Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

Description

One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai) tells the story of a sixteenth-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. This three-hour ride from Akira Kurosawa—featuring legendary actors Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura—seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action, into a rich, evocative, and unforgettable tale of courage and hope.THREE-DVD SPECIAL EDITION FEATURESRestored high-definition digital transfer, with an optional Dolby surround soundtrackTwo audio commentaries: one by film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Prince, Tony Rayns, and Donald Richie; and one by Japanese-film expert Michael JeckFifty-minute documentary on the making of Seven Samurai, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to CreateMy Life in Cinema, a two-hour conversation between Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Oshima from 1993, produced by the Directors Guild of Japan“Seven Samurai”: Origins and Influences, a new documentary looking at the samurai traditions and films that impacted Kurosawa’s masterpieceTheatrical trailers and teaserGallery of rare posters and behind-the-scenes and production stillsEnglish subtitle translationPLUS: Essays by Kenneth Turan, Philip Kemp, and Peggy Chiao and a tribute from Sidney Lumet