Several Samurai
Until Thu 17 July
We’re marking the 40th anniversary of Ran (1985), Akira Kurosawa’s epic take on King Lear, by screening some of his great Chanbara (swordfighting) classics – ranging from the highly influential Seven Samurai (1954), through to another of his later masterpieces, Kagemusha (1980).
Focussing on three decades out of a filmmaking career that spanned more than 50 years, Kurosawa’s influence spreads far, and wide, from being the inspiration for many classic American Westerns like the Magnificent Seven or A Fistful of Dollars, or even to sci-fi - famously a key inspiration for George Lucas’ Star Wars.
Over the course of his lengthy, prolific career, Kurosawa cemented himself as one of cinema's greatest directors, painting on colossal cinematic canvases while still finding the small and beautiful human moments in every tale. Join us throughout June and July to explore several Samurai-featuring works from this incomparable filmmaker.
“The term 'giant' is used too often to describe artists. But in the case of Akira Kurosawa, we have one of the rare instances where the term fits.” – Martin Scorsese
This season has been co-curated by Jojo Myers-Insole, one of our 16-19 Film Club hosts.
Upcoming screenings in this season
Ran is Akira Kurosawa’s profound exploration of Shakespeare’s King Lear intertwined with the historical backdrop of Japan’s 16th century Civil Wars and the legendary tale of Morikawa, a feudal warlord with three sons.
Throne of Blood
classified 12A S Several Samurai
Is this the greatest screen adaptation of Shakespeare? Kurosawa’s take on Macbeth is the thrilling work of a director at the height of his powers.
Kurosawa’s classic about a drifting samurai who plays two gangs off against each other, famously remade as A Fistful of Dollars.
The Hidden Fortress
classified PG S Several Samurai
Akira Kurosawa’s thrilling mix of fairy story and samurai movie - a story of rival clans, hidden gold and a princess in distress - was famously a key inspiration for George Lucas’ Star Wars.
When a warlord dies, a peasant thief is called upon to impersonate him, only to find himself haunted by the warlord’s spirit and his own ambitions.
