026 4 The HIDDEN FORTRESS ( 1958 , aka . Kakushi toride no san akunin ) is Akira Kurosawa's first widescreen-shot film and the famed director uses it as if he has been a master of it for many years . In a period where warring clans in Japan , the film is all about loyalty , honor , greed and betrayal but the film is also the most well-spirited , fun-loving samurai adventure that Kurosawa had directed after Ran and Throne of Blood . Think the Treasure of Sierra Madre collides with George Lucas ' Star Wars - - without the Wookies , aliens , droids and spaceships .
Two bickering peasants named Tahei ( Minoru Chiaki ) and Matshichi ( Katamari Fujiwara ) , who gets caught up with provincial warfare between the Akizuki and Yamana clans . After escaping the clutches of the Yamana forces , the duo crosses paths with a stranger who calls himself Rokurota Makabe ( Toshiro Mifune ) , a general of the Akizuki clan in hiding . The Akizuki province is currently being occupied by the Yamana clan and whose Princess Yuki ( Misa Uehara ) is the last surviving royalty of the defeated side . Makabe intends to sneak by enemy lines and flee to the neighboring Hayakawa province along with 200 pieces of gold . But to do so , he must convince the punchy pair that the plucky princess is his mute girlfriend .
Yes , this is the film that inspired Star Wars and George Lucas even repaid the inspiration that he had gotten from Kurosawa by investing in his 1980 film KAGEMUSHA ( which I will review much later ) . Those who are expecting highly visible references to the sci-fi blockbuster may be a bit disappointed though . While there is a princess and the antics of the two peasants are quite comparable to R2 - D2 and C3 - PO ; in this film , the tough princess remained so and the story somewhat revolves mostly around two underlings ; Tahei and Matshichi . Yes , Toshiro Mifune has a lead role in the film but only as a major supporting character . But not to worry , the film is a terrific actioner and it is well directed . What else can you expect from Kurosawa ?
The role of Princess Yuki was a nightmare to begin with . Kurosawa had gone through 200 actresses and he could not find the right girl . ( Hence , the 200 pieces of gold was inspired ) It was not until he caught sight of newcomer Misa Uehara that Kurosawa had found the perfect girl to play the princess raised as a boy . Kurosawa is such a perfectionist , it would take him several months , maybe even a year to begin a project . The director had also insisted Mifune to grow a real beard for many months even though it itched like crazy ( in Red Beard ) , this incident was believed to have ended the Mifune-Kurosawa collaborations . Their relationship had already become strained when Kurosawa questioned Mifune's acceptance of less than credible roles but the actor had to make a living and cannot wait for Kurosawa ` s projects on several occasions .
The film is essentially a chase film and the bickering of Tahei and Matshichi ( sometimes listed as Matakishi ) gives the film a lot of depth . Their lust for riches and women are very entertaining all through the film's proceedings . The two would fight among themselves to gain advantage over the other but they would also be plotting with each other to gain advantage over others . The pathetic fools even considered the possibility of raping the princess . The two are pitiable lowlifes and they do give an unlikable impression to the audience but they are also necessary to represent the blacks and the whites and the shades of gray . Rokurota Makabe is a general and a superb warrior . Mifune's character is cunning , smart and determined to protect the princess at all costs that he manipulates the two lowlifes into helping them by using gold hidden in firewood as their motivation .
One thing with Toshiro Mifune , the man definitely has a strong presence onscreen . There is just something about him that is magnetic , commanding and energetic that would catch any audience's attention . The man is a marvelous actor and with Kurosawa at the helm , the actor definitely bears his soul for his character . Toho productions were so worried about Kurosawa Akira leaving their company after this film , that they agreed to help him form his own production company , and in turn take on some expenses of his projects . This is his first widescreen film but Kurosawa utilizes the wide frame to near perfection . The director manipulates the frame like a master whether the shots are mountain ranges or open vistas or fight sequences .
The film also has quite a lot of action . Highlights include a swordfight on horseback , and the film's main draw is the duel with spears between Makabe and Hyoe Tadokoro ( played by Susumu Fujita ) . The fight is well choreographed and stays within the realm of realism . The fight is long and intense , and Tadokoro definitely shows that he is Makabe's equal in the use of a spear . I was also really impressed that for a movie at this time would be able to shoot a real good swordfight on horseback . Kurosawa definitely knows how to work his cameras .
The Hidden Fortress is a true classic by Akira Kurosawa . There is just so much going on with this film ; a cunning general , a beautiful princess , pathetic peasants that all complement its elements of intrigue , betrayal , honor and loyalty . The film is a drag-out action film that displays not only Kurosawa's genius but also his ability to exude charm and magnetism through his style . This film is Kurosawa's next box-office success after Seven Samurai and after this he once again hits gold with Yojimbo . The film is also a critical success garnering numerous film awards .
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ! [ 4 ½ Stars ]
001 4 I have to confess my bias at the start : Akira Kurosawa is easily one of my two or three favorite directors . If forced to sit down and do a list of my 25 favorite films , SEVEN SAMURAI would be in a tie for first , and two or three others would join it on the list .
This was the first movie that Kurosawa made that was widescreen , and therefore the first that will derive maximum benefit from DVD . ( Read through the early reviews of the DVD of SEVEN SAMURAI to see some of the confusion over this . ) His use of the wider angle is magnificent , presenting the view with extraordinary vistas again and again . Kurosawa never seemed to struggle with the technical aspects of filmmaking , and would later make a similarly effortless transition to color .
This is one of Kurosawa's finest films . It is difficult to say that it is his best , since his very best films are among the greatest ever made . Suffice it to say , that the film bears in every way the mark of greatness . The camera work is flawless . Though black and white , the film is gorgeous to look at every moment . The acting is impeccable , with Mifune giving a somewhat difference performance in this one . If we are more accustomed to think of him as a more fiery character , as in RASHOMON or SEVEN SAMURAI or THRONE OF BLOOD , in this one he is magisterial and aristocratic .
I think the parallels to STAR WARS are rather overblown , and anyone coming to this film looking for tones of George Lucas rather than Akira Kurosawa just may find themselves disappointed . Yes , there is a princess , and yes , there are some very small plot parallels , and yes , there are two comic characters included to provide light entertainment and to move the plot along . But none of these are crucial elements of THE HIDDEN FORTRESS .
But I do think the STAR WARS references bring up a very interesting point about Kurosawa : more than anyother foreign filmmaker in history , Kurosawa is the one with the easist relationship with American culture . People who normally dislike foregin film can respond powerfully to his films . I once showed SEVEN SAMURAI to a group of high school boys . These kids were almost in a state of mutiny , because 1 ) the film was black and white and 2 ) it was subtitled . But by the end of the evening they were all entranced and had become fans of the film .
I think the reason they responded so easily was partly because Kurosawa was a cinematic genius , but also because he had absorbed so much of American culture and film technique in his films . Just as many American films have borrowed directly from his work , so he borrowed from American sources . Many of his films bear evidence of extensive exposure to film noir and American Westerns , and several of his plots are borrowed from American and Western sources . One example : much has been made of the fact that A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS was based on Kurosawa's YOJIMBO , but it is not as often noted that YOJIMBO was based on Dashiell Hammett's RED HARVEST , in which the Continental Op goes to the town of Personville ( or , as a Brooklyn-accented character in the book pronounces it , Poisonville ) and turns two warring criminal factions against each other .
But if you haven't seen this film , do so . Without any question one of Kurosawa's very finest films .
002 4 Of all the directing masters Akira Kurosawa is arguably the greatest . No matter how much praise and hyperbole is shoveled onto his films they always surprise me by how good they are . Not good in a , this was phenomenal for the 1950 ' s , but good as in , this is better than just about anything we're seeing today . While watching this movie I was trying to think of an American director who even comes close , but no one quite matches Kurosawa . If Akira Kurosawa and Stanley Kubrick had a street fight in Heaven I gurantee you Kurosawa would kick Kubrick in the nuts and decapitate him inside of a minute .
This film is often described as the impetus for Star Wars . After seeing the prequel trilogy I half expected The Hidden Fortress to be an exact blueprint for Episode IV , but they're really not that similar . It turns out that George Lucas was talented back in the day . If you're looking for simularities you'll find them , but if Lucas himself hadn't mentioned how much this film influenced him I doubt anyone would be drawing parallels . For example , the two peasant characters , Tahei and Matakishi , are supposed to be the inpirations for R2 - D2 and C - 3PO , but they're not similar in the least . Tahei and Matakishi are slow , bumbling , greedy , and selfish . They're a far cry from Lucas ' creations . R2 - D2 is the butch in the relationship while C - 3PO is his more feminine partner . ( I have to give Lucas credit for having the guts to put a gay robot couple in a film way back in the 70 ' s , and it's even more amazing because no one has had the guts to do it a second time . Perhaps one day gay robots will get the screen time they deserve . )
The story involves a princess and her general who are trapped behind enemy lines and must make it back to their own land . Of all the Kurosawa films I've seen this is the most commercial , and should satisfy fans of old action and adventure . Of particular interest is Toshiro Mifune who is a Kurosawa regular . He plays General Rokurota - an all around badass . When his party gets stopped by soldiers trying to hunt them down he quickly kills a couple of them , and then grabs a horse to go hunt down the two trying to escape , all the while letting out a warrior's cry . This action sequence ends in a duel between Rokurota and an opposing general he has a competitive but friendly relationship with . The duel is one of the greatest fight scenes in cinema , and not just because of the fine choreography ( although that too ) , but because of how interesting these two characters are . They respect each other , but if they met on a battlefield then duty would prevail .
This is much more of an action adventure film than something like Roshomon , but Kurosawa still manages to throw in a lot of themes . The princess has a slight epiphony while walking among the peasants , and decides to save a girl before she becomes a sex slave ; Tahei and Matakishi are both morally bankrupt but they still seem to serve a purpose in society ; and General Rokurota and his rival both seem to say something about the merits and limits of honor . These themes are great and add some depth , but are subservient to sheer adventure of the film , which is how it should be .
This is a great swashbuckling film that is hands down better than any action film made in the last twenty years . Some have come close , but I think most will agree that nothing beats The Hidden Fortress . It is absolutely incredible that with all of the technical achievements over the years Kurosawa's action-adventure piece still holds up so well over the years . Incredible .
003 4 This is Kurosawa's fist use of widescreen , and it looks glorious . While he managed to simulate wider shots in his past films with an academy aspect ratio , this , rife with innumerable extras and an epic landscape , is just awesome spectacle . Like all good Kurosawa though , the story is simple , elemental , yet definitive . The two peasants / thieves are an absolute riot , and Mifune comes across with amazing presence . . . as fantastically usual .
Criterion does the film justice with an excellent transfer , but with little in the way of supplementary material , especially when compared to recent releases - - the introduction by George Lucas on this disk is great though . For the price of this disk , the lack of audio commentary , etc . . . is unfortunate .
Truly a character driven story , the film boasts of people that are crass , yet lovable . Not concerned with the apocalypse like Kurosawa is in some previous and later works , Hidden fortress offers a rousing adventure , which encapsulates classic story telling at its stylistic best . As such , this is one of the favorites in my personal Kurosawa collection .
004 4 Just letting you guys know , Criterion will be releasing the definitive version of this film on DVD in a few months !
005 4 I'd heard about THE HIDDEN FORTRESS as a young man whenever the roots of STAR WARS were discussed . FORTRESS is always mentioned as the film that influenced George Lucas the most in crafting his STAR WARS films . It wasn't until last year that I actually decided to rent it and see what it and its director Akira Kurosawa were all about . THE HIDDEN FORTRESS was my first introduction to the incredible direction of Akira Kurosawa . I've gone on to watch several of his other films and am now a huge fan . I also discovered that quite a few Hollywood movies have their roots in Kurosawa films . Interestingly enough , an interview with George Lucas has been included on the disk as a bonus , which completes the HIDDEN FORTRESS / STAR WARS connection .
FORTRESS is a fast-moving film . It's story is reminiscent of the serials of the 1930 ' s ( including wipes to transition from scene to scene - - again , another technique that Lucas borrowed for STAR WARS ) . Our heroes leap out of frying pan into fire on several occasions .
The Japanese style of acting ( at least in 1958 when this film was made ) is very stylized and little over the top or stagey . However , the stylized performances only add to the wonderful , other-worldly atmosphere of HIDDEN FORTRESS . That's one thing that I enjoyed about this Kurosawa film : it definitely takes the viewer to a world he has not seen before . . . a weird , ancient and savage old-Japan .
