One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, SEVEN SAMURAI tells the story of a 16th century village whose desperate inhabitants hire eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. This three-hour ride from Akira Kurosawa—featuring legendary actors Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura—seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment with delicate human emotions and relentless action—resulting in a rich, evocative and unforgettable tale of courage and hope.

“...Not only a great film in its own right, but the source of a genre that would flow through the rest of the century…. It could be argued that this greatest of filmmakers gave employment to action heroes for the next 50 years.” —Roger Ebert (2001)

“SEVEN SAMURAI…was one of the first Japanese films many viewers had ever seen. It introduced a culture that was foreign yet intriguing, and accessible to audiences weaned on Hollywood westerns.” —Anne Billson, BBC

“Widely acknowledged as one of Kurosawa’s, and indeed Japan’s and world cinema’s, greatest films… A film of immense emotional impact and one that as Eisenstein would have it, ‘thinks in images’ (and sounds I would add), its pleasures seem inexhaustible.” —Patrick Crogan, Senses of Cinema

The Belcourt Theatre does not provide advisories about subject matter or potential triggering content, as sensitivities vary from person to person.

Beyond the synopses, trailers and review links on our website, other sources of information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media and IMDb, as well as through general internet searches.