Seven Samurai
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Synopsis
One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, Seven Samurai tells the story of a sixteenth-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. This three-hour-plus ride from Akira Kurosawa—featuring legendary actors Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura—seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action, into a rich, evocative, and unforgettable tale of courage and hope.
Picture 9/10
The Criterion Collection upgrades Akira Kurosawa’s seminal Seven Samurai to 4K UHD, presenting the 207-minute epic on a single triple-layer disc in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The 10-bit SDR 2160p/24hz ultra high-definition presentation is sourced from a new 4K restoration performed by Toho, utilizing a scan of a 35mm master positive. Two standard dual-layer Blu-ray discs are also included, featuring all video supplements and a 1080p presentation of the film on the first one. These Blu-rays replicate Criterion’s 2010 release, utilizing the older restoration.
The film's age has always been apparent across formats, with Criterion’s Blu-ray previously representing what I considered the best available presentation. However, the limitations of the older restoration and digital presentation—noticeable even then—have only grown more apparent with time.
Thankfully, this new 4K presentation surpasses expectations, offering the best Seven Samurai has ever looked on home video (though I haven’t yet seen BFI’s 4K release for comparison). Despite the challenges inherent to the source materials, the end results are breathtaking. The image is incredibly sharp, showcasing an extraordinary level of detail that brings clarity and depth to the film that’s been severely lacking. Film grain is beautifully rendered with a natural, crisp texture, eliminating the clumpier appearance it exhibited in previous releases.
Black levels are deep and rich, while contrast is vastly improved, offering an expansive grayscale. Shadows exhibit impressive depth without obscuring finer details, aided by smooth gradients and clean delineation that improve depth within the picture. Even without HDR, the presentation achieves a lovely photographic quality, with the grayscale delivering exceptional range. That said, the lack of HDR is a slight disappointment, particularly given BFI’s UK release, which features Dolby Vision. If BFI’s The Seventh Seal 4K release is any indication, Dolby Vision could provide modest yet noticeable improvements in contrast and grayscale, giving the image more of a “silver screen” look.
Toho’s restoration work has been meticulous, with the image cleaned up significantly. Minor evidence of wear and tear remains, but these are negligible and easily overlooked. The encoding is also superb, with no obvious digital artifacts popping up. Overall, despite the absence of HDR, Criterion’s 4K presentation represents an astonishing leap over their previous editions, and it breathes new life into the film.
Audio 5/10
Criterion includes two soundtracks for Seven Samurai: a lossless PCM 1.0 monaural track and a DTS-HD MA 2-channel stereo surround track. The latter replaces the 2-channel PCM track found on the Blu-ray edition (that was incorrectly listed as DTS-HD MA).
Unfortunately, I think these are the same tracks used for the Blu-ray, meaning the audio quality is underwhelming. Both tracks are fairly flat, with limited range and depth, and the music often sounds distorted. While damage isn’t a significant concern in either, it seems likely that some filtering has been applied.
The 2-channel mix essentially maintains a mono presentation, with most audio directed to the front channels, though the music does expand slightly into other areas.
As with the Blu-ray, both tracks are serviceable but could be much better.
Extras 9/10
Criterion retains all the features from their 2010 Blu-ray edition, beginning with two commentary tracks, both included on the 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs. The first, the "scholar track," features David Desser, Stephen Prince, Tony Rayns, Donald Richie, and Joan Mellen, recorded separately, and was recorded for the 2006 DVD. Unlike Criterion’s usual practice of editing such tracks together, this one divides the film into sections, with each contributor covering a specific portion. While some repetition arises—primarily about Kurosawa’s editing and visual style—each commentator offers distinct perspectives, from Richie’s recollections of the film’s original reception to Prince’s examination of its social themes. Mellen’s segment is the weakest, but the track as a whole is well-paced and engaging.
The second commentary, recorded in 1988 by Michael Jeck for Criterion’s LaserDisc edition, is more traditional but less compelling. While Jeck covers plenty of ground—detailing the production, Japanese history, and even pointing out the film’s “one technical mistake”—the solo format stretches thin over the 207-minute runtime, with Jeck occasionally resorting to reiterating what’s happening on screen. It’s informative but lacks the energy of the newer track.
The second Blu-ray disc houses the remaining supplements, starting with a 49-minute episode from Toho’s Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create series. Through interviews and archival footage, this feature delves into the writing process, casting, and production challenges, including weather issues and deleted scenes. Highlights include Kurosawa’s meticulous notes and storyboards, showcased in a museum exhibit.
The standout feature is the 115-minute interview My Life in Cinema: Akira Kurosawa, where filmmaker Nagisa Oshima candidly interviews the director. Kurosawa reflects on his life, from his artistic beginnings to his views on the war and censorship. While the interview is surprisingly light on discussion of Seven Samurai, it offers valuable insights into Kurosawa’s broader career and influences.
A 55-minute featurette, Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences, expands on themes from the scholarly commentary, covering the historical context of the samurai, their portrayal in silent-era Japanese cinema, and the impact of Seven Samurai on the genre. Despite some overlap with other features, its exploration of early Japanese films and historical context makes it a valuable addition.
Rounding out the set are three theatrical trailers, a teaser, a photo gallery featuring posters from around the world, and a thick 56-page booklet that replicates the one found in the previous Blu-ray and DVD editions. The booklet includes essays by Kenneth Turan, Tony Rayns, and Philip Kemp, as well as tributes by Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet, and a reprinted interview with Toshiro Mifune about his work with Kurosawa.
While Jeck’s commentary is a weaker point, and some repetition occurs across features (and it would be nice if Criterion maybe through in a new feature or two), I still think it's an impressive set and still the most comprehensive release for the film I’m still aware of.
Closing
Criterion's 4K presentation significantly upgrades over their previous Blu-ray edition and still includes the same solid set of features. A very easy recommendation.
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