Those are my thoughts on this film . This was the first Kurosawa I ever saw and I was very impressed . Immediately I rented YOJIMBO and HIGH AND LOW and SEVEN SAMURAI and went on to be a fan .
006 4 Most people have only heard of The Hidden Fortress through association with Star Wars . It is quite common for reviewers to say that Lucas owed The Hidden Fortress a great debt . However , you should not go into this movie thinking you are going to see some martial arts version of America's most sucessful trilogy ( if you want that take a look at Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon ) . The Hidden Fortress is all Kurosawa and you are better off anticipating something like Yojimbo or 7 Samurai . The main similarity to Star Wars is that the tale is told from the two most insignifigant characters . The film follows two useless pesants around ( much like Star wars follows around R2 - D2 and C - 3P0 ) while the action happens surrounding them . There are other similarities , but this is the most striking . As always in Kurosawa movies , there are shots that are angled a certain way to provoke a certain effect that you will probably recognize as having seen a thousand times in modern movies , but the thing that is remarkable here is that chances are this is the first time they were used . Mifune gives a typically great performance so this movie is definately worth checking out , just don't take the Star Wars comparisons too seriously . The influence is there , but if you bend over backward trying to make connections you'll miss the best that both movies have to offer .
007 4 A number of people , when they discuss this Kurosawa film along with The Seven Samurai and his other films , treat it like a bastard at a family reunion . Apparently , they were expecting a HIGH DRAMA or BADASS movie . If they were , then they deserve to be disappointed .
The Hidden Fortress is NOT an epic that gives great insight into the code of the samurai or other such nonsense . It's a fun romp through the misadventures of several bungling heroes : Two greedy , cowardly peasants , a knight very similar to the young Obi-Wan Kenobi , and a bitchy , aloof Princess Yuki of Akizuki ( a name that sounds like something from Dr . Seuss ) . They are trying to smuggle the Akizuki treasury ( gold bars hidden in firewood ) and the princess to safety . But greed , lust and stupidity keep getting in the way .
This movie is more of an old-style caper film than a samurai epic . The dumb , double-dealing characters are more from The Lavender Hill Mob than MacBeth . What makes the characters more interesting is that the two peasants don't hold a monopoly on greed and harebrained cunning plans that would make Baldric from The Black Adder proud , and the knight and the princess don't hold all the courage and nobility cards , either . In fact , the two peasants come up with a plan that literally saves their necks .
The way the film is told from the point of view of the two lowliest characters was quite novel and an obvious influence on George Lucas when he made the first Star Wars . The Hidden Fortress is a great movie in its own right , though . One shot in particular will stick in your mind . At the beginning you see a wounded samurai on foot getting cut down by horsemen . It is stark , shocking and weirdly beautiful .
To people with open minds without preconceived notions of what should and should not be in a Kurosawa film , The Hidden Fortress is a great movie .
008 4 . . . although you can hardly see the influence . There exists 2 comical farmers thrown into adventures against their will , or two great swordsmen who duel in a show of skill and honor . There is a chase through a gigantic fortress ( basically an entire country ! ) in disguise to rescue a princess .
Amazingly enough , Akira Kurosawa created the plot for Hidden Fortress by simply asking his crew to create some interesting characters , then come up with strange adventures for them to go through . The result is a masterpiece . Kurosawa draws more humanity from simply 5 minute stories than most 90 minute movies ! Plenty of action , great dialog , and amazing acting all make for one of my favorite movies . Time to buy another copy , because I've worn out my first !
009 4 I saw ' Seven Samurai ' several years before this film , whereas I think watching them the other way round would have been better . This film is a rousing action adventure with few pretensions to great art , while Seven Samurai , although containing breathtaking battle scenes , is a more profound work . I'd recommend this film first , especially as it seeem to have had a larger budget with many spectacular sequences .
The film itself is marvellously entertaining , with classic characterisations from the entire cast , especially the two bickering peasants who accompany the General ( Toshiro Mifune , brilliant as always ) and the young princess into enemy territory .
Criterion's anamorphic DVD transfer is quite simply flawless , much finer than ' Seven Samurai ' , decent though that is . No nicks or scars at all , and the subtletly of varying grays is marvellous . In fact I can't think of * any * black and white film I've seen which looks better on DVD , and I've seen quite a few , like the great 1959 courtroom drama ' Anatomy Of A Murder ' ( James Stewart ) , which looks excellent ( I recommend it ) .
Woody Allen's ' Manhattan ' and Scorsese's ' Raging Bull ' ( which date from 1979 and 1980 ) don't look any finer . This 1958 transfer is that good !
The sound is decent mono ( there is also an unusual 3 channel fake stereo version if you want to try it , it sounds good ) , and decent extras , including an interview with George Lucas , who was of course influenced by this film when he made Star Wars .
Do not miss this excellent film on this outstanding DVD . Then sample the Kurosawa / Mifune symbiosis in ' High Low ' , and ' Seven Samurai ' ( perhaps in that order ) . The former's Criterion transfer is excellent , the latter less so , but still good .
010 4 In Brief
Protected by her closest general but trapped in enemy territory , a young princess is aided by two hapless farmers . Their journey takes them across a dangerous 16th Century feudal Japan , as they transport both princess and her gold to safety .
Review
This was Kurosawa's last film for Toho studios , and his first using the widescreen techniques that he developed into a recognised style of his own in later films such as Ran and Yojimbo . As part of the celebrative retrospective at the NFT in London , The Hidden Fortress has been given a new print and extended run , and should definitely not be missed .
Overshadowed by his more popular texts , Kurosawa takes the ` chambara ' genre to new heights ; this is not merely teatime viewing , or a swashbuckling fantasy , but a beautifully executed examination of the human condition and its relationship to the environment it exists in . We open with a wide shot of the two foolish farmers walking towards a distant horizon that is highlighted with rows of trees and high mountains . They should be happy as they leave the battered war zone behind them for the lush hills ahead , but instead they argue over the petty nature of their relationship . This is something they continue to do throughout the film - as they are later driven by the greed of transporting gold concealed within driftwood - not taking into account their effect upon each other , environment , or companions .
Indeed it is the metaphorical idea of these hidden riches within dead wood that is one of the major driving forces behind the text . Though the story is essentially told from their point of view , they are never aware of their help in transporting the princess to safety , nor that the man who commands them is a famous general .
There is a strong sense of the effect of nature upon man , which can be as unnoticed as it can striking : An argument between the two farmers uses the scope of widescreen to its full advantage , as they are distanced by a gully they had just dug in a futile attempt to discover gold . But for me the fog closing in around the general as he is told of the death of his sister , and the subsequent track into his eyes as he controls his emotions in realising the tactical advantage is captivating . Finally it should be noted that the effect of the incongruous princess , who holds her body as a man after being brought up as a son , takes the narrative journey as a personal discovery of the self ; the perfectly edited montage whirl of the fire ceremony and a glimpse of her contact with others and freeing of hidden spirit is truly special : Life comes at a price :
Kindle your life in the bonfire's flames , the dancers sing . But be careful as , Moths singe their wings in the flame . . .
The Verdict
This film is a pure classic , and if you have a stigma about black and white foreign films , I implore you to put that to one side . Take a chance to see the director who has inspired everyone from Spielberg to Tarantino . Speaking of which this is the film a certain Mr Lucas lifted the plot of to create Star Wars . Though I must say after the recent effort of Episode One , he definitely took all the humour for Episode Four from The Hidden Fortress and has very little of his own ! This film is a golden text from one of the greatest auteurs of the 20th Century - enjoy !
011 4 * The Hidden Fortress * turns out to be , thank goodness , just a wee bit more than simply A-Primary-Influence-On-George-Lucas ' - * Star Wars * . ( One is almost inclined to hold that fact against the movie . ) Besides being A-Primary-Influence . . . Etc . , it also happens to be Kurosawa's first widescreen film . The Tohoscope ( i.e . , Cinemascope ) format reveals the director's uncanny , really almost preternatural , genius , right from the opening scene with the two peasant farmers grumbling at each other as they trudge through some godforsaken desert . Suddenly , a fierce-looking soldier comes into view , wounded ; the peasants stare in fright at something coming their way . . . and you are hooked for the duration . A pleasantly unpretentious epic . Simple folk motifs , unmuddled morals , and sweeping action make for an exciting , thoroughly accessible movie-watching experience . And for gravy on your mashed potatoes , * The Hidden Fortess * also boasts the largest female role in the Kurosawa canon : a ravishing young Princess , stranded in enemy territory , who must be led back to her Kingdom . Toshiro Mifune , a grumpy general , gets to do the honors . Along for the trip are the aforementioned peasants , tied to the noble cause for the most ignoble of reasons - - pure greed . Their constant bickering with each other , like a married couple , combined with their humorous one-track-mindedness about a hidden stash of gold , makes you root for them much more than you probably should . All in all , simply a must-have for Kurosawa devotees . [ And the DVD is another great product from Criterion , by the way . Besides the great picture ( with correct aspect ratio ) and restored sound , you even get a short interview with the Dreaded George Lucas . ]
012 4 The VHS from Home Vision is supposed to be in widescreen format , yet I do not understand why it is still not in the original aspect ratio of the film .
The picture is cut off at the edges - clearly evident in the opening credits where the Japanese names on the left and right are partially covered . Such disregard results in scenes of ' half-bodied ' characters on the left and right edges of the frame , especially in many compositions of the two farmers .
The same mis-treatment happened to ' Ran ' from Fox Lorber ; and I thought Home Vision's productions would be fine as earlier I saw its ' Yojimbo ' and found no problems with its widescreen presentation . I hope Home Vision would care to comment .
Despite the flaw , I thoroughly enjoyed the film . It is a finely-judged balance of serious adventure and light-hearted satire at the same time . Kurosawa achieved and sustained the contrasts in the film at several levels , most of which are flashed out through the film's main characters with beguiling effect .
If , somehow , you have been put off by the pessimism and darkness of many of Kurosawa's films , this is the film that would make the difference . By the end of it , it is hard not to have on your face a smile that can come only from a most satisfying and heartwarming experience .
Exciting , entertaining and enchanting , the film actually suprises with its economy and simplicity . It is yet another lesson from the master to other film-makers on how good story-telling alone can carry a film to the height of great entertainment without the indiscriminate resort to special effects and gross sensationalism that Hollywood is so fond of .
013 4 Kurosawa set out to make a pure actioner - no deep meanings , no heavy thinking - and this was the result . Two clownish , greedy men are enlisted by a warlord ( Toshiro Mifune ) and a princess to transport a pile of gold across the mountains to re-establish the princess's defeated clan . They get into all kinds of scrapes , many of them improbable and comic - a la the old Hollywood western action pictures - and , of course , succeed in their task . Also like many western heroes , the characters are inspired by a code of honor that places duty above all else . George Lucas stole freely from this movie when he was making STAR WARS , including the lengthy fight with lances . Mifune is excellent , as are the two buffoonish , bumbling fools ( later reincarnated by Lucas as R2 - D2 and C - 3PO ) . A fun movie to watch , especially in the hands of a master like Kurosawa .
014 4 The hidden fortress starts with it's two main characters Tahei and Matakashi ( played by Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara ) walking through a war torn country side . They have just escaped from an internment camp after a recent great battle . The two had been forced to dig graves as prisoners and they are already , at the start of the movie , at wit's end . They soon become frustrated with each other and their situation that they set out in opposite directions , only to be both recaptured shortly thereafter . After a prisoner mass uprising and subsequent exodus , the two find themselves completely unscathed but monumentally stunned amongst the dozens of dead . . and piles of pillaged gold .
Unable to carry much in their escape , their sense of scheming is palpable and a testament to the quality of direction . While walking through the woods they come upon a camping warlord , General Makabe ( played by Kurosawa mainstay , Toshiro Mifune ) , who they enlist to help them steal the gold . Makabe has other ideas . They later meet up with the fiercely sexy Princess Yukihime ( Misa Uehara ) who playfully defends herself from the two anti-heroes , smacking all insolent fools with a reed and secretly running the show . The two rogues suffer through constant harassment with wide eyed fear and cowardice that Kurosawa somehow makes endearing .
It was said that Kurosawa would spend the mornings of the writing process thinking up impossible situations for the two rogue protagonists and the production crew would have the afternoon to plot out how the two would escape from certain death ; The pair survive numerous captures , a prison riot , multiple rock slides ( ! ) and more often than not each other during a sometimes cathartic , sometimes hilarious series of events . The Hidden Fortress is an archetypal dark comedy and could be well adapted in the future because of it's intelligent dynamics and carefree yet succinct episodes ( the first Star Wars employs much of the same wide open sense of adventure ) .
