The Seven Samurai – 七人の侍, 1954
ASP Culture Club on 30 March arranged a movie night for ASP and friends, to catch a glimpse of the much-rewarded masterpiece Seven Samurai (1954), from award-winning director Akira Kurosawa. The film itself lasts 207 minutes, all shot in black and white, and has been digitally re-mastered, improving sound and visuals.
17 students had signed up for this interesting event, which were to take place at Vester Vov Vov, a small café converted into a movie theater, holding two screens – red and blue – each respectively housing 60 and 70 seats. We were told to meet up at 20 pm, 15 minutes before the movie would start – this was of course a brilliant idea, seeing as people would need to stock up on candy, snacks and drinks – which we did.
Vester Vov Vov is located in the heart of Vesterbro, and has a certain Parisian charm to it. You walk directly into the café and lounge, where you can sit and relax and enjoy drinks and snacks, before entering the small, but cozy movie hall. That said it is worth mentioning that while the hall keeps the cozy and relaxing atmosphere, the screen is small and if you are taller than 175cm, you might have difficulties sitting for a long time, due to cramped seating space.
The Seven Samurai is a highly rewarded film and has won several awards. Having seen the movie, you understand why. If you are not familiar with watching movies in black and white, you have to adjust during the first couple of minutes.
The story revolves around a small village that has been under the plague and raids of various bandits over time. The opening sequence starts where the decision to undergo change, and not suffer anymore, is made – however, they need samurai to help protect themselves against the ever-raiding bandits, but they are without money and only have food to offer as payment. Luckily, a ronin answers the villagers’ request for protection and soon he gathers another six samurai. The first hour of the film is devoted to developing the characters and for the audience to get acquainted with each personality.
Throughout the film you are brought to feel, care for, mourn and believe every aspect of each character. The seven samurai teach the villagers to defend themselves, in return for three small meals a day, and it all builds up the tension and culminates in a giant battle, where the village is once again attacked by – this time – 40 bandits.
Without revealing too much, I would definitely recommend anyone who is unfamiliar with Kurosawa’s films, to go watch The Seven Samurai. It is filled with a deep storyline, you follow the characters’ individual journey, and you feel the pain of the killings of some of the heroic main characters. All of this outweighs the at-times lacking visual effects and the overly dramatic acting of minor characters.
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