I just saw Seven Samurai

[fujiyama]

It was on TCM last night. What an amazing movie. I had read many rave reviews and noticed it was rated very highly on IMDB. Sure enough it was on (a pretty long movie - 3 1/2 hrs), but it still kept my attention.

That's what something surprised me. At first I wondered of a 3 1/2 hr long black and white Japanese film with subtitles could keep my attention but sure enough it did.

I have read that it was the inspiration for most modern action flicks and after watching a little bit of Gladiator today, I can certainly understand how.

[Teaser]

1. Total rip off

of "The Magnificent Seven." Those foreigners steal everything we do!

Jes' trickin.

[solinvictus]

2. It's a great movie!

In addition to "The Magnificent Seven", it inspired "A Bug's Life" as well.

[lenidog]

3. Its kinda funny

Kurosawa when growing up fell in love with American westerns. So when he started to makes films he wanted to bring the themes he saw in those movies to Japanese cinema. He made his movies which then inspired directors of Westerns to emulate his style. BTW "The Magnificent Seven" is an American remake of the "Seven Samurai" they even lifted some of they dialogue.

[dxstone]

4. Kurosawa was the greatest of them all...

IMHO.
He had incredible range, and he's never made a film that doesn't show you flashes of his singular genius; see his later films if you have a chance; see Dreams... ahhh...
My favorite English-speaking director? Oliver Stone, or Terry Gilliam, for living, Kubrick for dead, probably...
I like David Lynch a lot too...
So consider the source...

:beer:
d

[starroute]

5. Ran may be his absolute masterpiece

Yojimbo and Rashomon are also essential if you want to know where everybody else stole it from . . .

[mr blur]

6. And, of course, Kagemusha

and the wonderful Throne Of Blood

[NewJeffCT]

9. Japanese Rashomon influenced China's recent movie "Hero"

I'm sure that link was kept quiet by the filmmakers of Hero, however.

[chaska]

13. Dreams has a couple of weird bits, but,my god, the rest is obscenely good.

One of my all time favorites.

[retread]

7. While you're in the mood look for "Chushingura." n/t

[NewJeffCT]

8. And wasn't "Hidden Fortress" an inspiration for that Star Wars movie?

Not sure if anybody has heard of Star Wars or not... but, that is yet another.

[rogue emissary]

11. Lucas has said as much . . .

and I've seen him talk about how he loved Kurosawa's work. Quite a few American directors feel the same way.

[kwassa]

10. My favorite film of all time!

[democracyindanger]

12. Holy cow, you just saw it?

One of the greatest films of all time. Also get Kurosawa's "Yojimbo"--it was the inspiration for the Eastwood High Plains Drifter flicks. And as somebody mentioned above, "Hidden Fortress" is good, too. Action, comedy, and a painful musical number in the middle.

[chaska]

14. Don't forget 'Ran'. Visually stunning. Kurosawa was a painter, you know.