While being one of the lightest of Kurosawa's films , it still has the underlying fatalism and rebelliousness that is inherent of much of interesting Japanese cinema . For examples , see much of mainstream ( and probably most non mainstream ) anime , as well as the nihilistic cult films of today like the recently Americanized Ringu ( The Ring ) and Kyua ( Cure ) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa ( no relation ) . The Hidden Fortress is worth a viewing by any patient film buff .
015 4 This is very lighthearted fun compared to Kurosawa's other films . It is also very funny and the two mumbling peasants are great fun , they are clearly George Lucas ' inspiration for R2D2 and C3PO . The great Toshiro Mifune is also great in his role , again his screen pressence is commanding and demans attention , you can also tell he was having fun . This is one of the best adventure films of all time , it is one cliffhanger after another . It's only flaw is that it is a bit overlong , and some characters are not fully realized , but this is barely noticeable , since the films ' main objective is to entertain , and it succeeds handsomely at that . I would recommend this film for those beginning to get interested in Japanese cinema , since it's lighthearted and the story is easy to follow , also they will get hooked on Kurosawa , which in itself is a good thing . All in all , great entertainment , I'm glad Criterion adopted it ! A solid 8.5 out of 10 !
016 4 This terrific 1958 action adventure is probably best known as the inspiration for George Lucas ' Star Wars . Exotic adventure , historical myths , moral themes and knight-like chivalry are the prime elements in Akira Kurosawa's 1958 magnum opus of heroic action and self-discovery .
The plot concerns a general and a princess who must escape enemy forces while smuggling royal treasure out of hostile territory with two inept , conspiring peasants at their sides . Kurosawa's uses all the cinematic tools to deliver a spectacular blend of epic action , wry humor and human compassion . Man in nature , man against nature , man against man and man fulfilling his destiny or fighting fate are all played out in rain and fog , on rock and sand , in woods and water .
The superb visual composition and lighting make this among the very best of all black and white films . Rich greys , velvety blacks and silvery glints of dazzling light abound in the deeply evocative cinematography in this stunning , newly restored , widescreen ( 2.35 : 1 ) Tohoscope transfer . The disc includes an exclusive new interview with George Lucas . A must have . 139 minutes , not rated . . . .
017 4 This is a movie that aims to please , from the spectacular slave revolt in the beginning , to the fantastical characters of a stoic-arrogant general's ( Mifune in his muscle-man mode - - - whoa ! ) mission to deliver his princess to safe territories . The sexual innuendos involving the general and princess , however , are a bit disturbing in hindsight . But what the heck .
Worth mentioning , however , are the performances by Minoru Chiaki ( in his last role for Kurosawa I believe - but correct me if you will ) and Kamatari Fujiwara - - - as the bumbling and greedy to the core farmers helping Mifune . They are simply hilarious and adorable , much more complex characters than R2D2 and C3PO !
The opening scene , with the farmers stumbling into the frame and followed by a stray soldier's murder , is classic .
018 4 This review is from :
The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Hidden Fortress ( Three Bad Men from the Hidden Fortress is the original Japanese title ) is Kurosawas attempt to make a film that is pure entertainment . Think of it as his Jerry Bruckheimer flick . A cast of thousands ( indeed , the largest cast ever assembled for a Japanese film at that time ) , lust for gold , honor and dishonor , epic swordfights , cute girls , mistaken identity and a dangerous flight through enemy territory are the layers of Hidden Fortress . Big fun .
Being Kurosawa , he could not help but slip in social commentary and wisdom . There is depth here not found in the casual blockbuster . Yet , it lacks the careful insight of his more focused work such as Ikiru and Seven Samurai . I love Hidden Fortress and consider it a good balance to heavier films . I am not always in the mood to work for enlightenment . Sometimes I just want to be entertained .
The Criterion Collection DVD is fantastic . Criterion seems to be working to include more extras in there DVD releases , and the George Lucas interview is nice . The picture , sound and translation are all impeccable .
019 4 Hidden Fortress ( Three Bad Men from the Hidden Fortress is the original Japanese title ) is Kurosawas attempt to make a film that is pure entertainment . Think of it as his Jerry Bruckheimer flick . A cast of thousands ( indeed , the largest cast ever assembled for a Japanese film at that time ) , lust for gold , honor and dishonor , epic swordfights , cute girls , mistaken identity and a dangerous flight through enemy territory are the layers of Hidden Fortress . Big fun .
Being Kurosawa , he could not help but slip in social commentary and wisdom . There is depth here not found in the casual blockbuster . Yet , it lacks the careful insight of his more focused work such as Ikiru and Seven Samurai . I love Hidden Fortress and consider it a good balance to heavier films . I am not always in the mood to work for enlightenment . Sometimes I just want to be entertained .
The Criterion Collection DVD is fantastic . Criterion seems to be working to include more extras in there DVD releases , and the George Lucas interview is nice . The picture , sound and translation are all impeccable .
020 4 The Hidden Fortress is another of Akira Kurosawa's cinematic masterpieces . This movie is a wonderful example of deep character development coupled with great direction and camera work . As viewers , we are taken for a ride into old feudalist Japan with its ' various class distinctions . There are the peasant farmers , Tahei and Matakishi , who sold everything to go to war and end up penniless trying to survive . There's the disguised general , Rokuruta Makabe ( Toshiro Mifune ) , a samurai general protecting his charge the princess . He must find a way of getting her and the gold across the enemies border to rebuild the empire . Finally , there is the princess Yuki . All the hopes of clan rest with her and the gold's successful escape to friendlier territories . Along the way life's lessons are learned . The princess moves from spoiled child to become a true princess ready to lead her clan . The farmers come away far less greedy and much better friends . Lastly , the word of the samurai is honored between two old antagonists .
Whether it is the camera shots . . . just watch the escape sequence as hundreds of extras come fighting down a staircase . . . or the story , this movie satisfies on many levels . All good or smart directors borrow from each other . The influence of John Ford can be seen in many areas and Lucas certainly borrowed from Kurosawa . Try to avoid the Star Wars comparisons and sit back and enjoy a truly great film . Well worth adding to the film library .
021 4 As many others have said , this isn't my favourite Kurosawa movie but good heavens ! Even when not at his peak , he's head and shoulders above what others do on their best day . The story is great though the two idiot peasants get to be a bit annoying . They do , however , allow Kurosawa to tell the story in an interesting way ( from their point of view ) . The story , I find , starts slowly as it focuses on the peasants , establishing their characters . It takes a while before getting to the heart of the movie . But once Mifune as Rokurota appears , the film really gets going . This is also the first DVD I've bought from the Criterion Collection and I was very impressed by the quality . While their discs are a bit pricey , it is well worth it for the clean transfer . Overall , I give Hidden Fortress a 4 but with Kurosawa movies you have to use a different scale . For any other director , it would be a 5 .
022 4 Perfect timing for this release . A summer-style blockbuster , made over a decade before the concept hit the Hollywood machine . The release adds little to Janus ' already-excellent VHS release , but the DVD format is so sweet I had to get it anyway . Keep the Kurosawas coming , Criterion ! Lucas adds some interesting commentary , but I sensed he's still holding back in his acknowledgements . As far as the eternal STAR WARS vs . HIDDEN FORTRESS debate goes , just thank your personal deity that we have them both . Now , as someone said , if only more modern filmmakers would copy from the master . . . .
023 4 Many have complained that directors such as George Lucas and John Sturges have blatantly ripped off the master of film Akira Kurosawa . What they should lament is that there hasn't been further homages of his work by other directors . Tight pacing , solid characters , intense action . These are things that present day cinema have seem to have forgotten . While some have said that Lucas ' epic is a pale shadow to what Kurosawa wrought ( even Lucas himself might admit this ) , it can be said that Lucas championed the Kurosawa style . This DVD is a perfect addition to anyone's collection ; Kurosawa afficionados , Star Wars fans and film buffs .
024 4 Hidden Fortress is one of the best action movies ever made ( as one might expect from Kurosawa ) . It is also a quite amusing comedy . The princess is beautiful and the hero is valiant . The duels and battles are beautifully paced .
025 4 The Hidden Fortress has some major problems with pacing and overlength . The first 15 minutes dealing with the aftermath of a war are great and the last hour is pretty good , but the hour of repetitive bickering and clumsy slapstick inbetween from the film's two unlovable clowns is incredibly grating . Yes , it's a bold move of Kurosawa to give centerstage to a couple of greedy , stupid , duplicitous and all but irredeemable scumbags , but unfortunately he neglected to make them particularly interesting greedy , stupid , duplicitous and all but irredeemable scumbags and there's only so much of them shouting , digging holes and performing pratfalls you can take . It might help if some of it was funny , but it's like watching a Bowery Boys movie from the days when they should have been drawing their pensions instead of still pretending to be teenagers .
Themes of honor and compassion are dealt with in passing as nominal hero Mifune fails to appreciate the preciousness of all life , not just that of the princess he is sworn to protect , but this is pure popcorn fodder with more than a touch of Vera Cruz about it ( but none of it's economy of line ) , as evidenced by George Lucas lifting elements for his first Star Wars film . Oddly enough the influence on John Milius is far more noticeable than Lucas - the scene where Mifune chases two soldiers on horseback and cuts them down without leaving his saddle is clearly the inspiration for the fight on the beach in The Wind and the Lion ( even the music is similarly orchestrated ) . It gets there in the end , but it takes its time about it .
The disc is light on extras - only a very half-hearted appreciation by George Lucas , who obviously doesn't think much of the film these days .
027 4 George Lucas loosely based Star Wars on this movie . Don't take my word for it ; he said that and more himself in an interview on this DVD .
The plot is simple : a princess needs to reach home to claim power and she carries the clan's gold bars , which without she won't be able to rule . She's accompanied by a loyal General to protect her while they're in disguise . Yet , that's not the interesting part ; it's what happens throughout the journey .
The princess learns from people and about people . She experiences new things that other rulers don't usually get to experience . You get to see how people react to issues like greed , loyalty , duty and other qualities that are tested in many situations in the film .
Of course , it's another Japanese brilliant born-to-be-classic-film by akira kurosawa . And Toshirô Mifune's graceful acting style grows on me every time I see more of his work . ( See the Seven Samurai for a completely different role he plays and see Shogun for his acting at an older age ) .
Not all B & W classic films are well restored , but I trust Criterion Collection's efforts and standards . You won't be disappointed .
I gave it 4 stars because I felt the ending few scenes were too short compared to the rhythm of the entire film ( and it's long , I warn you ) . But again , it's about the journey , not the destination .
028 4 The Hidden Fortress , by Akira Kurosawa , is a light-hearted and entertaining film . The films narrative begins with two peasant warriors who give the film its comical and entertaining presence . Tahei ( Minoru Chiaki ) and Matakishi ( Kamatari Fujiwara ) have had enough of the fighting that they have brought on themselves . Seeing that fighting battles is not in any way glorious , or their road to fame and fortune , they decide to take off for home . This opportunity is afforded to them when an uprising occurs in a prison they are currently being held in . However , there are complications as the land is guarded by various warrior clans , and without the proper papers , there is no way they are going home .
However , luck will be on their side when they happen to run into General Rokurota Makabe ( Toshiro Mifune ) . General Makabe has been entrusted with the care of the beautiful princess Yuki ( Misa Uehara ) . Also , there is a large amount of gold that Makabe is also entrusted with , and along with the princess , he must get both to safety . Meanwhile , the two peasant warriors have decided [ or at least it has been decided for them ] to accompany Makabe and the princess to safety . But there is a rough road ahead of them . Moreover , how can they safely cross lands with the opposing side on the lookout for them ? This is a classic Kurosawa black and white drama , comedy , and action-adventure all in one .
I am a great fan of Kurosawa , and although I do not see the parallels that many of the film critics do when comparing this film with Star Wars , I do understand that George Lucas was influenced greatly by this film when doing his own film . One more thing as a side note : The character who portrays Tahei ( Minoru Chiaki ) was also one of the seven samurai's in Kurosawa's great classic , The Seven Samurai . Minoru Chiaki was in many great films , and he portrayed the good natured samurai Heihachi . Also , he was the last surviving samurai of that great classic up until his death in 1999 . [ Toshiro Mifune having died in 1997 ] . This is a fun film , and a worthwhile purchase . CRITERION as usual has done a splendid job with the transfer . The film will make a wonderful addition to your film library . Highly recommended .
