Akira Kurosawa - The Samurai Collection [DVD] [1954]

Akira Kurosawa - The Samurai Collection is a set of 5 films containing some of the greatest films ever made. The films are in Japanese and have English subtitling. The subtitles are excellent and use some really quite complex and archaic English words when describing different ranks and careers of the feudal era which helps to set the films in time. There are a couple of Extras in the collection but this is a set about the outstanding film content. The picture quality is excellent with barely any flickering. The first disc contains The Seven Samurai - rightly lauded as among the finest films of all-time. The disc also contains a short academic analysis of the film and a couple of written notes. The film itself is utterly magnificent. A village of farmers are under threat from bandits in feudal Japan. The farmers hatch a plan to hire some of the notorious Samurai caste to protect them from the bandits. The two castes of farmer and of samurai forge an unlikely alliance to eventually fight back against the bandits. Seven Samurai is categorised as an action film but the reason it is so well received is because it is a character film. The Seven are complex characters, each driven by slightly different motivation and each representing a facet of the Way of the Warrior. Stoic Kambei represents the very best of Bushido - honour, dignity, and tremendous skill. Kambei's character is introduced early on as he seeks to save a child from the clutches of a kidnapper. The symbolic top-knot cutting to help achieve his goal places Kambei instantly as a sympathetic character with a strong moral conviction. This one simple act sets up Kambei in the audience's mind and is filled with rich Japanese cultural/historical reference. The brilliance of Kursawa's characterisation in this film is truly incredible. Seven Samurai is a long film, clocking in at 190 minutes but that is part of what makes it so great. There is time to build the character depth in a way that so rarely happens. The pacing of Japanese cinema is generally slower than Hollywood fare but there is not a lost moment in Seven Samurai. The first act of the film in which the Seven Samurai characters are introduced is itself a masterpiece. Following Kambei's recruitment by the villagers, the remaining six eventually come on board. Katsushiro as the young apprentice to Kambei is driven by passion. He wants to join with Kambei because it is Kambei who represents the true code of Bushido. It is not for self or monetary gain that Katsushiro pleads for Kambei's sensei-ship but for the honour of being alongside a true Samurai. That same passion later gets Katsushiro into trouble when he finds love for the first time. Kambei is a character with a past. That past is referenced implicitly rather than explicitly which is genious. Old friend Shichiroji shares jokes and tales with Kambei that build the relationship in the audience's mind and also add further depth to Kambei's realistic manner. Gorobei as second-in-charge keeps up a nice banter in the early going and is clearly keen on morale as much as anything. His recruitment of Heihachi is good fun with actor Minoru Chiaki showing admirable wood-chopping technique until Gorobei comes round to distract him with a dangerous offer of a job. Heihachi is described as being of a fun nature but this mostly comes into play because he is the first of the Samurai to fall. Master swordsman Kyozo is an artist. His chosen art-form is swordsmanship. The comment in the Extras that actor Seiji Miyaguchi had never really held a sword before Seven Samurai is incredible. As a martialist, Miyaguchi is magnificent. His body movement is so graceful and light-footed, he has exceptional balance. As a character, Kyozo does not speak much and is admired for his actions rather than for his words. The most enigmatic of the Samurai is Kikuchiyo played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune. Kikuchiyo does not conform to the Samurai traditions, he is at times brooding and at other times erratic or comedic. Kikuchiyo's place in Japanese society as a farmer who is pretending to be a Samurai gives him an insight into both castes that none of the other characters possess. The scene in which Kikuchiyo both decries the deviousness of the farmers and the viciousness of the Samurai is one of film's greatest monologues for the many layers of meaning it contains. Great characters are the best way to create a great film and Seven Samurai achieves that above and beyond pretty much any other film. The characterisation works because it is delivered by some awe-inspiring performances. Takashi Shimura as Kambei is a fantastic cinematic lead. He is strong and determined but has constant touches of humanity about him. It is a strikingly powerful performance and worthy of the lead role in one of the greatest films of all time. The supporting cast are also strong with the emotional outbursts produced by Toshiro Mifune being a particular delight. Mifune is rightly regarded as a truly superb actor. The other Samurai are all very well acted and the villagers are also strong. The remarkable facial features of Kokuten Kado as the patriach Gisaku make him extremely memorable. The poignant ending of the film with Kambei's last line is grippingly thought-provoking. The final showdown with the bandits is a little deflating but in the main the action is terrific. Seven Samurai is an epic in the finest traditions of great battle movies, the cinematography is