The final battle scene of this movie absolutely MUST be seen on a full screen. I say that because I saw it first on a chopped up TV screen and didn't really get it.
This isn't my pick for the best Kurosawa film. I would rate Yojimbo and Ran slightly ahead. But it is probably the best one to start with, as it introduces so many of the elements of Kurosawa's films. I may be the only person who wishes that this film was actually LONGER, as I would like to get to know several of these characters a little better. Still, that's probably not the point, as the film is intended to be epic and monumental. Yojimbo is more intimate, while Ran is more mythical and operatic. Seven Samurai is right in the middle, which, I suppose, makes it the perfect Kurosawa film for those who only intend to see one. But you definitely shouldn't stop there.
This isn't my pick for the best Kurosawa film. I would rate Yojimbo and Ran slightly ahead. But it is probably the best one to start with, as it introduces so many of the elements of Kurosawa's films. I may be the only person who wishes that this film was actually LONGER, as I would like to get to know several of these characters a little better. Still, that's probably not the point, as the film is intended to be epic and monumental. Yojimbo is more intimate, while Ran is more mythical and operatic. Seven Samurai is right in the middle, which, I suppose, makes it the perfect Kurosawa film for those who only intend to see one. But you definitely shouldn't stop there.