029 4 Did not expect much when a friend recommended this film after I mentioned I liked Yojimbo . I had heard Lucas and a half dozen other film makers had used it as a reference ( and in retrospect Kurosawa was undoubtedly influenced by serial adventures just as Lucas and Spielberg would be years later ) but had not heard more . Man . Really good . Kurosawa creates this impossible journey full of courage , cowardice , faith , humor and above all excitement . Many dismiss it as bubblegum compared to his other efforts ( including the titans Seven Samurai and Yojimbo ) . Well , I'll just keep on chewing then . On a par with his best films and any films for that matter . Criterion Collection rocks . Nuff said .
030 4 Kurasawa spins one heck of a great yarn .
He loves to use contrasts : heat and a dry , gravelly landscape contrast with a spring of cool , fresh water . Two bumbling , hilariously-sketched peasants contrast with the dignity of the Princess and Mifune .
I cannot believe how amazingly beautiful and memorable some of the scenes are ! Mifune , galloping on horseback after the officials , with his arms raised , and his sword perpendicular to the saddle . . . his body unmoving , not a budge . . . and the horse beneath him galloping , exploding in movement . . racing full-tilt . . . . the trees and bush in the background a blur , the horse's movements a blur , but Mifune is like a still shot in the midst of this speed . . . Kurasawa cuts and pans the scene . And , Mifune , solid , fierce , intent to kill . . . that raised sword of vengeance . Wow . Blows me away . I cannot even begin to describe it well enough .
Then , good old Chiaki , when he is so defeated by all the ill-fortune , sleeping on the ground , he wakes up and is crying to his buddy , Let's be friends forever . I actually laugh out loud .
There are so many memorable scenes : When Mifune laughs as he enters the secret passage in the mountains surrounding the hidden fortress , he is such an heroic figure , he's almost frightening . When he tells of his sister's sacrifice . . he is humble , and in pain , but careful not to show it . How can a guy communicate so much ? I love Mifune dancing around the bonfire , and I love the cart scene , too . The young woman who becomes the princess ' protector . . isn't that also a wonderful transformation ? Such good stuff ! What about the relationship between the two opposing samurai : Mifune and his opponent ? Isn't that awesome ? It's really quite funny when Mifune , after murdering the two horsemen rides directly into the midst of the opposing army's camp ! Like . . . hello ! But , then , the verbal exchange between Mifune and his opponent is so surprising and cool . The spear fight is my least favorite fight of all Mifune's battles . But , I love the ending , where he jumps on his horse and smiles as he leaves .
The film is an absolute pleasure to watch , and worth viewing many times , for the landscapes , variety of scene settings , humor , compassion , and for thrill of it .
031 4 I enjoyed this movie immensely . . . simply because I judged it on its own merit . While its an adventure with a bit of action and drama it is mostly comedy Kurosawa style . Its in a different category and can't be compared to Ran or Rashomon . Those were social commentaries and powerful in their own ways . However this was pure fun and adventure even though Kurosawa sneaked in a little lesson or two in it . I particularly enjoyed the song and dance routine around the the fire Once you get into the story you'll laugh so much that you won't realize its in black white . As usual Toshiro Mifune delivered .
032 4 Ok , so countless reviewers here love it , critics have praised it , and fans have enjoyed it . Still haven't seen it ? Perhaps a layman's review will change your mind . The first time I saw this I enjoyed it somewhat but didn't fully appreciate it until later viewings . The film started rather slow for me , to the point where i was close to giving up on it . But right about the time we meet up with the spunky and beautiful princess ( who has an unfortunate habit of innocently bending over ) and on to the start of their actual adventure away from the fortress , I was thoroughly captivated and actually cared for and about these characters ( even the two greedy / wimpy ex-soldiers / farmers ) . It was fun seeing them get into certain predicaments and wondering how they were going to get out of them ( very clever and lucky how they got out of certain situations ) . If you're looking for lots of samurai action you won't find it here , so i'll lower that expectation right now . But if you want to root for a group of characters on their perilous yet fun adventure , it will be easy cause this film succeeds in delivering both . It helps if you like these types of films but in no way is it a requirement to enjoy The Hidden Fortress .
Some standout aspects :
* some very memorable scenes like the massive prisoner escape scene , the scene where Mifune inadvertently rides into the enemy camp , and the scene where a peasant girl is protecting the princess by holding a big rock for the longest time .
* great performances , especially by Mifune as the unflappable general
* a sense of how the heck are they gonna get out of that is present throughout the film that keeps you interested .
Plus , some fine writing , cinematography , and humor to keep everything moving along . I highly suggest you see this film but I hope a better dvd version comes along . This film deserves a special edition with all the extras . Overall , highly recommended .
033 4 This movie is much more subtle than a lot of people give it credit for . Ostensibly , it's a typical medieval epic with knights , princesses , swordplay . But the point of view is almost completely from that of two peasants , who never think of anything except their own survival and greed , and yet who manage - - almost in spite of their best efforts - - to save the princess several times .
As someone else has written , this movie is big fun .
034 4 1950s Kurosawa film the one that Lucas said most influenced Star Wars is both daring and humorous . Mifune ( Jedi-like ) , the frequent Kurosawa hero is tasked with smuggling a princess ( Princess ) out of enemy territory after losing a war . The movie actually begins with two funny peasants ( Droid-like ) that Mifune will eventually pick up in his quest . Although they are more interested in the gold that Mifune he is bringing along they prove helpful despite them selves . There is a great scene in the second half of the movie where Mifune takes on three warrior guards , and it ? s great because up until then Mifune seems tough , but you don ? t know how tough .
One of the best parts of the transfer is that the subtitles reside in the black area below the widescreen film . This should be a must among transfers to DVD , but I ? m surprised how little it is done . The special features are really scant for a Criterion Collection film . There is a George Lucas interview where he says that Hidden Fortress was a big influence , but then he says that he probably likes 3 other Kurosawa films better . It also offered the trailer and Color Bars to calibrate my machine .
Having never seen Hidden Fortress , I ? m glad my first time was with this crisp DVD transfer .
035 4 I often wondered about my taste in men when after seeing Star Wars I found myself favoring Darth Vader over the heroes . Darth seemed the quintessential general , CEO , or any other take charge kind of guy , while the heroes seemed like bumpkins . Hidden Fortress is reputed to have been Lukas ' prototype for Star Wars , and after seeing the former , I now know why I felt as I did about the latter ! In fact Darth Vader is the hero in Hidden Fortress , facing staggering odds with only his own courage and generalship to carry the day . And the bumpkins are in fact bumpkins ! A fun film to see , especially if you are a Star Wars fan , but even if you're not . This film is not a sci-fi epic but a period piece set in Japan's heroic past . The director's feeling for cinematography is evident here as in Throne of Blood , although for shear visual beauty , the latter is by far the better of the two .
036 4 There are about 100 things that this film did right and later directors have often taken advantage of this textbook on how to tell a great story in film . I wouldn't call it Kurosawa's best because to me , the best films are all deep character studies and that really isn't the true strength of The Hidden Fortress . To be honest , all the characters in this film are more caricatures and archetypes than deeply developed characters . That's not to say it isn't well acted because it is . But the fact is , all we know about bickering Tahei and Matakishi is that they're friends fleeing a war . We get a good handle on their relationship , but not all that much about them individually . General Rokurota is a veritable picture of nobility and imperious command , but we see little emotion from him . The most engaging character , ironically , is Princess Yuki who is forbidden to speak for fear that her accent and tone would betray her rank . Of course , even when silenced , her behavior is every bit the proud , haughty noblewoman . The beauty of the film is how much of the story is advanced not by dialogue , but by small actions and movements and facial features . In the end , I found myself deeply moved by the Princess ' gradual understanding of the life of the humble peasants in her country and her determination to restore her family's kingdom . Kurosawa does an amazing job of driving home these themes with a great deal of subtlety and not an excessive amount of dialogue . I consider Yojimbo , The Seven Samurai , and Rashomon to be better flicks , all in all , but I think The Hidden Fortress is superb example of the filmmaker as storyteller .
037 4 I'd heard rumblings about the films of the great director Akira Kurosawa for years before I finally got the chance to sit down and absorb some of his work . Famous directors , actors and critics sung his praises , credited him as an inspiration and labeled him as a legendary figure in film history . And , honestly , perhaps this is a film I'll grow to love after repeated viewings . Maybe I allowed all of Kurosawa's mystique to precede him , inflating my expectations to the point that they could never truly be met . Perhaps I'm overlooking the historical timeframe of the film , comparing it to 2005 ' s feature-lengths rather than its 1958 contemporaries . All things considered , however , as my first exposure to the man's work , The Hidden Fortress was a bit of a let-down .
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the film , actually more to the contrary . This story of two greedy peasants , a stern , intelligent old warrior and a strong-willed young princess was generally very charming and entertaining . I found some of the translation to be a little awkward , especially in the way it integrated more modern phrases into what was obviously a period piece , ( somehow I have trouble accepting the idea that anyone in feudal Japan would have casually spit out a phrase like this sucks ) but on the large the conversion from Japanese to English was done well and lacked some of the hiccups that are usually associated with an East-to-West translation . The plot is simple , yet not without intrigue ; rumor has it that , years and years ago , a wealthy overlord hid his fortune of gold somewhere within his home . The tale is set near the end of a bitter war , and each character has a vested interest in recovering the secret stash and returning it to the safety of a non-warring territory . The first hour and a half moves fantastically , with the heightened tensions of the war , ( and the uncertainty of every non-central character's loyalties ) along with the constant inspections of occupying troops , really adding a touch of drama and tension to the journey . Had it not trudged onward for another hour , I'd have given it top marks . As is , it feels like the clean , simple main story was overrun with enough subplots and side stories to cover a whole trilogy . When it came to be time to wrap things up , the simple act of tying loose ends added another sixty minutes to the running time and just killed my excitement for both the story and the characters .
The disc is a little light on extras , including the original theatrical trailer ( itself featuring a few clips of the film's production , nowhere to be found elsewhere on the disc ) and an interview with George Lucas , along with the standard language and chapter selection tools . The Lucas interview , conducted especially for Criterion's DVD release of the film , barely gets rolling before it comes to an end and is largely disappointing . His acknowledgement that he borrowed a few ideas from Hidden Fortress in Star Wars isn't expanded into as much detail as I'd hoped , ( considering it was that same remark on the Star Wars bonus disc that got me interested in this film in the first place ) and he dances around the assumption that Princess Leia bears more than a few similarities to Princess Yukihime of Fortress .
The video looks spectacular for a film that's nearly fifty years old , but that should almost go without saying when Criterion is concerned . It's particularly telling to watch the Trailer , which wasn't restored , immediately before or after viewing the film itself .
All in all , I was largely entertained and plan to further investigate Kurosawa's work , but felt the length of Fortress was almost crippling .
038 4 A number of people , when they discuss this Kurosawa film along with The Seven Samurai and his other films , treat it like a bastard at a family reunion . Apparently , they were expecting a HIGH DRAMA or BADASS movie . If they were , then they deserve to be disappointed .
The Hidden Fortress is NOT an epic that gives great insight into the code of the samurai or other such nonsense . It's a fun romp through the misadventures of several bungling heroes : Two greedy , cowardly peasants , a knight very similar to the young Obi-Wan Kenobi , and a bitchy , aloof Princess Yuki of Akizuki ( a name that sounds like something from Dr . Seuss ) . They are trying to smuggle the Akizuki treasury ( gold bars hidden in firewood ) and the princess to safety . But greed , lust and stupidity keep getting in the way .
This movie is more of an old-style caper film than a samurai epic . The dumb , double-dealing characters are more from The Lavender Hill Mob than MacBeth . What makes the characters more interesting is that the two peasants don't hold a monopoly on greed and harebrained cunning plans that would make Baldric from The Black Adder proud , and the knight and the princess don't hold all the courage and nobility cards , either . In fact , the two peasants come up with a plan that literally saves their necks .
The way the film is told from the point of view of the two lowliest characters was quite novel and an obvious influence on George Lucas when he made the first Star Wars . The Hidden Fortress is a great movie in its own right , though .
To people with open minds without preconceived notions of what should and should not be in a Kurosawa film , The Hidden Fortress is a great movie .
039 4 Somehow Kurosawa always manages to imbue his films with an artistry that surpasses the often straightforward ( but not simplistic ) plots . The Hidden Fortress is no exception . Apparently an inspiration for George Lucas in his Star Wars film ( though the similarities are slight ) , this sees Toshiro Mifune in another heroic role as he attempts to smuggle a princess across the border with the aid of two squabbling peasants ( memorably played by Kamatari Fujiawara and Minoru Chiaki ) .
