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Akira Kurosawa - 4 Samurai Classics (Seven Samurai / The Hidden Fortress / Yojimbo / Sanjuro) - Criterion Collection Actor: Toshiro Mifune Number of Items: 4 Format: Black & White, Widescreen, Box set Audience Rating: Unrated Studio: Criterion Collection Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2002-10-08 Buy from Amazon

From Amazon.com Leading off the set of four Akira Kurosawa classics is Seven Samurai (1954), unanimously hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of the motion picture. It was the inspiration for countless films modeled after its basic premise, but has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set in the 1600s, when the residents of a small Japanese village seek protection against repeated attacks by a band of marauding thieves and hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune), who is actually a farmer's son desperately seeking glory and acceptance. The climactic battle remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed and one of Kurosawa's crowning cinematic achievements. In another of the many Kurosawa-Mifune collaborations, The Hidden Fortress (1958) tells the story of a warrior and a princess trying against all odds to return to their homeland with their fortune. Along the way, they are simultaneously assisted and thwarted by two itinerant and not-too-bright farmers with their own designs on the treasure. Frequently cited for its thematic influences on Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress combines an epic tale of struggle and honor with modern comic sensibilities. The partly comic Yojimbo (1961) was inspired by the American Western genre. Mifune plays a drifting samurai for hire who plays both ends against the middle with two warring factions, surviving on his wits and his ability to outrun his own bad luck. Yojimbo is striking for its unorthodox treatment of violence and morality, reserving judgment on the actions of its main character and instead presenting an entertaining tale with humor and much visual excitement. One of the inspirations for the spaghetti Westerns of director Sergio Leone and the 1996 Bruce Willis vehicle Last Man Standing, this film offers insight into a director who influenced American films even as he was influenced by them. The 1963 sequel, Sanjuro, is more lighthearted and less cynical, a rousing adventure with Mifune becoming an unlikely big brother to a troupe of nine naive samurai. It isn't the subtlest of Kurosawa's films, but it's one of his most entertaining.

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 "Must-buy for anyone even interested in Kurosawa..." I bought this as a "blind buy" at Best Buy. I had never seen any of the 4 films and had about 100 dollars in my pocket. I had been wanting to see "Seven Samurai" for the longest time but could never find it. I saw that my local Best Buy actually had a few copies and immediately picked it up. I was sure I was going to buy it when someone who worked there asked me if I had seen the box set. So he pointed me to the box set and I bought it without a second thought. When I put in "Seven Samurai" I had never seen a Kurosawa film and 3 and a half hours later I had a new favorite film and new favorite director. The other three films, "The Hidden Fortress," "Yojimbo," and "Sanjuro" were equally amazing, most notably "Yojimbo." These films were so great that two days after buying it I bought Rashomon. I would recommend this to anyone with 80 dollars lying around and even a slight interest in seeing a Kurosawa film. You will not regret it. "Truely inspiring films" If you do not like reading subtitles, b&w films, or the choppy editing of days past you will probably not care for these movies too much. On the other hand, if you like great acting, action, and excellent film work the likes that most of todays special effects filled movies could never rise to match, then this is the collection for you. With today's movies focusing too heavily on computer generated effects to dazzle movie lovers and draw them to the theaters, these movies rely on excellent story telling with incredible writing. Kurosawa was a true genius of his time and will remain one of the greatest film-makers of all time. He is not only an inspiration to Lucas, Spielberg, and others he is my main inspiration that lead me to the path of film direction. "Tony the Tiger would say, GRRRREAT!!!!" Awesome films by Kurosawa! It would have been nice if they were all digitally remastered with color added, but you'll have to settle for black & white which isn't too bad. "Highly recommended" I bought this for my husband, because I knew he liked Seven Samurai. He was delighted with the gift, and I was surprised to find that I really like these movies too. They are entertaining and insightful and a pleasure to watch. "4 Timeless works of art" Akira Kurosawa usually makes it into the top 5 directors of all time on most people's lists. He set the standard for epic battle scenes and the telling of a great epic story. He is sited by many directors as their greatest influence (including George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg to name a few). Kurosawa was trained in the samurai genre with some of the early great Japanese directors. These 4 samurai films show Kurosawa at the height of perfection. A couple of these stories went on to inspire "The Magnificent Seven" and "Star Wars". With the addition of the recent Tom Cruise flick, where one can clearly see the Kurosawa foundation at work, the samurai genre is still as timeless as "Shakespeare". If we were to continue with the same analogy then Kurosawa would be considered by most to be Shakespeare himself. This DVD set is worth every penny, you will watch these films many times over.