Shichinin no Samurai

(1954)

RATING:	100%
FORMAT:	DVD

(www.doctormacro.com)

[Seven Samurai]

Very good action movie that, despite its length, manages to grip from first to last.

The slow detailing of the relationships within and between the samurai group allows them to come across as proper dramatic archetypes: The Inexperienced; the Tactician; the Clown; the Master Swordsman; etc. These characters are fleshed out in acting performances that are as excellent as the rarely bettered action is spectacular.

(http://cine9009.blogspot.co.uk)

Director Akira KUROSAWA is here promoting the kith and kinship ties of rural life while simultaneously demonstrating the small mindedness, fear and superstition of same. As with any half decent drama, there is an ever present tension between what is good in people and what is bad. The villains are merely shown as an undifferentiated mass; serving only as the initial reason for the drama and to bring out the differing characters of everyone else. Strangely, this makes the real dramatic conflict here one between the villagers and their ostensible samurai guardians, rather more than merely good versus evil.

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