It's an entertaining , engrossing adventure , with Toshiro Mifune's stoic general butting heads against the peasants ( and the princess ) at every turn . Fujiawara and Chiaki pretty much steal every scene they're in , with their bickering and squabbling and amazing amount of greediness shining through at every opportunity . The black and white cinematography is gorgeous , there's ample doses of humour , a standout fight scene - what else could you ask for ? Sure , it doesn't have the majesty of Seven Samurai , the depth of Throne Of Blood or the black humour of Yojimbo , but The Hidden Fortress is nonetheless another example of why Kurosawa remains one of the greatest directors in history .
042 4 Now when I say A good Kurosawa Movie that does not mean that this movie is okay or so-so . It is definitely not as great as Seven Samuari , Ran , Yojimbo , or High and Low ( the list goes on ) . But this falls under my rating of Good Kurosawa which still means it is better than most movies on my list . This movie has a very good story line , great acting by Mifune , and of course great directing . It is nice to see where George Lucas got some of his inspiration for Star Wars ( though you can not pin point it all on this movie ) . Overall , a great movie , a good Kurosawa movie , and the DVD quality is as always good .
043 4 The Hidden Fortress may have inspired Star Wars but it is a hilarious and exciting movie in its own right . 3 thumbs up !
044 4 This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
The Hidden Fortress , released in Japan as Kakushi toride no san akunin literaly translating to 3 Bad Guys in a Hidden Fortress is a great film and a primary influence for George Lucas ' Star Wars . The film is about two inept peasants who help escort a man and woman across enemy territory with a promise that they will be awarded gold . Little do they know that the man and woman are a general and a princess .
The film has a lot of humor in it and has many of Kurosawa's trademarks also . The film like many Japanese films of the time has scenes which have been imitated many times .
There are some good action sequences and good scenery also .
The special features arre a theatrical trailer and an exclusive interview with George Lucas .
The George Lucas interview is a great feature where he talks about having seen and loved the film . He talks about how the plot of the film being shown through the perspective of two characters of low significance inspired his ideas for C3PO and R2D2 in his Star Wars films . The interview also contains a few screen shots from the Star Wars films and several scenes from the movie .
Fans of Japanese cinema and Star Wars fans will probably both like this movie .
045 4 I loved this movie Hidden Fortress ; it's a great movie . It's funny has a really great cinematic style . It's just too bad that George Lucas has to be associated w / it . As for the abbreviation JEDI ( as in jedi-knights I guess ) , that stands for Japanese-English Dictionary Interface . Ken Annakin ( I guess we know where Annakin Skywalker comes from now . . . ) is a Japanese director . I guess I could find more references to Star Wars , but I'm not going to bother . Oh well , however disappointing all of this Star Wars trivia was for me , I am just going to recommend Hidden Fortress because it is a really excellent movie .
046 4 Kurosawa made a great film here , one of his best . Like Seven Samauri , this is an epic adventure , with spectacular black-and-white photography , that throws everything but the kitchen sink in . This one's tighter and better edited than Seven Samauri though - it doesn't drag , and keeps the viewer tightly engaged throughout its length ( 139 minutes ) .
If you like movies , you'll like this . The film is often mentioned as a primary influence on Star Wars . Well , it is . George Lucas as much as admits this in the short interview present on the DVD . Star Wars fans probably become angry at film snobs pointing out the debt that film owes to this one , and at claims that this is the better movie . Well , they're both great , fun movies . And this one is undoubtably an influence on the other one .
The print on this DVD is excellent . The film looks crisp and glorious ( black-and-white ) with a minimum of picture debris .
047 4 When I first viewed Hidden Fortress I had the mind set , I'm sure it will be interesting , but will it be as good as Yojimbo or Seven Samurai . I was pleasantly surprised . Kurosawa engulfs the viewer with beautiful camera shots , great action , and superb acting . I could not pull my self away from this movie !
The criterion transfer is one of the better I've seen . . . This is definately a keeper if you enjoy foreign movies , or any movies for that matter . I have loved watching movies since I was young , so when I can honestly say this is one of the greatest movies I've seen , it is competing with many movies . If nothing else , see it once , and hopefully it will entrance you as much as it did I .
048 4 This is a timeless masterpiece . The characters are well established , true and colorful . The story is captivating , well paced and believable . Despite the frugal props , the foreign language and the black and white film , it comes out as one of the best films ever !
049 4 I did not enjoy this movie as much as many other Kurosawa movies ( Ran is my favorite , with the Seven Samurai a close number two ) but this one contains many tidbits that still make it worth watching for any serious ( or not so serious fan ) .
As has been said many times , this movie provided inspiration for Star Wars , and there are three Ahas
1 - George Lucas appears in a bonus feature on the DVD talking about how the movie influenced him .
2 - The bickering of the two main characters ( petty lowly peasants ) brings up the groundbreaking idea of telling the story from the point of view of the lowest individauls , and not the heroes . ( Think R2D2 and C3P0 bickering )
3 - Mifune puts in a great performance as the samurai who would inspire Obi Wan . Mifune is at his best under Kurosawa's tutelage , and this movie is no different .
Perhaps because I ( obviously ! ) watched the movie with Star Wars blinders , I was guilty of looking more at the details than the story as a whole . Certainly Kurosawa's movies have an attention to detail that encourages this . At the end , though , I did not get much from the overall movie and felt it was good , but not the greatness of some of his other works .
050 4 This review is from :
The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Yes , George Lucas was influenced by Akira Kurosawa ( who was influenced by John Ford ) , but don't get the DVD for the interview , get it for the movie ! The movie has Toshiro Mifune and together he and Kurosawa make magic . The movie has drama , adventure , LOTS of humor , lots of gold , two greedy farmers , dancing , warring clans and a cute princess . No , really , Misa Uehara had a great outfit that showed off her nice legs .
I love the interaction between characters , the action that never seems to stop and the poor farmers . In the end they value friendship more than gold .
051 4 Yes , George Lucas was influenced by Akira Kurosawa ( who was influenced by John Ford ) , but don't get the DVD for the interview , get it for the movie ! The movie has Toshiro Mifune and together he and Kurosawa make magic . The movie has drama , adventure , LOTS of humor , lots of gold , two greedy farmers , dancing , warring clans and a cute princess . No , really , Misa Uehara had a great outfit that showed off her nice legs .
I love the interaction between characters , the action that never seems to stop and the poor farmers . In the end they value friendship more than gold .
053 4 loved watching this and started to watch others of kurosawa also . i can see where lucas got idea from star wars . theres no doubt that the classic movies have more than todays movies .
054 4 Kurosawa's mastery is prevalent in every shot of this great Japanese epic that concentrates more on the characters and their development than on the battle scenes , though when they do occur , those are great also .
It is hard to believe so many masterpieces can be made by the same person : I was very familiar with the others Throne of Blood is the best interpretation fo Macbeth I have ever yet seen . Roshomon and Seven Samurai either one of which would have provided a director with immortality and then on top of that there is this wonderful psychological work.This is a less known , but no less great work .
Toshiro Mifume is at his best as the fearless general Rokurota Makabe , his performance plays off the strong , silent personnality of the persecuted princess Yuki ( Misa Uehara ) who is the center point of the film . Her clan has been exterminated by war and only she has survived . Together with the general she has to transport the gold treasury of her clan across the enemy territory . It is a saga of danger , thrilling bluffing schemes , subtle deception and intense drama .
Minoru Chiaki as Tahei and Kamatari Fujiwara as Matakishi are extremely well suited to carry on with each other as the two stubborn , ambitious peasants that go through hell and back to get some of that gold for themselves . they are also the comic relief in this tense thriller , action packed samurai tale that also slows down ocassionally to unveil the beauties of nature in a uniquely expressive manner that is typical Kurosawa .
Please note : In the extras there is a section on awards and you will see that , like many true greats , he never won an Oscar , though he had a lifetime achievement award in 1990 .
055 4 I can't tell you the number of times I meet intelligent adults who ask me for a movie recommendation . When I suggest a foreign film . . . they say , subtitles , that's not for me . For those men and women , the one film that I ask them to see is Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress . There are precious few who have not returned and told me they loved it .
To be blunt , I consider it every bit a great film as Kurosawa's boldest achievements . . . including Ran , Seven Samurai , Red Beard , or Ikiru . I did not always harbor this opinion , but on my seventh viewing , I gasped at the absolute perfection of the thing .
The storyline is relatively straightforward . A princess of a defeated clan and her warrior general need to escape a ring of enemy soldiers into safe territory , And they need to bring with them a treasure trove of gold sticks . As it turns out , they must ( reluctantly ) use the services of two bumbling , greedy peasants to carry the gold , hidden in larger sticks of wood . And the two peasants agree to do this , thirsting and bickering and plotting about the treasure .
The Hidden Fortress stars Toshiro Mifune as the powerful warrior samurai . But here's the catch . . . it is actually the two clownish peasants , played with comic genius - Minoru Chiaki and Kamarari Fujiwara - who overshadow Toshiro Mifune . Yes , they actually do . Those actors are such endearing fools ; one's eyes are constantly upon them .
The film , like so many of Kurosawa's movies , is about personal transformation . Both the princess and the fools learn much about their odyssey through enemy territory , guided by the wise , loyal samurai general .
And I simply can't say enough about the brilliant cinematography and excellent use of music . They are the equal of Kurosawa's other black and white epics .
There is one scene , above all , that sticks in my mind . When the two bumbling peasants , along with hundreds of other unfortunates , are thrown into a pit to dig for gold by the enemy solders , the entire group of
slaves revolt against the soldiers and run free . Some die . . . some escape .
As a child of parents who had to escape the Nazi holocaust , the courage of the oppressed ones rushing to freedom , overpowering the fewer number of soldiers , reminded me of the few instances where concentration camp inmates courageously tried the same thing .
This is a magnificent film . . . of what it means to overcome petty greed and jealousy . But it is also 100% entertainment , as Akira Kurosawa expressed it . The Hidden Fortress is a model of what can be done in the genre of comedy-adventure . An absolute masterpiece .
056 4 Action , fighting , a strong princess , and a triumphant hero . Sound familiar ? George Lucas borrowed details from this movie to make Star Wars . Two peasants going home after a battle and dreaming of gold they never earned . They become involved with a General escorting a woman who wears men's clothing through enemy territory . Unbeknownst to them , she is their princess and trying to get to back to a secure fortress for safety . The adventure begins . Part Hollywood swashbuckler , part Western , this movie is great . I highly recommend it .
057 4 One of the finest Samurai adventure movies ever to blaze the silver screen . Akira Kurasawa's [ The three from ] The Hidden Fortress is a roller coaster ride of action and suspense . Filmed with amazing camera work , every frame is a perfect photo composition . I cannot recommend this movie strongly enough .
058 4 The princess with the Spock eyebrows and the martial arts Samurai
with the peasants as comedy relief .
And always the gold . . . with humor and pathos .
We see ancient Japan with different eyes after seeing this movie .
059 4 The Hidden Fortress is interesting primarily because it gave George Lucas ideas for Star Wars . which is why I got it , the influence is obvious . An interesting combat scenes with Toshirô Mifune ( mounted & dismounted w / spear ) .
060 4 According to film lore , director Akira Kurosawa ( 1910 - 1998 ) wished to make a distinctly commercial film for Toho Studios in order to thank the company for backing his earlier , riskier fare . Considering that the fare in question , however , had generated at least major international hits , it would seem the studio had been already been thanked and then some . No , I suspect that this story was put forth by Kurosawa fans who wanted to find a tangible reason for the fact that THE HIDDEN FORTRESS was not quite in the same league as such films RASHOMON , SEVEN SAMURAI , and THRONE OF BLOOD . If so , they needn't have bothered . It is true that THE HIDDEN FORTRESS lacks the same intense focus and the same visual power as Kurosawa's masterworks , but it is no less a fine film for that , and it should be judged on its own merits .
The story begins with two foolish peasants Tahei ( Minoru Chiaki ) and Matashichi ( Kamatari Fujiwara ) who squandered their savings to go to war - - only to find themselves beset by both armies . Having at last escaped , they discover a piece of gold belonging to the defeated army , begin to search for more , and fall into the hands of General Rokurota Makabe ( Toshiro Mifune ) , who seeks to get both the gold and the only surviving ruler of his clan , Princess Yuki ( Misa Uehara ) , out enemy territory . Makabe decides he can make use of the peasants - - and quite soon the party is underway , the gold cleverly concealed , the peasants really more hinderance than help , and the Princess every bit as strong willed as her general .
