A CLASSIC FROM A MASTER : "SEVEN SAMURAI"

This is one of “those” films really, isn’t it? I find it so hard to sit down and write about epics and really big time classics to the point that I have omitted some of them from the blog. One feels really put on the spot light when writing about a film so many people like so much. Not necessarily because one hasn’t enjoyed it oneself, quite the contrary. One is afraid of somehow “doing an injustice” to the film even if one means well. But I feel I must mention Seven Samurai. Samurai films have kinda died out these days… Well, not died out exactly but they have fallen, shall we say, in the list of popular genres. It is not one of my favorite genres, not by far, but I do believe it deserves a certain amount of respect, especially where the works of masters such as Akira Kurosawa are concerned. And where classics like Seven Samurai are concerned, I believe they deserve remembering once in a while. So, in the spirit of not letting the film gather dust in a corner, here goes…
We are transported to 16th century Japan. Being a farmer is tough in those days. One must work hard to get ones living from the earth. The rewards are meager but will help one get by, unless, of course, the bandits come. This particular village is in deep, deep trouble. A band of 40 bandits, armed to the teeth and able fighters have made a habit of “visiting” the village, usually just after harvest. They take almost the entire harvest – and sometimes more besides – leaving the poor farmers on the very brink of abject poverty. In their desperation they seek the advice of the “Old Man” of the village. “Find samurai to defend us” he tells them. “Hungry samurai, for we have nothing but rice to feed them with.” So four of the farmers set out to the city to locate the “hungry samurai”. The question is, will they be able to find samurai willing to risk so much for so little reward? And will the untrained, frightened farmers be able to get into shape and defend themselves from the attacks?
Ok, so needless to say the answer is yes, they do find people who agree to defend them. Seven people all in all (as you may have gathered). The seven will then come to the village, and train the villagers to fight, really, truly fight. The beauty of this film is indeed multi-tiered. First of all the seven samurai. None of them are stereotypes; each and every one has his own unique character and contribution to the team. The fighting sequences are, as you can imagine, quite savage. And the results are not always merely a joyful victory. But the entire film is laced with, well, first of all humor in the true sense (which makes sense to me, in life one can always find something to laugh at so long as you look hard enough – such is the beauty of life) and then, good humor. The good humor of the samurai who know what they are doing is right and who work tirelessly towards their goal.
And then, of course, there are the villagers. It is a very good study of human nature in general. And I am no expert on 16th century Japan but it is definitely a good study of people living in small, poor communities. They are, unwilling to learn, unwilling to accept new ways and “strangers” into their midst and very stuck in the ways of the past. Even the samurai they themselves begged to come are not worthy of their trust. One cannot entirely blame them either though; this comes with a tough life. The question is whether the samurai will be able to gain enough of their trust to train them for the battle ahead. And how well the farmers will do on the day of the battle…
Naturally all of the above can well be allegories of life. Including an attitude of apparent ingratitude seen in the will to throw oneself into life without looking back once the “bad things” have gone away. I will not say it’s ideal, but it is the way life is…