The Best Films You’ve Never Seen: Seven Samurai

The Best Films You've Never Seen series returns with Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 watershed epic “Seven Samurai”.

Set in sixteenth-century Japan, the film tells the story of a village of farmers who hire seven samurai (ronin) to protect and combat invading bandits from stealing their crops. This three-hour ride from Akira Kurosawa seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, human emotions, action, and poetic violence, into an unforgettable tale of courage and hope.

“Seven Samurai” debuted in Sight and Sound’s 2022 Greatest Films of All Time list at number 20, long revered by cinephiles, filmmakers and artists inspiring Hollywood westerns like John Sturges' 1960 classic “The Magnificent Seven”, George Lucas’s original “Star Wars” trilogy and was a major influence of the Wu-Tang Clan's conceptual cannon.

This screening will open with an introduction from RMIT Cinema Studies academic Dr Stephen Gaunson, who will explore the films cultural legacy and discuss “Seven Samurai’s” role as a technical and creative milestone that not only became Japan's highest-grossing film but also set a new benchmark for the international industry.

Presented by RMIT Culture in partnership with RMIT Cinema Studies.

Rating: PG
Language: Japanese (English subtitles)
Country: Japan
Year: 1954
Duration: 203mins
Format: DCP B&W

Image credit: still from Seven Samurai (1954), courtesy Madman Entertainment.