utterly magnificent, the music is complementary. The black and white colour probably does make it look better than in full colour. Above all though Seven Samurai is an extroardinary character study that every fan of cinema needs to have seen. The second film in the collection is Throne Of Blood which is a re-imagining of Macbeth. Throne is one of the better Macbeth reconstructions and in moving away from more historical characters breaks with the distasteful pro-Stuart propaganda of Shakespeare's distorted version. Macbeth himself is played by Toshiro Mifune who puts in a remarkably distinct performance from his role in Seven Samurai. The plot is pretty much exactly the same as Macbeth though the scenes are different. There is not much direct recreation of classic lines and instead it is the characters that are recreated. Lady Macbeth is quite a disturbing visage with make-up and adornments associated with feudal Japan that cause her to look quite unnatural. Her picking away at Macbeth's paranoia is deliciously delivered. There is a clear Japaneseness of Throne of Blood including the replacement of the Three Witches with a spirit. The message the spirit delivers is exactly the same as Shakespeare's version but her etherealness is much greater. The scenery of Throne of Blood is great. The dense fog captures the same fear of the wilderness that seems to have existed in Dark Ages Britain. The mansion and castle are nicely designed and create a place and time that shifts the audience's thoughts away from the original setting of the tale. The acting is strong and Mifune in particular puts in a terrific Macbeth. It is a worthwhile addition to this Kurosawa collection. The third film of the five is The Hidden Fortress and is arguably the most under-rated of the collection. Fortress is a wonderful film of survival and humour. The film opens with two survivors from a losing side in a war. Tahei and Mataschichi are hilariously funny. Their spats with one another are terrific fun, they clearly have known each other for a very long time so appreciate the company but also know each other's faults and weaknesses. They bicker as an old married couple might but with the experiences they have been through, they share a close bond. The comedy between Tahei and Mataschichi works throughout the movie and their characters are on display without deviation. The plot twists that turn around the pair are responded to in a way that seems to genuinely be their nature. Toshiro Mifune plays a General in Fortress and a very noble one at that. It is again a very different character from those on display in the previous two films in the collection. Mifune is the leader, he is resourceful and brave as well as being impeccably loyal. Having been on the losing side of the war, it is his character who must preserve his side's lineage. Extracting the princess through hostile enemy lines to freedom is the difficult plot quest he and his two new allies must follow. The Hidden Fortress in question is perhaps a reference that is a little hard to follow. The gold hidden in sticks is a way of preventing looting but the two comedy leads find that gold relatively easily and it stokes their desire. It is this goldlust that drives Tahei and Mataschichi as much as anything except survival. They have a talent for surviving and a desire for wealth. These two basic features come to be understood by General Makabe. The willful Princess Yuki is a warrior woman from the cinematic days before such became commonplace. Her gait is much more that of a man than of a woman and the character prefers the outdoor life to being kept in the Hidden Fortress for her own safety. It is highly amusing then when Makabe decides the best way to cross enemy lines is with her pretending to be a mute. That Mifune is able to demonstrate an inner delight at this thought with barely any perceptible facial movement is absolutely top class acting. Mifune is cast in the straight man role for the only time in the collection and he pulls it off expertly. The acting is again excellent from much of the rest of the cast especially Tahei and Mataschichi played by Minoru Chiachi and Kamatari Fujiwara respectively. Fujiwara in particular is hilarious. His diminutive frame combines very well with his occasionally spiky, occasionally fearful response to situations. Misa Uehara as Princess Yuki is not especially endearing but her role is primarily to contrast good and bad when Yuki is compared favourably by one later ally against the leader of the rival faction. The changes in the group composition over time is good fun and well used by General Makabe. Confusion and hiding in plain sight are common themes of success throughout the collection. The dancing scene is quite amusing as Mifune is less at home in the dance than he is in every other facet of his acting. The symbolism and significance of that dance is a little hard to discern especially as there seem to be allusions in the choreography to dances from cultures outside of Japan. The Hidden Fortress is a slightly overlooked gem of Kurosawa's catalogue. It is the funniest and most upbeat of the Samurai Collection and has particularly endearing characters. While a couple of others might get greater plaudits, Hidden Fortress deserves to be acknowledged as a great film in its own right. There is an Extra on the Hidden Fortress disc featuring George Lucas eulogising. There are some points where it is absolutley clear that Lucas "paid homage" to Kurosawa such as the lake where the gold is