Set in sixteenth century Japan, during an era of endless civil war, a group of rice farmers recruit seven masterless samurai to protect their lands from invading bandits. Included among the ronin are Kambei (Takashi Shimura)—their altruistic leader—and the volatile Kikuchiyo, a comedic figure played by the iconic Toshirō Mifune. The epic Seven Samurai was an immediate worldwide success—both critically and commercially—and soon inspired countless imitations, beginning with its famed American remake, The Magnificent Seven. In the years since, director Akira Kurosawa’s breathtakingly kinetic, humanistic masterwork has only grown in reputation, becoming a mainstay on best films of all-time lists, and developing a fanatical following among generation after generation of movie-lovers.
Screening in a landmark, 70th-anniversary 4K restoration, Seven Samurai will be presented in two parts with a brief intermission.
