Seven Samurai - 3 Disc Remastered Edition (Criterion Collection Spine # 2)
starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshirô Mifune, Yoshio Inaba, Seiji Miyaguchi, Minoru Chiaki
directed by: Akira Kurosawa
directed by: Akira Kurosawa
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Product Description:
Studio: Image EntertainmentRelease Date: 09/05/2006
Amazon.com essential video:
Hailed as the greatest film in the history of Japanese cinema, Seven Samurai is director Akira Kurosawa's undisputed masterpiece. Arguably the greatest of all jidai-gecki (or historical swordplay films), Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set during the civil unrest of 16th-century Japan, as the cowering residents of a small farming village are seeking protection against seasonal attacks by a band of marauding bandits. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a peasant farmer's son, desperately seeking glory, acceptance, and revenge against those who destroyed his family. Led by the calmly strategic Kambei (Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa's previous classic, Ikiru), the samurai form mutual bonds of honor and respect, but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal.
Kurosawa masterfully composed his shots to emphasize these group dynamics, and Seven Samurai is a textbook study of the director's signature techniques, including extensive use of telephoto lenses to compress action, delineate character relationships, and intensify motion. While the climactic battle against raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed, Seven Samurai is most triumphant as a peerless example of character development, requiring all of its 2-hour, 37-minute running time to illuminate every essential detail of villagers and samurai alike, including an abundance of humor as Kambei's defense plan unfolds. In terms of its overall impact, Seven Samurai spawned dozens of copycat films (notably the American Western remake The Magnificent Seven) and cannot be adequately summarized by even the most comprehensive synopsis; it must be seen to be fully appreciated, and the Criterion Collection's 2006 DVD reissue is an essential addition to any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVDs
According to the accompanying booklet, "the picture has been slightly window-boxed (in correct original 1.33:1 aspect ratio) to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors." The two-disc format was necessary "to maintain optimal image quality throughout the compression process," with dual-layered DVD-9's encoded "at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included." The picture and sound quality are simply amazing compared to Criterion's one-disc release from 1998. The all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfer takes full advantage of HD's clarity and crispness, resulting in picture detail far surpassing the previous DVD. This also applies to the soundtrack, presented in optional Dolby surround in addition to the remastered original mono track. The new transfer "was mastered in 2k resolution from a duplicate negative created with wetgate processing from the original fine-grain master positive" (the film's original negative is no longer available), and "several different digital hardware and software solutions were utilized for flicker, instability, dirt, scratch, and grain management."
The complete 207-minute film is accompanied by two full-length commentary tracks, including a new track combining the critical insights of film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Price (author of The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa), Tony Rayns, and the dean of Japanese film experts, Donald Richie (author of The Films of Akira Kurosawa). Each scholar is given approximately 40 minutes of film-time, and their commentaries represent a unique opportunity to appreciate Seven Samurai from distinct yet complementary critical perspectives. The commentary by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck (from Criterion's original 1988 laserdisc release) remains useful as a thorough analysis of Seven Samurai, primarily in terms of visual composition.
The 50-minute "making of" documentary, from Japan's 2002 Toho Masterworks TV series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create emphasizes Kurosawa's collaboration with co-screenwriters Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, including production footage, crewmember interviews, and a reverent visit to the rural inn where Seven Samurai was written over a six-week period of intense seclusion. The two-hour "My Life in Cinema" interview with Kurosawa was recorded in 1993, with fellow filmmaker Nagisa Oshima serving as a gentle admirer, colleague, and well-informed historian of Kurosawa's career. "Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences" is a richly informative documentary that places Kurosawa's classic in both historical and cinematic context, examining its place in the jidai-gecki (swordplay) genre, its accurate depiction of samurai codes and traditions, and its stature as the prototype for many films that followed. The lavishly illustrated 58-page booklet includes eight brief essays on various aspects of Seven Samurai, each written by noted film scholars or film directors (including Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet). Also included is a reminiscence by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, excerpted from a conversation recorded in 1993. Taken as a whole, the remastered three-disc Seven Samurai ranks as one of the finest DVD sets ever released. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com:
Stills from Seven Samurai - 3 Disc Remastered Edition (Click for larger image)
Studio: Image EntertainmentRelease Date: 09/05/2006
Amazon.com essential video:
Hailed as the greatest film in the history of Japanese cinema, Seven Samurai is director Akira Kurosawa's undisputed masterpiece. Arguably the greatest of all jidai-gecki (or historical swordplay films), Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set during the civil unrest of 16th-century Japan, as the cowering residents of a small farming village are seeking protection against seasonal attacks by a band of marauding bandits. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a peasant farmer's son, desperately seeking glory, acceptance, and revenge against those who destroyed his family. Led by the calmly strategic Kambei (Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa's previous classic, Ikiru), the samurai form mutual bonds of honor and respect, but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal.