stored looking almost exactly the same as Yoda's swamp. It is nice when a popular director acknowledges where he has copied from a truly great director. After Seven Samurai, the best known of the features in this collection is surely Yojimbo which received greater exposure when re-made as the Spaghetti Western A Fistful Of Dollars. Toshiro Mifune is by far the main character in Yojimbo and it is much more of an individual effort despite the size of the cast than is the case with the others where groups are often involved. Kurosawa explicitly attemped to make a Western and in doing so he put together a reproduction of the genre that is much better than most Hollywood attempts. Many of the classic features of Westerns such as the pacing of speech, the wind echoing down a barren main street in a town, the taciturn loner anti-hero, the saloon (well almost - the Japanese version is quite different), and the use of one-liners to capture character and plot. Mifune is terrific as the lead known as The Samurai. He does come up with a name for himself which is clearly false and here the subtitles are very well interpreted in providing just enough context for a non-speaker to recognise that it couldn't be a real name. He is cocky and witty, confident in his exceptional abilities and fully capable of playing both villain groups off against one another. It is Mifune's charisma that drives much of the film as he outwits the villain groups in turn. His is the seminal performance in the character archetype of the roving warrior. Those who followed afterwards copied aspects of Mifune's performance extensively. The Samurai makes himself plenty of enemies through the film and they all post different threats. From the two gang leaders, the manipulative wife of one of those leaders, the less bright brother of another, a giant, and most deadly of all the gun-loving Unosuke. It is highly amusing when the tavern owner asks The Samurai whether the ongoing action is just a play he has written because he seems in such supreme control. It is Unosuke who threatens that and The Samurai's own good nature that makes him vulnerable. When he was only after Ryo and could continually out-think everyone else everything went well for The Samurai but he has a far harder time of it when Unosuke challenges him. The setting is excellent. It looks like a Japanese version of the Wild West. The two gangs are hilarious at first when they are not really capable of putting a serious challenge to each other in pitched combat. The progressively darker plot makes the same arraying of a gang much more sinister later on in the action. Yojimbo is a bit more bloody than the other films in the collection, both in terms of the body count and also the gore. Much of the comic relief is provided by The Samurai as he torments those around him with witty barbs. The tavern keeper and the cooper are just about the only characters not overtly involved in the fighting in some way and they have a healthy rivalry of their own. Despite the large cast, Yojimbo is about the genious of two people - Mifune and Kurosawa. As absolute masters of their crafts, the result they produce is one that has been copied often but arguably never bettered. The final film in the collection is Sanjuro which is a companion piece to Yojimbo. It appears to be trying to be a cleverer film than Sanjuro but it is not as good because the characterisation is much less subtle. Sanjuro is by far the most straightforward of the Samurai Collection in terms of the plot and the character development. It is still a solid film, and is only unfortunate to be compared with some of the greatest films ever made. The plot of a local bureaucrat kidnapped by corrupt rivals is fine. The role of that bureaucrat's supporters is at times funny as they try hard but get things wrong whereas The Samurai doesn't seem to try that hard but always knows exactly what he is doing. The high spots of Sanjuro are the scenes in which Toshiro Mifune comes up against a rival with a real presence in the form of Muroto played by Tatsuya Nakadai. The two have a real chemistry and there is a real sense that each is a genuine threat to the other. As other lesser characters scrabble for power, these two seem to have locked onto one another in an understanding that they are the real dangers. The female characters are funny in their being annoying. The role of women as delicate and deserving of worship is played up to the full. The women see themselves as being a moderating force against violent excess even in the cause of their own survival. When they refuse to climb up the wall to escape, Mifune's facial expression is priceless. The disdain Mifune displays for many of the other characters through the film is well pitched. When his rivals come up with a plan slightly before The Samurai comes up with the same one to win the hearts of the populace, the reaction of respect rather than annoyance is solid characterisation. Sanjuro is described on the cover as being a comedy of manners. It is comic at times and the comedy of manners element does exist occasionally but it isn't really an example of that sub-genre. It is a film with a nice plot and some good moments. The Collection as a whole is a set of some of the very best films ever seen. There is a distinct lack of Extras which is a bit disappointing. The greatness of Toshiro Mifune is on display in each of the films and Kurosawa himself is at the absolute peak of his prodigous powers. Fans of film need to own the films in this collection.

