Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

The Criterion 4K release of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai isn't just a movie; it's a cinematic pilgrimage, now in glorious, eye-watering detail. If you thought this nearly four-hour masterpiece couldn't get any more epic, prepare to have your socks knocked off by the stunning new 4K restoration. Every grain of rice, every weathered face, and every torrential raindrop in that legendary final battle is rendered with astonishing clarity, making the film feel simultaneously timeless and brand new. Criterion, as always, treats this classic with the reverence it deserves. The transfer is immaculate, showcasing incredible depth and a nuanced grayscale that truly brings out the artistry of the cinematography. And the special features are, as expected, a treasure trove. You'll get multiple commentaries, extensive documentaries delving into the film's origins and influence, and even a two-hour conversation with Kurosawa himself. This isn't just a physical media release; it's a comprehensive masterclass on a film that continues to inspire. Be warned: once you see Seven Samurai in this pristine 4K, all other black-and-white films might just look a little... peasant-like.

Just as pictured above, the collector's boxset comes in a black box containing 2 items. The first item is a supplemental booklet containing film pictorials and literature about the history of Samurai, Japanese movie making, etc. It's informative and interesting, however, a one-time read. The second item is a foldout case film pictorial with 3 DVDs that resemble umbrellas from top view with their own distinct colors to distinguish their content. Overall design style gives one the mood of the film in mind. The 1st disc contains the first half of the film up to the intermission and the picture quality compared to the 1998 Criterion is undeniably superior. The film itself is in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio with slight borders around the frame inorder for better viewing with most monitors. This edition contains the original mono sound track as well as a new stereo sound track, however, I prefer the original mono due to being an enthusiast. There are also two commentary selections. One is the original 1988 commentary of Michael Jeck from the 1998 Criterion, which is fantastic! The second commentary is comprised of 5 film scholars, and each are given roughly 40 minutes of commentary spotlight in various parts of the film, which is also fantastic! Listening to both commentaries gives you a greater understanding of this superb film. The first disc also contains some production photos from the film as well as some posters of the film from several countries. The second disc contains the second half of the film right after the intermission with the continuation of the audio tracks. This second disc contains an extra feature called "It Is Wonderful To Create", which is a 55 minute documentary of Akira Kurosawa's films with his collaborators. The third disc contains a two hour interview with Akira Kurosawa as well as origins and influences of how this film came to fruition. I really wanted to see more interviews from the stars themselves, especially the great Toshiro Mifune. The third disc will probably be a one-time view. I believe, Criterion could've contained the film in its entirety on one disc and included all the extra features on the second disc inorder to streamline this otherwise great release. Overall, an extremely satisfying new release of Seven Samurai that should definitely be included in any fans dvd collection. I have watched this film over a dozen times with great joy and satisfaction and now I can enjoy it even more with this wonderful collector's edition!

THE FILM What does one say about Shichinin no Samurai? For me it is the greatest film ever made. Friendship, class warfare, romance, battle and a slice of life - Kurosawa packed this one dense. We reap the rewards of the master at the top of his game. Seven Samurai is an aural, emotional journey into Japanese history and human nature. Though there is an endless cast, each part comes through as memorable, a credit not only to Kurosawa's direction and editing, but the thoughtful performances of the actors. There is no glory here. In the end, this is a profound story of survival. Stray bullets cut down the bravest and the strongest just when victory seems secure. The ones left standing, in the end, are not heroes. They are just lucky to be alive. THE BLU-RAY Having shot Hasselblad for many years, the square frame feels natural to me, even on my Sony Bravia. Asakazu Nakai and Kurosawa's calculated photography brings us the story in a strong graphic way. This is an intimate story that comes through in the Blu-Ray more so than the older releases. I wouldn't say it is a huge leap, but details, including the celluloid degradation, are accurately captured. Any softness I could spot, I would attribute to the limitations of the glass in the lenses Nakai was shooting with at the time. Grain and reticulation in the emulsion look accurate and don't appear to have been tampered with with any sort of noise reduction. And if there has been some digital tuning, it appears to be almost invisible. There are plenty of scratch marks on the print but naturally, this is a hard thing to avoid for such an old film. I have owned every release and I've already given the other ones away. This Blu-Ray isn't on par with a modern technical marvel such as The Dark Knight. But it is a faithful representation of the masterpiece I love. You'll never see it better.

La prima volta che guardai "I Sette Samurai", trovai qualcosa che non andava, non sapevo bene cosa. Quando scoprii che avevano decurtato circa un'ora dall'edizione italiana, tutto mi fu subito chiaro. Raccomandata edizione Criterion, molto bella, come al solito secondo lo standard di questa collana di capisaldi della cinematografia mondiale. Al solito, attenzione all'audio giapponese con sottotitoli inglesi; per il resto, buona visione.

This review is for the Criterion Collection US import (region A) blu-ray. An important note: if your blu-ray player is not region A or multi-region, this disc won't play as I found out. I literally had to buy a new blu-ray player to watch it, but it was worth it. There are many far better reviews than I could write for this classic film so I will simply review this particular release. I already own the BFI DVD version which is 190 minutes long whereas this Criterion version is 207 minutes long so this is a more complete cut of the original film. Criterion have done an incredible restoration job. The picture is clean and stable, there is some occasional light grain but it's subtle and rarely noticeable most of the time. I'm glad to say there is no obvious digital noise reduction (DNR) which has caused some controversy with certain 4K releases of other films. There are occasional scratches and marks on the film but they don't detract from the viewing experience. In fact it's the opposite, you feel like you're seeing it exactly as it should be. And the close-ups of faces is amazing. You can see so much detail, it sometimes looks like it was filmed yesterday. And this is a film that was made over 70 years ago! The audio is also excellent. It's a little bass-heavy which is typical of old audio recordings on magnetic tape but again it's clean with no hiss or distortion and the orchestral soundtrack has never sounded so good. It's clearly been a labour of love and thank goodness because apparently the original film negatives can no longer be found. So the new digital intermediate created as part of the restoration process will preserve this important film for future generations to enjoy.

Amazing classic film restored with great informative special features and booklet. The film looks in wonderful condition.

The Blu-ray is region locked for US and Canada. The description on Amazon.nl — Dutch website! — does not mention it.

Très bel article, mais hélas j'ai dû le renvoyer, les sous titres sont en Anglais et non en Français (pas stipulé). Le remboursement à été rapide, merci.