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Simply A Masterpiece

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Set during the Sengoku period (1460s-1600s), Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress" stars Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara as Tahei and Matashichi, a pair of squabbling peasants. The duo roam the Japanese countryside, doing their best to avoid bands of marauding soldiers."Hidden's" first act watches as Tahei and Matashichi are manipulated by Rokurota Makabe (Toshiro Mifune), a cunning samurai general. Promising the greedy peasants mountains of gold, he uses them as camouflage in his attempts to transport a princess (Misa Uehara) across enemy lines."What you make of another's kindness is up to you," Kurosawa has character's say. Kindness is something the film's princess learns, as she witnesses first-hand the sacrifices of her bodyguard, General Makabe, and the suffering of the peasants who live outside her castle walls. Kindness is also something General Rokurota must grapple with. He's a rival warrior with whom General Makabe fights an extended battle. During this battle, Makabe's objective is not to kill, but to frustrate, to deflect, to guide his belligerent opponent away from a fixation upon military solutions."The Hidden Fortress" is one of Kurosawa's more playful films. Part comedy, part adventure, part action epic, the film boasts glorious widescreen photography, a jaunty plot, some fine compositional work and the shortest short shorts ever worn by a princess. Aesthetically, the film's the bridge between Eisenstein, Ford and later imitators like Lucas and Leone. Indeed, George Lucas would lift chunks of "Hidden Fortress" for the plot of his "Star Wars", especially Kurosawa's notion of a tough, imperious princess.Though a bit long-winded, a number of Kurosawa's action sequences still pack a punch. One sequence in particular recalls Eisenstein's Odessa Steps sequence in "Battleship Potemkin". Elsewhere Kurosawa stages a sequence in which General Makabe – cool, tough and resourceful - pursues enemy scouts all the way back to their base, a scene which would influence the speeder bike chase in George Lucas' "Return of the Jedi". Lucas would help a financially-strapped Kurosawa get his 1980 film, "The Shadow Warrior", produced. Indeed, Lucas would be indirectly responsible for two of Kurosawa's greatest epics ("The Shadow Warrior" and "Ran"). Every good apprentice lends their master a helping hand.8/10 – See "Throne of Blood" and "Twilight Samurai".

This Film from Japan's Premiere Filmmaker will take more Effort from Americans to Embrace, but it is so Charming and Beautiful that it will Win the US Audience Despite its Buffoonish and Annoying Comedy Duo.There is much more here to Ogle and Awe as Kurosawa really knows how to Fill a Frame. Every Scene is a "Picture" that uses Cinema in the Best Artistic Tradition of the Medium. No Wasted Space, in Fact every Inch is Imbued with Purpose. The Director is not Fond of Closeups and that is a Lesson that Modern Directors have Never Learned.The Story is a Blend of Adventure and Whimsy with Slapstick and Samurai Energizing this Slightly Longish Tale. Toshiro Mifune is again Welcomed but it is Misa Uehara as Princess Yuki that Beautifies the Screen with a Sexy Princess that Commands the Viewer's Attention as She is a Stunning Actress with an Accent on Beauty but not to the Detriment of a Dogged Determination that is not Intimidated by Her Male Counterparts.Overall this is a Typical Visual Treat from a Master of Image that set out to make a Lighter Affair in Contrast to His Previous Work and it Works Magnificently.

One of the weakest Kurosawa's works. It has weak character development, although i loved Toshiro Mifune in Throne of Blood, Rashomon, 7 Samurai and the others, i disliked him in this, he behaves like typical feudal bourgeois, arrogant he treats two poor peasants like slaves, why are they so guilty of ? wanting a little money ? i guess it's realistic in the feudal word to view lower class like that like in Sansho the Bailiff but at least there is a good change in it. In this movie you'll see the weakest soldiers i'll ever saw, except the ones in Gary Daniel's movies. Mifune just takes their spear from their hands like they have baby strength. Some of the parts are OK, but some try comedy and humor that doesn't work with me. Over all you can skip this Kurosawa movie you won't miss much.

One of those brilliant classics from Akira Kurosawa, it has a bit of everything, and shows a way to newer films with its very brilliant acting and more so its shots, which really set you into the film. There is not a dull moment like in a lot of old films, the style of Kurosawa showing through and his quality of film making.Clearly one for all true film lovers and one for all film students to watch and awe over, the brilliance of each shot and the refinement of brilliant film making.A clear 8/10, a brilliant film.One of two Japanese film makers to watch Kurosawa and Ozu, leading the way to modern film making.