Kurosawa masterfully composed his shots to emphasize these group dynamics, and Seven Samurai is a textbook study of the director's signature techniques, including extensive use of telephoto lenses to compress action, delineate character relationships, and intensify motion. While the climactic battle against raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed, Seven Samurai is most triumphant as a peerless example of character development, requiring all of its 2-hour, 37-minute running time to illuminate every essential detail of villagers and samurai alike, including an abundance of humor as Kambei's defense plan unfolds. In terms of its overall impact, Seven Samurai spawned dozens of copycat films (notably the American Western remake The Magnificent Seven) and cannot be adequately summarized by even the most comprehensive synopsis; it must be seen to be fully appreciated, and the Criterion Collection's 2006 DVD reissue is an essential addition to any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVDs
According to the accompanying booklet, "the picture has been slightly window-boxed (in correct original 1.33:1 aspect ratio) to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors." The two-disc format was necessary "to maintain optimal image quality throughout the compression process," with dual-layered DVD-9's encoded "at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included." The picture and sound quality are simply amazing compared to Criterion's one-disc release from 1998. The all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfer takes full advantage of HD's clarity and crispness, resulting in picture detail far surpassing the previous DVD. This also applies to the soundtrack, presented in optional Dolby surround in addition to the remastered original mono track. The new transfer "was mastered in 2k resolution from a duplicate negative created with wetgate processing from the original fine-grain master positive" (the film's original negative is no longer available), and "several different digital hardware and software solutions were utilized for flicker, instability, dirt, scratch, and grain management."
The complete 207-minute film is accompanied by two full-length commentary tracks, including a new track combining the critical insights of film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Price (author of The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa), Tony Rayns, and the dean of Japanese film experts, Donald Richie (author of The Films of Akira Kurosawa). Each scholar is given approximately 40 minutes of film-time, and their commentaries represent a unique opportunity to appreciate Seven Samurai from distinct yet complementary critical perspectives. The commentary by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck (from Criterion's original 1988 laserdisc release) remains useful as a thorough analysis of Seven Samurai, primarily in terms of visual composition.
The 50-minute "making of" documentary, from Japan's 2002 Toho Masterworks TV series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create emphasizes Kurosawa's collaboration with co-screenwriters Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, including production footage, crewmember interviews, and a reverent visit to the rural inn where Seven Samurai was written over a six-week period of intense seclusion. The two-hour "My Life in Cinema" interview with Kurosawa was recorded in 1993, with fellow filmmaker Nagisa Oshima serving as a gentle admirer, colleague, and well-informed historian of Kurosawa's career. "Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences" is a richly informative documentary that places Kurosawa's classic in both historical and cinematic context, examining its place in the jidai-gecki (swordplay) genre, its accurate depiction of samurai codes and traditions, and its stature as the prototype for many films that followed. The lavishly illustrated 58-page booklet includes eight brief essays on various aspects of Seven Samurai, each written by noted film scholars or film directors (including Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet). Also included is a reminiscence by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, excerpted from a conversation recorded in 1993. Taken as a whole, the remastered three-disc Seven Samurai ranks as one of the finest DVD sets ever released. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com:
Stills from Seven Samurai - 3 Disc Remastered Edition (Click for larger image)
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- "Japan's Towering Achievement"
This film arguably Kurosawa's greatest film. This particular version allows us to see his masterpiece in unprecedented clarity. The new translation provides the audience a greater emotional understanding of the plot.