As you might expect from Kurosawa , THE HIDDEN FORTRESS is a highly visual film , and indeed it contains sequences every bit as exciting as the best of his best . The opening shots , which track the peasants across what seems to be a completely empty landscape that is suddenly disrupted by sudden death ; the rebellion of the prisoners in the camp ; the moments in which Princess Yuki explores a brothel ; the fire dance - - all offer Kurosawa's meticulous eye at its most penetrating . The performances are excellent and the whole thing is extremely entertaining .
Most critical complaints about the film center on Chiaki and Fujiwara's performances as the peasants , and it is quite true that - - to Western eyes at least - - they seem excessive , almost as if two of the Three Stooges had been suddenly dropped into a Eugene O'Neill drama . Ideas about comedy vary considerably from culture to culture , and this may be an instance in which we should chalk up the experience to evidence of that ; even so , and although I found them occasionally wearing , they frequently manage to transcend the cultural barrier to become laugh-out-loud funny .
The Criterion DVD release is quite fine in terms of sound and picture and offers extremely legible subtitles . The only bonus feature is an eight minute interview with George Lucas , who briefly discusses the influence of Kurosawa in general and THE HIDDEN FORTRESS in particular on his film STAR WARS . The best I can say for the clip is that it has obviously been quite some time since Lucas saw THE HIDDEN FORTRESS ; he seems oblivious to many of the parallels . That said , quite frankly I find the comparison somewhat overblown . THE HIDDEN FORTRESS does well enough on its own .
GFT , Amazon Reviewer
061 4 In this bristling adventure with a leavening dose of humor , Kurosawa created one of his most indelible , influential early films , inspiring George Lucas to conceive Star Wars . ( Think of the peasants as distant ancestors of R2D2 and C3PO ) . Kazuo Yamazaki's evocative black-and-white photography is enhanced by the widescreen format , which Kurosawa used here for the first time , lending the action a dazzling visual sweep . Meanwhile , Mifune plays at the top of his game as Makabe , while Uehara makes a feisty , bewitching princess well worth saving . Whatever you do , don't keep this Fortress hidden .
062 4 Folks refer to Kurosawa's other works as his masterpieces . Hidden Fortress is my favorite to watch if only to see Toshiro Mifune ride his horse , sword held high , standing in the stirrups , chasing after two escaping enemy soldiers . The two comically sad peasant characters that the story line follows are memorable for their bickering yet forgiving friendship . Even though it is in black and white the story and characters consume you with spectacular images and textures .
063 4 excellent Japanese movie of clan warfare in medieval Japan
with the escape of a princess , samurai , and two peasants who
transport a fortune in gold to resurrect the clan
kurasawa film with toshiro mifune
064 4 One of Kurosawa's great masterpieces . A tale well told and artfully filmed .
065 4 the hidden fortress is often relagated to a place behind other more popular works of kurosawa like yojimbo , sanjuro , ran etc . but imo this movie is second only to seven samurai in terms of development of the plot and characters , acting , direction and sheer entertainment .
the plot is pretty simple - a defeated kingdom , a princess on the run , a loyal general , two greedy bumbling peasants who unaware of the true identity of the princess are used by the general to aid them in their escape .
the movie is in turns comic , adventurous and action packed .
kurosawa's greatness lies in bringing to the fore the pettiness of human greed and the greatness of idealism and loyalty . over the course of the movie the two peasants who are initially lured into the enterprise with the promise of gold , over a period of time as the plot develops are so enveloped by greed that they simply become human personification of greed itself ! the transformation is done / shown so beautifully .
toshiro mifune plays the loyal general who skillfully manges the two peasants and also charts the course of the party's escape over enemy territory .
the movie also features a beautifully done spear fight between mifune and an enemy general .
brilliant movie this ! criterion's print is superb too . enjoy ! ! !
066 4 Not the deepest or most complex Kurosawa film , but definitely a marvelous entertainment - - perhaps the most perfect specimen of the historical adventure movie . This is the first widescreen film Kurosawa made and he uses the new format brilliantly .
Criterion got hold of a pristine negative and transferred it to disc splendidly . It's the best-looking black-and-white transfer I've ever seen . Not a speck or a scratch on it . Simply gorgeous .
Not much in the way of extras , though . No scholarly commentary , just a short interview with George Lucas about the film and its influence on Star Wars ( an inferior film in every way ; how ironic that Hidden Fortress is now mainly known as the inspiration for Lucas's overblown sci-fi epic ) . And the new , improved subtitles are actually rather silly and distracting : American teen slang intrudes occasionally , momentarily jolting the viewer out of the spell Kurosawa casts . These anachronistic turns of speech aren't found in the original Japanese dialogue , by the way .
Still , this movie has never looked better . Kudos to Criterion's transfer team , anyway .
067 4 The Hidden Fortress is a masterpiece on 70mm b & w film .
The images alone in this movie will not leave your mind , not to mention the pacing , cinematography , & unsurpassed acting ability of these Toho-stock stars .
Mifune , as General ( Makabe ) Rokurota , is elemental yet droll as always ; this man is a force of nature . The fact that he does all of his own stunts in this film , especially the strength & control he exhibits in his horseback riding ( Takedo - no-hands school ) style & his use of the spear in the duel w / General Hoye ( Fujita , Susumu ) is remarkable , especially for an actor @ the age of 39 .
The peasants , Tahei ( Chiaki , Minoru ) & Matashichi ( Fujiwara , Kamatari ) act as perfect pitiful foils to Mifune & the rest of the cast . They are deliciously whiny & underhanded , but you've gotta love them .
Princess Uki ( Uehara , Misa ) is physically & emotionally stiking , possessing an undercurrent of sweetness which is disarming . She's a warrior princess with the heart of a lyrical hummingbird .
Kurosawa's obvious tongue-in-cheek handling of the jidai-geki / chambara genre , along with the wonderful interweaving of the Noh play theme with extremely humorous undertones , makes this one unforgettable movie . It just crackles with electricity from start to finish . This is also one of the most hilarious movies I have ever seen not to mention one of the best , & I would recommend it to all .
068 4 If you're a major Star Wars fan , you've undoubtedly attached this title to the Star Wars mythos , reasonably so . George Lucas claims that this is the movie that inspired Star Wars , most noteably the characters of RD-D2 and C3PO , and a certain feisty princess . In a short interview that accompanies this DVD , Lucas explains the origins and connections and his own experiences as a Kurosawa fan . Lucas is quick to note however that this is not his favorite Kurosawa flick .
Of all the Kurosawa flicks I own , this is probably my least favorite . Now , my least favorite Kurosawa flick equates to one of the best movies I've seen this year , but it's definitely not his best when compared to movies like The Seven Samurai , Yojimbo , Rashomon and Ran ( I'm particular to the samurai flicks as you can tell ) . Toshiro Mifune does a masterful job as always , and the movie is well deserved of it's status as a classic , but it lacks a lot of the power of the aforementioned movies .
What it does have in common with those films is the strong visual element that Kurosawa is known for . Kurosawa was well ahead of his time , able to look at a film as a moving tapestry or painting as well as a story . He took great strides to ensure that every element of a film worked to improve the whole whether it be photography , music or plot . It's that incredible attention to detail , a true artists eye , that elevates this film above the story being told ( it's not a bad story , just not great ) .
If you're just getting started on your collection , do yourself a favor and start with the other movies I've mentioned first . This is a great flcik , but this is not Kurosawa's best . If you're only interest in this movie is it's connection to Star Wars , don't stop there , give Kurosawa and yourself a chance and check out his other movies ( especially Seven Samurai ) . Kurosawa is , to me , one of the two greatest directors who ever lived and well deserving of your time .
069 4 This Film shows off all of the points that makes a Kurasawa movie great . Although it was his last effort for Toho he left them with a film to be remembered . Although the story is quite simple the complexity of charectors , and the emotional states of those traped in the time and place - 1600 ' s Japan - is realy what drives it . Also the diffrence between class in Japanese society of the era is also shown . Kurasawa is best known for his Samurai era films and this is one of his best due to the fact that the three elements of the Kurasawa film are evident His historical sence his realistic charectors and his humor .
Goerge Lucus him self must love this movie for star wars was partially based on it this fact is most evident in the story line and of course the opening seen as the two farmers wander aimlessly in a wasland .
070 4 Wow . This is a great movie , and a fine example of Kurosawa's work . The composition of his scenes are what stand out the most ; every scene looks perfect . Another great ( and fun ) thing about this movie is to see how many scenes feel like Star Wars . Geroge Lucas obviously was influenced by a master . If you aren't too familer with Kurosawa's work , I can't think of a better movie to experience for the first time than this .
071 4 This review is from :
The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
The remastering has cleaned up each frame and made each frame that much more visually acute . Unfortunately the quality is not consistent across frames . This is especially apparent on consecutive frames with dark pictures . Some frames have perceptibly darker tones than the surrounding ones . Also the film freezes at the end of track 18 , in transition to track 19 , ruining the experience .
072 4 The remastering has cleaned up each frame and made each frame that much more visually acute . Unfortunately the quality is not consistent across frames . This is especially apparent on consecutive frames with dark pictures . Some frames have perceptibly darker tones than the surrounding ones . Also the film freezes at the end of track 18 , in transition to track 19 , ruining the experience .
073 4 Until George Lucas cited this movie as one of the main influences for Star Wars , it probably would have been remembered as one of Kurosawa's forgotten masterpieces - - not as revolutionary as Roshomon , not as edgy as Throne Of Blood , not as epic as Ran . Fortunately , we have this film in public consciousness today and we are better off for it . The movie is remarkably restrained for all the action that goes on in it . Toshiro Mifune is at the top of his game as the samurai who must protect his princess during precarious situations . Kurosawa's direction is quite honestly sublime , particularly in his direction of Mifune ( as usual ) , the two bumbling thieves who must assist him more out of desperation than devotion to his princess , and in particular his handling of the sword-fighting scene about 2 / 3 into the picture . It is striking due to the flashy action that does NOT happen - - everything is in the body language of the actors , and it is great stuff . Thank you George , for not allowing this gem to fade into obscurity !
074 4 This is the story , including the characters ( left virtually intact ) that became Star Wars . Take away the special effects , and here it is .
075 4 I'm not sure that it is helpful knowing that George Lucas found inspiration for his Star Wars films in Kurosawa's historical epic , The Hidden Fortress ( 1958 ) . Oh , there are a number of matters of content that seem quite similar . Though Kurosawa's story takes place in sixteenth century Japan and Lucas sets his in space in the future , the basic struggles are the same-the restoration of power to a princess and her clan . Some would compare Toshiro Mifune's General Rokurota Makabe to Harrison Ford's Hans Solo in Star Wars ( 1977 ) , though there may be more commonality shared with Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker . And the two peasant farmers , pawns in the turmoil of sixteenth century Japanese civil wars , are easily identified as precursors of the Star Wars droids , R2 - D2 and C3PO . However , when all is said and done , the comparisons are only superficial . It may be more constructive to note some aspects of humor and character that are utilized in general . Kurosawa has always been willing to develop exaggerated characters . The peasant farmers , with their quick shifts between cowardice , bickering , and thievery are good examples of this . Certainly the first two of these traits were incorporated in the character of C3PO ( the mechanical humanoid ) , but R2 - D2 shows none of these characteristics . There is , however , an overall sense of humor that permeates both The Hidden Fortress and the Star Wars films-as well as a strong sense of nobility in the central characters , Rokurota and Skywalker . That said , The Hidden Fortress seems to me to have clearly been made by a superior filmmaker . Both are good at telling the story . The Star Wars films rely heavily on special effects , to the extent , I think , that these are the central features of the films . The Hidden Fortress , while a relatively light weight work for Kurosawa , involves much more subtle character development achieved by means of acting skill revealed through visual compostion and unenhanced camera work . This was Kurosawa's first use of Tohoscope , a Japanese widescreen process . And he uses the screen frequently to develop character . Over and over again he uses the wide screen to develop and reveal character . The peasant farmers are certainly more complex than the droids , though they are simplistically exaggerated . Kurosawa chose to explore the situation of these piteous beings , buffeted about in the feudal wars of sixteenth century Japan , in visually reinforced wide screen long shots in those final scenes on the plains . The code of the samurai is central to an understanding of The Seven Samurai ( 1954 ) , Yojimbo ( 1961 ) , and Sanjuro ( 1962 ) , and even Rashomon ( 1954 ) . These are all great films centered around the samurai class in Japan's past . From the ninth century , samurai warriors followed a strict code of ethical behavior known as bushido , which remained orally transmitted for generations . Briefly it is a way of life in which the warrior's honor and purpose are tied closely to the needs of his master . In this respect , he was to be selfless . His was not to understand or concern himself with politics-only to defend with honor the family or clan he served . For such a man the ideal was to be without fear-to always move forward in his employer's interest-without fear of death-only fear of dishonor . Toshiro Mifune's character in The Hidden Fortress is a military general , but his devotion to the creed and to his princess can be explained relative to this code . His daring , too , extends from that . So , too , his reputation reflects that of an accomplished samurai . An especially strong scene in this regard is the duel scene in which Rokurota's skill and bravery are what are prized and respected by his opponent . Above all , The Hidden Fortress remains a great adventure permeated with humor and nobility . While the force in the Star Wars sense is never mentioned , it remains a tacit part of Rokurota's nobility .
