Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: Way ahead of its time!
Review: This is easily one of the best movies ever created. Even without special effects and the many elaborate things that are done to enhance the movies of today, Seven Samurai creates an emotional and visual link to us all that transcends time. Kurosawa was a genius.

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Summary: Not filmed in widescreen.
Review: A masterpiece, second(?) only to "Citizen Kane" for sheer mastery of the medium. And like "Citizen Kane" , "The Seven Samurai" was shot using what is now termed "academy aspect ratio" or 1.33:1 or, to put it in simpler terms, the dimensions of your television screen. 'Widescreen' as we now know it (whether 1.85:1, 2.35:1, etc.) is a phenomenon that started AFTER 1954 (notice TSS's release date) in response to the growing popularity of the television. Cinema gave you what television could not, a really, really big picture. So enjoy "The Seven Samurai" in all its glory because Criterion has given the exact vision which Kurosawa intended us to see, and if you watch closely, you will notice that every shot is perfectly framed.

Rating:
Summary: A "standard-ratio" masterpiece
Review: The reason this film, the greatest adventure epic ever made, is not released in a "letterboxed" or "widescreen" format is that it is NOT a widescreen film. Believe it or not, it is possible to capture magnificent vistas and breathtaking action in the standard 4:3 academy ratio, and that is exactly what Kurosawa did.

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Summary: Why standard formatting????
Review: Sure the special features are great, but to what possible end would someone release such a masterfully-shot film in "standard" aspect ratio. DVD was supposed to set us free from the tyranny of formatting!!!! I say wait for a widescreen re-release.

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Summary: What about widescreen?
Review: I would give this movie 5 stars (it deserves it!) but I was disappointed that it's only full screen and NOT letterbox or widescreen. Why not?

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Summary: Not just your average Samurai movie
Review: A wonderful film about honor, respect, fear, humility; in other words, life. Emphasizes eternal human qualities that transcend time, geography and race. Must see the full length version since the battle preparation/training scenes are simply rivetting.

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Summary: Kurosawa Mystique
Review: Quite simply, the most deserved and honored action film of all time. The film community is still borrowing from this great film in cinema today. The story and it's storytelling are timeless.

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Summary: This film rocks!!!
Review: I am an avid movie buff and I can't believe I have not seen this film before. I bought the Criterion disc taking a chance (seeing as how all their other discs pleased me) and am incredibly pleases with it!! The transfer (despite what others may say) is great!! The image is clear and nothing blurs into one another. Everything is solid and crisp. The commentary is kind of disappointing, but this movie (the quickest 3 and a half hours to fly by in my life) is one of the best I have ever seen!!!

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Summary: Samurai!Enter the dragon ! Rainbow Bridge!!
Review: Bushido samurai chi san master mifune san?The gold which you search for my son?Sitting on the bottom of the japan sea!Mao tse tung visions of great wealth,beauty,longevity!The mighty ocean is just one more bridge to cross!Magellan never turned back on his quest to rule the world and her riches? Sianara Bushido,Rock Well Forever!!

Rating:
Summary: Restored DVD version is breathtaking
Review: The short feature on the disc about the restoration is very interesting and also scary, because it shows how close we were to losing this classic film. (Makes you wonder how many other priceless works of film art are in similar danger.) A beautiful job of restoring the pictures and audio. A nice extra is the alternative soundtrack featuring a film scholar talking about the movie scene by scene -- very good information compared to the fluff commentaries that accompany some "special editions". An expensive disc, but worth every penny.