The humor and action are timeless entertainment. I was honestly expecting to become bored given the extremely lengthy presentation, but not a scene is wasted. It tells a fairly simple story but develops each character meticulously. You will remember scenes from this movie ... Read More
Rating: - A definitive edition of a definitive movie
For purposes of this review, I'm going to assume you know the plot of "Seven Samurai" and its place as an esteemed film (do a little reading up on it if you don't). I will focus on the product itself.
This is one of those rare "remastered editions" that is actually worth the buy. The movie itself is incredibly crisp and has all the "lost" footage, allowing the viewer to see the entire movie in a detail not seen since its theatrical release. The clarity, however, never detracts from the ... Read More
Rating: 
- Seven Samurai - Especially good for those understanding Japanese
Seven Samurai is a truly great movie.Unfortunately, I am legally blind and am unable to read the English subtitles.If only there could have been an English-speaking version.
I'm very disappointed after paying the stiff price and receiving what I could barely understand by watching it but without any effective translation on what waws being said.
Unhappy Review
Rating: 
- terrible
7 samurai is probably the best film of all time. but this is not the version to get. it has been split up into 2 discs instead of being on 1 disc like the other release. this really ruins the experience. also, the grainy quality of the pre-restoration version added character and pathos. it looks too slick now. another huge problem is the low - resolution, jagged subtitles. couldn't they have gotten something better? its like looking at an ancient computer font and causes extreme eyestrain and headaches. ... Read More
Rating: - Truly inspirational
This earnestly is one of the finest achievements of cinema, particularly of it's time. Though hailed as only the third greatest piece of Japanese cinema of it's year, it has easily outlasted it's two predecessors. This movie is basically flawless. Multi-layered and symbolic, there is no wasted film in the entire movie. Every shot has depth and the storyline is fascinating.
It's storyline has been ripped off and parodied numerous times, from The Magnificant Seven, to the often boring ... Read More
- "Japan's Towering Achievement"This film arguably Kurosawa's greatest film. This particular version allows us to see his masterpiece in unprecedented clarity. The new translation provides the audience a greater emotional understanding of the plot.
The humor and action are timeless entertainment. I was honestly expecting to become bored given the extremely lengthy presentation, but not a scene is wasted. It tells a fairly simple story but develops each character meticulously. You will remember scenes from this movie ... Read More
- A definitive edition of a definitive movieFor purposes of this review, I'm going to assume you know the plot of "Seven Samurai" and its place as an esteemed film (do a little reading up on it if you don't). I will focus on the product itself.
This is one of those rare "remastered editions" that is actually worth the buy. The movie itself is incredibly crisp and has all the "lost" footage, allowing the viewer to see the entire movie in a detail not seen since its theatrical release. The clarity, however, never detracts from the ... Read More
- Seven Samurai - Especially good for those understanding JapaneseSeven Samurai is a truly great movie.Unfortunately, I am legally blind and am unable to read the English subtitles.If only there could have been an English-speaking version.
I'm very disappointed after paying the stiff price and receiving what I could barely understand by watching it but without any effective translation on what waws being said.
Unhappy Review
- terrible7 samurai is probably the best film of all time. but this is not the version to get. it has been split up into 2 discs instead of being on 1 disc like the other release. this really ruins the experience. also, the grainy quality of the pre-restoration version added character and pathos. it looks too slick now. another huge problem is the low - resolution, jagged subtitles. couldn't they have gotten something better? its like looking at an ancient computer font and causes extreme eyestrain and headaches. ... Read More
- Truly inspirationalThis earnestly is one of the finest achievements of cinema, particularly of it's time. Though hailed as only the third greatest piece of Japanese cinema of it's year, it has easily outlasted it's two predecessors. This movie is basically flawless. Multi-layered and symbolic, there is no wasted film in the entire movie. Every shot has depth and the storyline is fascinating.
It's storyline has been ripped off and parodied numerous times, from The Magnificant Seven, to the often boring ... Read More
