especially the decoration. In addition, Akira Kurosawa often came into conflict with the managers of the production company Toho, which financed the project. The director had to explain himself in person to his producers who wanted to stop filming.
“Something was always happening. We didn’t have enough horses; it was raining all the time. It was exactly the kind of film that was impossible to make in this country.”confided perfectionist Akira Kurosawa.
“I think Kurosawa has inspired or influenced my cinema a lot. To represent space he is the best in terms of staging”said South Korean Bong Joon-Ho, Oscar winner for Parasite.
For his part, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Oscar winner for The Revenant, is full of praise for the Japanese filmmaker: “For me it was Kurosawa who definitively broke the linear narrative. And I believe that all of us, directors, who play with this, are indebted to him.”
If you’ve never seen Seven Samurai, go see it during this exceptional release starting July 3!