Firstly; films from this period, especially some from Japan, even Kurosawa's, often seem to suffer from flickering (light levels alter, irrespective of the scene) and poor contrast. However, these remastered classics presented here by the BFI have been transferred superbly and quality is as good as I've seen, ever, in B&W - good, deep blacks and with subtle tonal range and barely any flickering. Virtually all blemishes, spots and streaks have been painstakingly removed. Sound is good, too. I, like many who are re-exploring this absolute master had seen a few of these in dribs and drabs. I rented Seven Samurai years ago - I didn't have time to watch it properly and didn't really 'get' it back then. Now, though, I find the action akin to any spirited Western (a genre that literally transferred many of Kurosawa's to Hollywood and inferior at that - The Magnificent Seven is based squarely on this film) and the range of emotion from sheer animal anger to pathos is quite astounding. Throne of Blood is famously based on Macbeth, its dark mood and austere surroundings are in contrast to the enjoyably light humour of The Hidden Fortress, which could be seen as a John Ford "Eastern", complete with scurrilous larger than life characters and instead of Monument Valley, the lower slopes of Mt. Fuji was used for much of its filming. It is well known that basic story for Star Wars was drawn from this film. I agree with another reviewer about the lack of Rashomon; this is essential viewing and often cited as one of the best ever, of all time. I bought that DVD separately & viewed it before starting on this box set. It is definitely worth buying on its own. I find the set neat, clear and all I really need to have the backbone of a master's work. The slimline cases have the year clearly shown in white on the spine, so you can easily see which order they were made in. The backs of them have clear, concise information on plot and how they fit into both Kurosawa's work and film generally. Enough to entice viewing, not so much to swamp you or cloud an open and eager mind. For the money I can't see how it could be beaten and what many forget is that BFI are championing good film from wherever it is sourced and much of that must be relatively unprofitable. We must support their sterling work and this collection, in my mind, doesn't step a foot wrong. I notice that BFI have released an 'Early Kurosawa' box set, too. Many of the other titles included are, according to quality film sources and critics, sheer classics too. This ultimately would be an ideal and affordable gift for the film buff in your life, even if that so happens to be yourself!

First off, this blue ray edition is good, but highlights the fact that Kurosawa's films all need serious time and money spent on restoration. Apart from that niggle, quite frankly this collection is a must, not only for fans of Kurosawa's work, but anyone who loves cinema, or is a student of the media. Its sadly ironic that Kurosawa is somewhat neglected in Japan, even during his own lifetime. He met with disapproval with the his love of Shakespeare, which is even more ironic, as 'Throne of Blood', is now regarded as the best film version of Macbeth ever made. Its a masterpiece in putting Shakespeare onto the screen, capturing the plays theme of 'power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely'. It makes Roman Polanski's version look dated and pedestrian, whilst Kurosawa's film is over ten years older truly captures Shakespeare, and is enthralling. Now what can I say about the rest of this collection?!. Its hard to believe that one director could make so many influential films. The Seven Samurai still my favourite, it is a eulogy on old age and past glories lost, a final swan song, resulting in death and redemption. It is a a classic in all senses of that word. It manages to still grip me in ways modern films very rarely come close to, in making you truly care about each of the Samurai . No wonder Hollywood remade it as the 'Magnificent Seven', one of Yul Briner and Steve McQueen's finest outings. Its regarded as a Hollywood classic in its own right, but for me The Seven Samurai, is more powerful yet at times a subtle and graceful film. Yojimbo is Kurosawa's 'pop corn' movie. A simple tale of an unemployed Ronin, turning circumstance to his own advantage, in getting two waring factions in a town to fight amongst themselves so he can capitalise on the conflict. Sound familiar? Well that's because Sergio Leone remade it as ;The Fistful of Dollars;, and made Clint Eastwood a star.Yojimbo, I feel is a better picture as it has more humour which balance's the cynical plot, a criticism made of Fistful of Dollars when it was released. Sanjuro is the most 'Japanese' in this Samurai collection, as the booklet that comes with the blue ray states, ' a comedy of manners'. My partner and I looked after two Japanese students once, on a three week exchange , and we were struck by how well mannered the boys were, which is very important in Japanese society. So watching Sanjuro with that in mind, the film makes sense, however it may for western sensibilities seem somewhat vacuous. Its still a good film however , but in this collection, it's the weakest, but I would say that about many Hollywood movies I've watched over the years, in comparing them to Kurosawa. The Hidden Fortress is the reason I bought this collection. I've read about how it influenced George Lucas in his making of Star Wars and was curious to see how. Kurosowa tells the story through what would be regarded as two minor characters in normal film making. They are caught in the maelstrom of a war, and its Kurosawa's genius to use these characters to suck you into their part in a larger story. In Star Wars' Lucas used CP30 and R2D2 to do the same thing and like Kurosowa , sucks you into what would be regarded as a fairly pedestrian plot if told through the main protagonists. In the Hidden Fortress, you watch it because you can easily identify with the characters as lets face it, how many of us are princesses or Jedi Warriors ? (put down that Light sabre before you hurt yourself ) So in conclusion, this Samurai collection is a bargain and a must. The Seven Samurai alone makes it worth it, but add Throne of Blood and Yojimbo, its essential if you love cinema. These films alone cements Kurosawa as a giant in the world of film, never mind his final epic RAN, not included here, which even surpasses Throne of Blood in putting Shakespeare on the big screen, but that's another review.

