Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’ turns 70

Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' was released exactly 70 years ago on April 26, 1954. Kurosawa, who only wanted to be a great painter, also achieved world fame as a screenwriter, film editor, producer, and director. At the age of 88, he gave more than 30 remarkable films to the film world. And stories that cover a wide variety of subjects and genres, from criminal investigation to Soviet fascism.

'Samurai' are an ancient warrior tribe of Japan. Kurosawa's father belonged to that tribe. Such stories that have been heard for generations were behind Akira Kurosawa's films. Rashomon, Ikiru, The Idiot, Dersu Uzala, Kagemusha, Ran, Throne of Blood, and Dreams were films that the world watched with great attention.

Akira Kurosawa was a big fan of Hollywood filmmaker John Ford. We can see that influence in the feature film ‘Seven Samurai’, which was filmed in black and white. Seven Samurai tells the story of 16th-century Japan. Samurai soldiers confront those coming to plunder the peasant village. From the opening scenes of the bandits rushing into the village on horseback to the meditative moments of the wind-blown tombs, he had drawn countless images for the film. It is this kind of dedication that keeps Kurosawa on the path of learning as a filmmaker the world looks up to.

Vintage films are history lessons and journeys back to a time we couldn't experience. In his memoir Something Like A Biography, he explains the ideals of beauty in films. Famous filmmaker Martin Scorsese once said, "Kurosova is my film guru". Kurosawa's influence can be seen in the work of many filmmakers such as George Lucas (American Graffiti, Indiana Jones, Star Wars).