Movie Review #2 - "Shichinin no Samurai"

[BakaSensei]

七人の侍

“Shichinin no Samurai”

(Seven Samurai)　

“Shichinin no Samurai” is not the first samurai film. Toho studios had made plenty, just as other studios had. On this occasion, Toho made the best. This film is regarded as not only the best samurai film and the greatest Japanese film, but one of the greatest films of all time. This is not only the opinion of the reviewer, but of critics and film fans alike. The film is a constant in the fan-voted top 250 movies on the website www.IMDB.com (International Movie DataBase).



The story itself should be very familiar. A lone hero gathers a rag-tag band of journeymen and takes up the cause of a downtrodden village. This scenario has been played out many times in film, TV, and even comics. The western classic “The Magnificent Seven” was an indirect retelling of “Shichinin no Samurai.” Anytime a plot involves a group of loners uniting for a cause, the legend begins anew. The main difference is that this film was first.



While the early 16th century Samurai had standing mirroring knighthood, the latter part of the same century presented a different being. The caste system (political ladder) was eroding, paving the way for more Western-based ideas. This point is skillfully illustrated in the recent film “The Last Samurai.” With Japanese lords being killed or fleeing their homes, the samurai was a skilled mercenary with no employer. Some of the samurai stuck fervently by their code, but many chose killing for money over starving. It was not uncommon for a lone samurai to bully a town, taking what they wanted, especially young female villagers. Many samurai would rent themselves out for any dirty job (theft, murder, etc..) as long as it paid well.



During these economically challenged times, it was common for bandits to travel from village to village like locusts, feeding and destroying everything in their path. After they had their fill, the bandits would move to the next village. This was quite a parasitic life. Some groups even visited the same villages in sequence yearly, which kept the groups healthy and well fed. Unfortunately, farmers would work their crops each season and never enjoy the rewards. The villagers in our story decide to take action and fight. To do their fighting, they decide upon hiring samurai. This is not an easy decision, because as much as the villagers fear and loathe the marauding hordes, they have even less respect for the once honored class of samurai.



Mention must be made about the film’s architect, Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa’s greatest strength as a filmmaker is to make the viewer care about every character, no matter how two dimensional they may initially seem. In most other films, the scared villagers would be an afterthought. In this film, most any 2nd or 3rd tier character could have easily been pulled to the front and garner your attention. In fact, the first time you see the movie, you will probably initially think the top star is Takashi Shimura’s Kambei. While you follow the regal and wise samurai Kambei, the default leader of the group, you may dismiss the buffoon/comic relief found in Toshrio Mifune’s Kikuchiyo. This is exactly what Kurosawa intended.



It’s really hard to take Kikuchiyo seriously because everyone knows someone like him. Kikuchiyo is the guy that doesn’t belong with your group because he acts like a fool, dresses like a hobo, runs his mouth too much, and is basically the square peg. In the film, he’s also a drunk, a liar, and definitely not a samurai. Basically, you get the impression that Kikuchiyo is down on his luck and just wants to belong by feigning toughness. Slowly, Kurosawa reveals why this is the starring role.



In a scene occurring after the group journeys to the village, Mifune begins to shine. As alluded to, the village is less than friendly to the Samurai. One village even goes so far as to brutally cut his daughter’s hair and make her over in male fashion in order to keep her under Samurai radar. The villagers hide and refuse to interact with their hopeful saviors. Suddenly, the alarm bell is rung to signal the return of the marauding bandits. The village explodes with a fury of fear because judgment day has arrived, leading the inhabitants to literally beg the samurai to protect them. Fortunately, there is no horde; only Kikuchiyo playing a prank. This time, the heart of the supposed samurai is displayed as he launches into soliloquy, with the basic them being “You refuse to acknowledge us as humans, yet you beg for our protection?” By the end of his speech, Kikuchiyo has bonded the village with their heroes, inspired the villagers to be proactive in defending their own land, and officially earned his slot in the “Shichinin no Samurai.”



Overall, the film can be dichotomously divided into sections featuring the gathering of the legendary seven combined with the battle preparations and the battle itself. The battle scenes are not to be compared with today’s cinematic swordplay. There are many beautifully choreographed battle scenes in modern Asian film. Masterpieces ranging from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Versus,” “Azumi,” and Takeshi Kitano’s recent “Zatoichi” update all have compelling artistic fights scenes. Even the well done “The Last Samurai” starring Tom Cruise has some well thought swordplay. What lies within “Shichinin no Samurai” is not in the same class. This is possibly the most accurate portrayal of samurai battles in film history. There is no pretty wire work, just plain and simple brutality and war. Warriors with swords attempting to kill each other in the quickest possible fashion,



One simple review can not begin to cover all of the intricate displays of human emotion in this film. Every single character, from poor farmer to honored swordsman, earns a spot close to your heart. You will feel for the farmers, curse the bandits, and root for the samurai. The ending is traditionally Asian as well: not happy, not sad, but a realistic reflection and resolution of the events that came before. While “Shinichin no Samurai” does require a lengthy investment of time (3hrs, 45 min), it is one of the most honest, compelling stories ever told on the silver screen.



FACT #1 – More than once, Toho attempted to cease production due to Kurosawa’s expenses on the project (they were convinced that it was too long and would flop).



FACT #2 – The film should have technically been called “Shichinin no Ronin,” as the word Ronin is the correct term for an unemployed samurai.



FACT #3 – Director Akira Kurosawa literally wrote a book on the life of each speaking character, complete with favorite foods, work habits, and a family tree.



FACT #4 – At the date of writing, “Shichinin no Samurai” is ranked 5th on the IMDB list of greatest movies. Only “The Godfather “ I & II, “LOTR: Return of the King,” and “Shawshank Redemption” are above it.





For more info, check out the following:





IMDB Top 250: http://www.imdb.com/chart/top



Criterion Collection Info Page: http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=2



www.ifctv.com – Check the schedule for weekly samurai viewings with their “Samurai Saturday” series. Films such as “Shichinin no Samurai,” “Yojimbo,” and entries from the “Zatochi” series are often featured.

[Doug M]

This post has been added to our Japan Reviewed section and can be found at:

http://www.japan-101.com/reviews/seven_samurai.htm

Comments are welcomed here.
Thanks for another great review BakaSensei!