076 4 There is one reason I'm even writing this short review . It's because all anyone even seems to care about is that it inspired George Lucas when he made Star Wars , but that doesn't matter . Let's talk Kurosawa here !
I just want to establish the fact that I hate George Lucas ' films and I don't believe Star Wars has any significance to anything .
This film is not one of Kurosawa's best . It lacks the powerful message , brick-in-the-balls kind of thing he had going on in previous movies , but this is nevertheless one of my favorite films . Don't watch this for Star Wars . Watch this because Kurosawa is said to be the greatest filmmaker to ever live . Know also that Mifune Toshiro is said to be the greatest actor of all time .
The movie itself was beautifully executed , extremely expensive for its time , and featured a cast over over 1,000,000 . With a beautful script and wonderful camera work , the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat with intrigue . Watch this , but also watch the rest of Kurosawa Akira's films , especially my ersonal favorite , Red Beard ( Akahige . )
077 4 First , I had always wanted to see this film on DVD . And I think why I am giving a lot less credit to Lucas , is the part of the interview where he said Hidden Fortress is not one of his top favorites . C'MON ! I understand that Star Wars is an unparallel film for it's time and beyond , but between Seven Samurai and Hidden Fortress , at least one quarter of his trilogy scripts was developed by Kurosawa . Main similarities are the two peasants ( c3po - r2d2 ) , a princess ( Leia ) , a samurai general who gets no respect from the princess until he had proved himself ( Han ) , the samurai's best friend ( Lando ) . . . How does Lucas sleep at night knowing this film is his masterpiece ? He should have called the Jawas - Sawas . This only leads me to believe somewhere out there is another director's piece of work he'll say is not his favorite , but helped him write one half of American Graffiti or Raiders . It's not like Lucas denied Kurosawa as being an influence ; However , there is a fine line regarding influence and originality . To me , he might have crossed it .
078 4 In spite of the famed influence on George Lucas and an excellent spear duel showcasing Mifune Toshiro's abilities , this is not the first movie I would recommend for Kurosawa neophytes , or newbies to Japanese samurai films in general . It's pacing is a bit slow , the comic relief - - such as it is - - of the two stooges is too heavyhanded , repetitive and slapstick , and the storyline just isn't as compelling or immediately accessible as a YOJIMBO , SEVEN SAMURAI or even a KAGEMUSHA .
Hidden Fortress is worth a look once you have become a fan of the genre , but those other three have the advantage of being either more modern ( KAGEMUSHA was made in 1980 ) or more Western . That may seem an unfair comparison , since YOJIMBO is Western by design and both it and SEVEN SAMURAI have been remade into Western movies , but I'm not trying to be a purist here . I'm just saying that from an entertainment standpoint , Hidden Fortress is an acquired taste that may take too long to get started for many viewers . It is probably my least favorite Kurosawa - - or Mifune - - film .
079 4 This is a masterpiece . . . take away that George Lucas completely ravaged this film to create Star Wars . . . & you have an adventure unlike any other . . . editing techniques that were scarcely employed at the time . . . which are now novelty efx . . . This criterion collection even has a foreword by George Lucas where he both admits to , and lies profusely about , using this film as a basis of his Star Wars .
The genius of Kurosawa . . . further explained
080 4 I am incredibly impressed by the story and the characters . The duel scene blew me away .
I was bored one night and decided to go see a movie . The only thing that even remotely interested me was ' The Last Samurai . ' Although I walked out of the theatre feeling slightly disappointed , that a movie with such potential would have to be ruined by typical hollywoodism , and the poor choice of casting Tom Cruise , it left me with a curiousity about other Samurai themed movies . This is how I stumbled across Kurosawa .
Although lacking the blood , and special effects of newer releases , it lacks absolutely none of the intensity . In fact , I was on the edge of my seat during ' the duel . ' This movie is a lesson perhaps , in how acting is taking a second to special effects lately , and how the opposite should be the case .
081 4 This review is from :
Essential Art House : Hidden Fortress ( DVD )
I have to write this review because few , if any , reviewers seem to know what the hiden fortress is , what the film is all about . The film is about duty to a larger cause , that is the hidden fortress of strength we have . THe alternative is to be greedy and small-minded , like the peasants .
This symbollism is played out over and over again in the film . For instance , in the beginning , the peasants have to climb up a rocky incline with great difficulty , but Rokurota knows a secret passageway that is much easier . This symbollizes the powerlessness of people who don't serve a higher cause , and the magic doors that open when you do .
Finally , Rokurota and the princess are seen in their secular splendor . But their attainment was always there , even as beggars .
082 4 I have to write this review because few , if any , reviewers seem to know what the hiden fortress is , what the film is all about . The film is about duty to a larger cause , that is the hidden fortress of strength we have . THe alternative is to be greedy and small-minded , like the peasants .
This symbollism is played out over and over again in the film . For instance , in the beginning , the peasants have to climb up a rocky incline with great difficulty , but Rokurota knows a secret passageway that is much easier . This symbollizes the powerlessness of people who don't serve a higher cause , and the magic doors that open when you do .
Finally , Rokurota and the princess are seen in their secular splendor . But their attainment was always there , even as beggars .
083 4 Kurasawa's Hidden Fortress is often hailed as the inspiration for ' Star Wars . ' While perhaps that's a little overstated , Kurasawa definitely had a lot of influence on Lucas's filmmaking . The film is about a general who must escort a princess to safety after her country has been invaded by the enemy . While the story doesn't parallel the princess plot of Star Wars , its biggest influence , however , is in how it is told - in the point of view of two bumbling peasants . These guys are at the bottom of the status scale and they continue to bicker with each other throughout the film , reminding me of two droids I know so well . My only gripe with the disc is the rather stilted literal English translation in the subtitles . Imagining Toshiro Mifune saying Get out of here ! like Elaine Benes is quite jarring . Kurasawa's film makes up for it , though , and if you haven't seen a Kurasawa film , this would be a great place to start
084 4 Another solid film from the Japanese master Kurosawa . Watch for the ceremony that happens near the end of the movie . I didn't know they had ceremonies like that in Japan !
085 4 A great movie on a great DVD . This is one of my favirote films of all time . It is finally good to see a widely available version on a clean cut DVD . A good jumping on point for new Kurosawa fans . Check it out !
086 4 The least of Kurosawa's works is also the most fun . It follows the adventures of two cowardly , greedy peasents as they try to smuggle 200 pieces of gold out of enemy territory . They encounter a powerful warrior , played by the great Toshiro Mifune , and a beautiful yet strong willed princess , to whom the gold really belong . Mifune is excellent as he outwits and outfights the enemy soldiers as well as bamboozling the hapless peasents by playing upon their excessive greediness . Parallels can be seen to Star Wars but not as many as you might think . Kurosawa's love of all things film can be seen in the impressive shots of the land as well as his cleaver editing techniques .
087 4 This is the first new ( to me ) Hurosawa film that I have seen in the past few years . It is faster paced than Seven Samurai and has a Mythical quality that Yojimbo and Rashomon Lack . This may be my favorite Kurosawa film so far .
Seven Samurai and Hidden Fortess both have overlapping casts , but the characters that actors play are so different that it really shows the depth of their talent .
The print quality and sound are better preserved than other Kurosawa films .
088 4 I love black & white movies ! It's a form of cinema that's becoming increasingly less appreciated as the years go by . In fact , I like black & white movies so much that there are some contemporary films that I watch on DVD by switching off my TV set's color . Yes , I'm just that nutty about monochrome !
Now , having waxed rhapsodic in various places about how one color film or another should have been made in black & white , I thought that I would give some equal time to the opposite : a monochrome film that might have been better in color . Of course , for me , they're hard to find . But I did come up with one : Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress , a film that could have easily been shot in TohoColor when it was made in 1958 .
I've seen most of Kurosawa's films , and of the bunch , The Hidden Fortress is the least serious - - and maybe because of that , one of the least satisfying . Now , substandard Kurosawa would still be better than the best of many directors that I can think of . And if The Hidden Fortress were directed by any other pre-New Wave Japanese filmmaker , it would probably stand out as a rollicking good yarn . But since this movie is by the same demanding director who gave the world Rashômon ( 1950 ) , The Seven Samurai ( 1954 ) , and High and Low ( 1963 ) , its fluffiness is a wee bit disappointing . Indeed , the only story element that sets The Hidden Fortress apart from a run-of-the-mill chambara ( i.e . , Japanese sword-fight movie ) is its celebrated focus on two comical , selfish scavengers , played by Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara , rather than on movie-star Toshiro Mifune's heroic incognito general .
Kurosawa is reported to have said that he wanted The Hidden Fortress to be a fairy tale , to be without the penetrating social criticisms that mark so many of his other works . If this modest goal is what he set out to do , he achieved it . But I think that the black & white cinematography lends the film a weight and seriousness that it neither warrants nor needs . Color would have brought out the make-believe qualities of the story . Polychrome photography would have lushly enhanced the spectacle of the village fire festival , the movie's centerpiece extravaganza . And color would have certainly burnished the film's uncynical happy ending , an occurrence all too rare in a Kurosawa work . If nothing else , it would just be nice to have a Kurosawa-Mifune collaboration in color .
But I know why The Hidden Fortress is in black & white . Kurosawa didn't like the movies ' various color processes back in the 1950s and early ' 60s , so he didn't make a color film until 1970 ' s Dodes'kaden . Also , The Hidden Fortress was the director's first feature in a widescreen format ( TohoScope ) , and it might have been unrealistic to ask him to master two technological changes at once ( though I doubt it ) . Besides , Kurosawa might have had a point : in black & white , The Hidden Fortress looks less dated than some of its chambara contemporaries do in color .
I'm not calling for The Hidden Fortress to be colorized ( I regard colorizing movies as a kind of vandalism ) . And I can't think of another Kurosawa black & white that I would want to want to see in color . In fact , I tip my hat to the Japanese master for holding onto monochrome for as long as he did ( I'm sure that he must have faced pressure from the studio higher-ups to shoot in color ) . I'm particularly jazzed that his Yojimbo ( 1961 ) is in black & white : monochrome helps to bring out the story's hard-edged , noirish cynicism . Also , it's worth mentioning that when Kurosawa eventually turned to color later in his career , when color reproduction on film finally met his demanding standards , he and his cinematographers employed it brilliantly .
While not premium Kurosawa , The Hidden Fortress is still worth checking out as a rental . Although in black & white , it's a very colorful movie .
089 4 The Hidden Fortress was disappointing in that it was probably about 30 minutes too long and dragged on unceasingly .
Familiar Kurosawa player the fabled and athletic Toshiro Mifune played the fierce General Rokurota Makabe whose Akizuki clan had just been defeated in battle . Mifune's mission was the protection of the Princess Akizuki and her transportation along with the gold of the clan's treasury through enemy lines to a province allied with the Akizuki clan .
Mifune enlisted the assistance of two greedy peasant farmers through fear and his commanding presence . The peasants , bedraggled survivors of battle Tahei and Matashiki played by Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara respectively were both excellent in their roles . They played a duet reminiscent of cartoon chipmunks Chip and Dale constantly fighting with and berating each other .
Carrying the gold concealed in firewood the group escorted the princess from a hidden fortress though the mountains passing through legions of hostiles . The princess was annoyingly portrayed by Misa Uehara whose manner of speaking or should I say screeching in staccato fashion was very difficult on the ears .
Their seemingly never ending trek had both its high and low points . The movie however sagged whenever Mifune wasn't on the screen . His action scene where he fought against a rival general with lances with disappointingly tame . A scene that depicted a traditional fire dance was a notable high point of the film .
090 4 Thanks to Criterion , here is another title that will find its place in your library : Akira Kurosawa's HIDDEN FORTRESS . Shot in Tohoscope and in b w , this 1958 action film may easily be compared to any Hollywood movies of the late fifties . In fact , HIDDEN FORTRESS is superior to most of the american productions of that period for a simple reason : Akira Kurosawa had a personal style very recognizable while Hollywood directors were very often only yes-men hired by producers for their technical skills .
