Seven Samurai (1954)
TicketsSaturday, February 4, 7 p.m.
(Note early start time)
On Saturday, February 4, at 7 p.m., the Redford Theatre’s big screen will be filled with one of the biggest films of all time: Seven Samurai.
We are presenting the film’s complete restoration (in Japanese with English subtitles) for just one performance. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Here’s a preview of the action:
vid.puffyan.us/watch?v=wJ1TOra…Real samurai armor was used in the film and many of the samurai can be seen carrying two swords. This practice was known as “daisho,” and literally translates to “big-little”. The big blade was the curved "katana," which was generally used for dueling and combat, while the short sword was the “akizashi," which is traditionally associated with performing “seppuku” (ritual suicide, i.e. hari kari).
(The Samurai warriors do not exist today. It is illegal to carry swords and arms in Japan. However, the cultural legacy of the samurai still exists today, and the descendants of the samurai families also exist today.)
While it initially received mixed reviews from Western critics, Seven Samurai is now considered one of the greatest films in cinema history. Its influence shows up in any number of American films. The Magnificent Seven is a perfect example. Director John Sturges adapted the film to the Old West, with the samurai being replaced by gunslingers. You can probably think of many other films in which there is a theme of assembling a team to carry out a specific mission. Even the Star Wars franchise has adapted this famous story template more than once.
So, there it is—one of the most famous movies ever filmed, though rarely seen today. Yes, it’s long (and your evening will be even longer if you join us for the Organ Overture with our wondrous Barton Theatre Pipe Organ at 6:30)—but you can be assured you won’t be bored.
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