While laid low with the flu for several days, I was stationed on my sofa in my duvet and literally devoured this boxset. Never mind "Chicken Soup for the Soul", the best remedy I can think of is "Kurosawa for the Soul". Perhaps I was delirious with fever at the time, but the experience of watching these films in high-definition was absolutely remarkable. Especially surprising is how modern and fresh they feel, with a remarkable fluidity of action and character. Kurosawa is an artist in every sense of the word. Three of the five films in this set are presented in the "Tohoscope" anamorphic ratio of 2.35:1, and the black and white visuals really sing on the blu-ray format. That's not to say that the other two -- Seven Samurai and Throne of Blood -- are presented badly, but that the others seem to have benefited the most from these transfers. My only complaint is that Rashomon is not included in this set, nor Ran or Kagemusha, but I guess that's just me being greedy! Eagerly looking forward to releases of the contemporary (non-period) Kurosawa films on blu-ray. Holding out hope that the BFI gets their mitts on "High and Low", "Drunken Angel", "Stray Dog", and "The Bad Sleep Well" very soon.

To begin, obviously these are all brilliant movies, an almost perfect collection (but why no Rashomon? I guess the bandit isn't a samurai...). However, there are two issues with the particular versions presented: (1) Seven Samurai is the standard UK c.3h10m edit, which is c.20m shorter than the full Japanese version (or so I understand, I've only ever seen this version though myself). (2) Yojimbo is supposed to be in anamorphic widescreen, according to the box, but isn't. It's widescreen but in 4:3 format with the result that it plays in a box in the middle of the screen on a modern TV (you can zoom in using the aspect ratio function on your telly, but that's not ideal as it reduces sharpness). Basically, I get the impression that this is just a reboxing of several previous DVD releases together, rather than any kind of definitive / remastered type release. Don't be afraid to buy, as these are all awesome films, but do be aware that there are some mild issues.

This was a bit of an indulgence purchase - I already own the films on a variety of formats, accordingly it is a review of two halves: If, like me, your Kurosawa collection is a bit ramshackle, (some VHS backed up onto DVD, some DVDs) then this represents a nice opportunity to replace them with a nicely presented box set, slimline cases. Good notes, better than on some of the VHS cassettes. If you don't know about these films, then this boxed set is a good value opportunity to see how Kurosawa borrowed the great film making traditions of the US, where they were forgotten so had to be borrowed back again. As the titles suggest these are set in feudal Japan, four role model films used a basis for for the golden "Western" period, two of which were direct copies Seven Samurai remade as The Magnificent Seven Hidden Fortress Yojimbo remade as A Fist Full of Dollars Sanjuro (a sort of sequel to Yojimbo) and Throne of Blood : Macbeth (and if you like that then get King Lear, Ran The films are so good you stop noticing they are subtitled.

Akira Kurosawa has inspired many film directors, and countless films. The Samurai Collection embodies the style and sophistication of Akira Kurosawa. It is a perfect tribute to this master director, and the films evoke the energy, discipline and ethics of the samurai way of life, told with great storytelling and drama. I recommend this collection to anyone who loves oriental cinema, with a gritty serious edge. The black and white format and moody landscapes, add further value. Superb.

Such a great collection still haven't had a chance to watch all. As soon as I got it my brother took half of them with the case! Lol. But so far i enjoyed the rest i had and we swap them over. Very entertaining Toshiro is great to watch such a classical actor and Kurosawa's scenes and direction are beautiful.