The first 5 minutes of HIDDEN FORTRESS are already a moment of anthology . As well as the duel scene involving a fabulous Toshiro Mifune . The cinematography is gorgeous , Akira Kurosawa filming a wide variety of landscapes under the sun , the rain , in the fog , by day and by night : simply stunning . If you are not familiar with japanese movies , HIDDEN FORTRESS or YOJIMBO , also available in the Criterion Collection , could be an excellent introduction to this cinema that has produced numerous masterpieces .
As bonus features , a trailer and a 10 minutes interview with George Lucas recorded in january 2001 . The american producer confirms that HIDDEN FORTRESS had a great influence on him while he was writing the Luke Skywalker saga . Movie lovers had already noticed it a long time ago .
A DVD zone reference .
091 4 A strong-willed princess is supported by his wise , his Pygmalion , and sword - wielding protector ( Toshiro Mifune ) .
George Lucas has admmited this film influenced him in his famous Stars Wars trilogy .
Kurosawa once more is overwhelming with this haunting story . There is violence but the weight of the script in itself justifies by far this element ; the camera work , the ralentis , and arresting images make of this film another classical issue of this radiant genius of the cinema
092 4 Those film viewers who equate foreign films with pretense need to sit down for a couple of hours and watch director Akira Kurosawa's first widescreen ( Tohoscope ) film , the black and white The Hidden Fortress ( Kakushi-Toride No San-Akunin - literally The Three Villains Of The Hidden Fortress ) , from 1958 . While it is a very good film , it is a great movie - in the feel good sense of the term . Filmmaker George Lucas claims this film was the inspiration for his third rate Star Wars films . Yes , there are a handful of similarities , but ` influence ' is usually used when a great work of art is influenced by an equal or lesser work of art , not when bad art rips off greater art . In short , influence occurs in evolution , not devolution , and Lucas's claims bear the stench of a lesser artist trying to parasitically sponge off a greater artist's reputation .
The Hidden Fortress runs 139 minutes , but it never slows down nor gets boring . It is action and humor nonstop , and Kurosawa reputedly only made the film to repay Toho Studios for allowing him to make riskier , more artistic films like Ikiru and Rashomon . In many ways , even though the film stars the great Toshirô Mifune , as General Rokurota Makabe , a role that is quite reserved in comparison to his other roles in period films - or jidai-geki ( from where Lucas got the term Jedi ) , the film's narrative and heart belong to the two peasant farmer fools , tubby Tahei ( Minoru Chiaki - the good natured samurai from Seven Samurai ) and tiny Matakishi ( Kamatari Fujiwara - the farmer Manzo from Seven Samurai ) , who make a terrific comedy team - far better than their supposed Star Wars stand-ins , R2D2 and C3PO . This duo not only get the most screen time , but the tale is basically from their point of view , and the viewer roots for them , despite their greed and stupidity constantly endangering them ; whereas the more conventional tale of the Princess and her General is backgrounded and rather rote . . . . Fortunately , the occasional anachronism is about the only thing wrong with the tale , for The Hidden Fortress is a great adventure movie , as well as very funny . That said , I can state with the utmost seriousness that I know Akira Kurosawa . Akira Kurosawa is a friend of mine . And you , Mr . Lucas , are no Akira Kurosawa . Now , if only Tahei and Matakishi were around to beat him , as he so richly deserves .
093 4 This review is from :
The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I really like this movie . Toshiro Mifune attempts to restore the princess and her realm . They carry a hidden treasure through many dangers . They win in the end , with the help of ( or despite the help of ) a pair of somewhat loyal but dim-witted and venal retainers .
George Lucas claims that this helped inspire the original Star Wars movie . Don't look for an exact replica , though , the inspiration wasn't that direct . That just makes it more enjoyable , though , trying to figure out which moments in Hidden Fortress went into Star Wars , and how .
It's black and white - something I like , as a change , and I'm very glad it wasn't corrupted by colorization . The acting style is a bit posed and un-natural , by today's standards , but wasn't written to meet today's standards . Maybe the harshness in the princess ' voice was meant to convey authority , but just sounded shrill to me . Well , the movie conveys the time in which it was made , not just the time it depicts , and I like that look back to recent movie-making history .
It's a good movie by itself , and important in the history of movies . Today's attention-deficient action junkies may find it slow at times , but that's hardly the fault of the movie . I like this one , and I'm sure I'll like it again when I see it again .
/ / wiredweird
094 4 I really like this movie . Toshiro Mifune attempts to restore the princess and her realm . They carry a hidden treasure through many dangers . They win in the end , with the help of ( or despite the help of ) a pair of somewhat loyal but dim-witted and venal retainers .
George Lucas claims that this helped inspire the original Star Wars movie . Don't look for an exact replica , though , the inspiration wasn't that direct . That just makes it more enjoyable , though , trying to figure out which moments in Hidden Fortress went into Star Wars , and how .
It's black and white - something I like , as a change , and I'm very glad it wasn't corrupted by colorization . The acting style is a bit posed and un-natural , by today's standards , but wasn't written to meet today's standards . Maybe the harshness in the princess ' voice was meant to convey authority , but just sounded shrill to me . Well , the movie conveys the time in which it was made , not just the time it depicts , and I like that look back to recent movie-making history .
It's a good movie by itself , and important in the history of movies . Today's attention-deficient action junkies may find it slow at times , but that's hardly the fault of the movie . I like this one , and I'm sure I'll like it again when I see it again .
/ / wiredweird
095 4 Kurosawa Akira's Hidden Fortress is a thoroughly entertaining film . Although this is not a world cinema great , it is a classic action / adventure in a manner that is now rarely made .
096 4 The making and premise of Hidden Fortress shows again Kurosawa's ability to display stories for a vast audience . Almost with comedy as his goal he starts the movie ( much like Yojimbo but , without the biting parody and satire ) from the perspective of two very off-beat characters ( played to perfection by two famous actors in the Kurosawa acting guild ) . And too , much like another movie , Seven Samurai , Toshiro Mufine's character doesn't really come into the movie until later ( also adding to the subtle comedy and interaction with the , as Lucas says in the dvd extra the R2 - D2 and C3PO character sketch ) . The cast is good but if you look too closely you might become annoyed with the young princess at first , but lucky for her it's played out well by Mufine and another actress in a smaller role ( who protects her from the two main off-beat characters in a moment of perversion ) . All the characters in the movie are cast very well and each one seems to have his / her friend / enemy . For instance , the opposing general that takes on Mufine in a long ( and somewhat funny ) spear duel . Over all one can't help but to like this movie for what it is : a coming of age story mixed with an escaping from difficult odds mixed with the comedy of errors and finding allies in unexpected characters . However , after the veiwing of the really unneeded Lucas extra , you could easily pick out the obvious inspirations / stealing ? of the film that ran over into the Star Wars films ( probably to the chagrin of the die hard Star Wars nerd , yes , ' ol George just didn't make it up on his own , but much like John Woo does , he , for lack of a better word borrows from the true source , and then mixes into the fray all sorts of other borrowed material ) . There really is only one thing that didn't sit well with me in this dvd and that is probably the same reason 50% of consumers bought this movie : to see what they heard was the main inspiration to the great George Lucas archives . But , you wanna know something , I really don't care . [ . . . ] This is only one film among the greats out of the country of Japan ( and many of us are still waiting for real material to be included on these special dvd's ) . Who of us wouldn't long for Dreams or a special release of Kurosawa's early films ? Nevermind the countless rip-offs of the Japanese cinema , let's go back to the basics and do another great release like the awe-inspiring Criterion Seven Samuria or Rashomon . . . . After reading Donald Ritchie's book on Kurosawa you can see the influence of the Noh theater in Hidden Fortress . One of Kurosawa's early works was this movie called They Who Step On The Tiger's Tail , and this movie ( The Hidden Fortress ) is a possible remake of the older period piece which is also famous in the Kabuki and Noh plays . Though here , in this dvd , Kurosawa had more freedom to do as he pleased as a director not inhibited by govermental or military censorship . The movie itself is a mixing ( or clash ) of modern and ancient ideals . Kurosawa's lighthearted drama is a great movie to watch in these respects . It's only too bad this ( and a whole bunch of other fine material ) wasn't included on the dvd format . Only if the obvious Lucas plug was taken out , then we could have had something of real interest to watch and learn . And perhaps this is too much to ask the mega-corporate Criterion , who have re-released so many movies . Perhaps a more fresh approach by another company not just interested in profit would give us in the appreciative audience something to rant about .
098 4 This review is from :
The Hidden Fortress [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
Although Toshiro Mifune gives once more a fine resital of acting , the story of Hidden Fortress is weak and long drawn to more than two hours . The main theme is double : the greed of the poor people in medieval Japan who were herded and crushed by the warlords like ants , and the rare opportunity of a princess to catch a glimpse of the real world of her vassals when she becomes a fugitive . Mifune plays the general Macabe who is a master of the martial arts and the main protector of the princess . The film follows the traditional Kurosawa lines but can not compare with the Seven Samurai and the Throne of Blood .
099 4 Although Toshiro Mifune gives once more a fine resital of acting , the story of Hidden Fortress is weak and long drawn to more than two hours . The main theme is double : the greed of the poor people in medieval Japan who were herded and crushed by the warlords like ants , and the rare opportunity of a princess to catch a glimpse of the real world of her vassals when she becomes a fugitive . Mifune plays the general Macabe who is a master of the martial arts and the main protector of the princess . The film follows the traditional Kurosawa lines but can not compare with the Seven Samurai and the Throne of Blood .
100 4 Granted , Kurosawa's mediocre is any other director's masterpiece , but still , I thought this 1958 effort fell somewhat short . It doesn't have that incredible narrative crispness that the best Kurosawa has - - Seven Samurai , which is nearly an hour longer , feels about half the length of this film . No , the major point of interest in The Hidden Fortress for me was its inspiration of Star Wars . This won't go down as one of my Kurosawa favorites .
Grade : B -
101 4 The Hidden Fortress is classic Kurosawa , in every way - - except for the wild overacting , inane characterizations and lamefooted humor of the peasant pair who form a central element of the film . Had the peasants been just as grubby but more subdued , or given comic material with more edge , skewering the upper classes as well as themselves , or been less in the focus and operated far in the background , this wouldn't have been a problem . But instead we're offered a sort of Dumb & Dumber , Beavis & Butthead of Japan , 50 years ago . ( And yes , I know that is anachronistic , but it's all too true . ) Stupidity is funny wears thin after a short while , and the comic antics are both repetitive and all too easy to forecast . Oh , here comes a rocky upwards incline : let's watch the pair pull one another down with grotesque facial expressions as they try to scramble up , etc .
Which is all too bad , because while the rest of the film has its overblown heroics , its far from bad . The interactions between cast members has both tension and grit , while the outdoor settings mark a difference from the usual run of Japanese period films ( though Kurosawa addicts like myself will well recall what he could do in Roshomon ) . Mifune is over the top but splendid , and the direction has energy and focus .
I've seen this film twice in 25 years ; most recently , just last night , again . Unfortunately , my initial impressions were only confirmed - - and I wish they weren't .
102 4 This Kurosawa film became popular among STARWARS ' fans after they learned it was the basis of the first STARWARS movie . The latter is by far the better film . The strictly by numbers script has 2 would be mercenaries retreating from a war they thought would bring them fortune . Unfortunately , they fought on the losing side . They are a couple of low comics ; the sort that in Shakespeare only high school English tearchers seem to think are funny . These 2 are so low they seem to have permanently scrapped knees . By turning them into androids George Lucas actually gave them personalities . Amidst their misadventures they meet a samurai ( Mifune ) who is protecting the princess of the defeated army and is trying to get her back to her own country so she can literally raise a new army . He tricks these 2 into helping them . The princess ' acting style is all DEPORTMENT IN ATTITUDE . She seems to be auditioning for the lead in ILSA , SHE WOLF OF THE SS . Along the way they meet a religious dancing sect who dance something that looks like it wants to be a parody of the monkey dance in KING KONG but it doesn't quite come off . This whole movie doesn't quite come off & one suspects that Kurosawa's only interest was in seeing what he could do with the CinemaScope screen . He was able to do a great deal as his later movies show .
103 4 This video should delight all but those who shrink at the thought of subtitles . It is a rousing , humorous adventure that also gives westerners a fascinating glimpse into a very alien culture . Early Kurosawa such as Hidden Fortress is much better than the pretentious films he made from around 1970 on . Early in his career the director made sure he had a solid story ; in his last two decades he padded weak stories with long , boring scenes filled with characters making oh-so-profound statements like , Life is hell . Life is not hell , but watching Ran is .
