A film that deserves to be rediscovered | The Seven Samurai 4k

“This is the nature of war. By protecting others, you save yourself.
If you only think of yourself, you’ll only destroy yourself”
Kambei Shimada (Takashi Shimura)

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Seven Samurai takes place in 16th-century feudal Japan and follows a village under threat from bandits who hire a group of samurai to defend them. The samurai teach the townspeople how to defend themselves. All leading into an epic battle when 40 bandits attack the village.

Legends, folklore, myths, history

Japanese cinema has always, always been a passion. Discovering a whole new world of legends, folklore, myths, history. Japanese cinema has and always will have a special place in my heart. Discovering classic directors such as Akira Kurosawa, Takashi Miike, Kinji Fukusaka, Kon Ichikawa, Shōhei Imamura, Yasujirô Ozu and I could go on and on. I became obsessed with samurai and martial arts films, discovering Seven Samurai first and then seeking out other Kurosawa films such as Ran, Rashomon and his more noir films like Ikiru, High and Low and stray dog. It was safe to say, I was hooked.

Masterpiece

By any standards, Seven Samurai is a masterpiece of filmmaking that remains as enjoyable today as it was when first released back in 1954. Not only has the film inspired two American adaptations—John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven (1960) and Antoine Fuqua’s 2016 remake—its influence can be seen in cinema throughout the decades.

Creative and masterful

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Director Akira Kurosawa’s action blocking and his use of multiple cameras to capture his action sequences, not to mention slow motion to enhance dramatic impact, and his creative and masterful editing—including wipe transitions, axial cuts, and cutting on motion for emotional effect, but have since become staples of modern action cinema. Considering the film clocks in at over 207 minutes with an intermission, it does not feel it.

A gorgeous upgrade

Toho’s restoration is striking and a gorgeous upgrade from previous Blu-rays, though it does fall a little short on the quality you may expect from a 4K scan of the original negative. However, it should be noted that the BFI 4K release’s combination of restrained HDR grading and the better encoding by Fidelity in Motion make this the superior 4K presentation.

Groundbreaking

What can be said overall about the Seven Samurai itself, it stands the test of time, ever since its initial release to now it has been influencing filmmakers and artists. The film is quintessentially groundbreaking, crossing paths of emotions and thrills throughout its run time. It’s a film that deserves to be seen and rediscovered for any cinephile.

Seven Samurai was shot by cinematographer Asakazu Nakai (High and Low, Dersu Uzala, Ran) on 35 mm B&W film using Mitchell Cameras with spherical lenses, and it was released into theatres at the 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio. The BFI’s new 4K Ultra HD edition of Seven Samurai takes advantage of a new 4K scan and digital restoration of the best surviving 35 mm master positive by Toho Archive Co. Ltd, in Setagaya, Japan, because as is the case with many Japanese films of this era, the original camera negative no longer survives. The film has been graded for high dynamic range (both Dolby Vision and HDR10 are available) and encoded for the release as it’s presented on UHD at full 1.37:1.

Refined

Only occasionally throughout the film, very subtle vertical lines that look like print wear, which have been left untouched appear. The finest image detail looks more refined, with Texturing within the image given us clear and stand out detail in wood, thatched roofs, costume fabrics, hair, and skin. Revealing that shadows are deeper, and highlights are slightly more bold.

The film’s original monaural audio has also been remastered for this release from a 35 mm soundtrack positive, also by Toho Archive Co. Ltd., to reduce unwanted noise and age-related defects. That audio is available here in Japanese 1.0 mono in DTS-HD Master Audio format. The track is mainly clean and free of age-related artifacts, with clear dialogue. Composer Fumio Hayasaka’s iconic score is presented in pleasing fidelity. Optional subtitles in English.

4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Newly recorded audio commentary by film critic Adrian Martin
Philip Kemp selected scenes commentary (1999, 20 mins): film critic and writer Philip Kemp analyses key scenes from the film. Recorded for the BFI’s 1999 DVD release.
Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create – Seven Samurai (2002, 49 mins)
The Art of Akira Kurosawa (2013, 49 mins): Asian-cinema expert Tony Rayns discusses Kurosawa’s career and influence
My Life in Cinema (1993, 116 mins): a conversation between filmmakers Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Oshima filmed for the Directors Guild of Japan in 1993 – the two legendary directors discuss Kurosawa’s life, career and legacy
Original theatrical trailer
Restoration trailer (2024)
Image gallery
Double-sided poster featuring artwork by Matt Needle and the BFI’s poster designed for the film’s rerelease
A set of four postcards featuring iconic scenes from the film
80-page book with new essays by Tony Rayns, Cristina Álvarez López, Charlie Brigden and James-Masaki Ryan, plus writing by Philip Kemp and Jasper Sharp, and contemporary reviews by Gavin Lambert and director Tony Richardson.
Updated and improved English subtitles

The commentary is a new track recorded for this release by Australian writer and film critic Adrian Martin. The image gallery is in full 4K and features a high-quality look at poster artwork, lobby card images, costume drawings, set and publicity photography, and more.

Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create and My Life in Cinema are legacy offerings that you probably already own on DVD (these are included on the Criterion release as well, along with the trailer). However, the Philip Kemp Selected Scenes Commentary was recorded for the BFI’s 1999 DVD release. The Art of Akira Kurosawa is also a legacy piece from 2013, featuring Asian-cinema expert Tony Rayns. The BFI release also adds the 2024 restoration trailer.

The Seven Samurai 4K is a must for anyone, it stands the test of time and it never fails to deliver. It explores themes of honour and sacrifice, something that a lot of modern day cinema seem to lack and misplace In unnecessary waffle.