(via SEVEN SAMURAI Poster Design by Kevin Ang - GeekTyrant)

Seven Samurai (1954)

Seven Samurai (1954)

“When we started Seven Samurai, the character of Kikuchiyo hadn’t yet been written. It was “Six Samurai” then, and I heard later I was slated to be Kyuzo, the role that Seiji Miyaguchi ended up playing. Kurosawa and the two other scenario writers, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, were holed up at an inn in Atami called the Suikouen working on the script. I dropped by every so often. They worked separately and met in the evenings to bat around what they had written. Finally it dawned on them that six sober samurai were a bore—they needed a character that was more off-the-wall. So that’s how Kikuchiyo was born. “Let’s give it to Mifune,” they agreed, “and see what he does with it.” So I had complete freedom to do whatever I felt like.” - Toshiro Mifune, In His Own Words, Seven Samurai Criterion booklet.

“Maybe we die this time.”

Allowed myself one dvd from the Criterion sale. 

Tonight.

There are movies that make me think, “Hey, if they can get their film made so can I! I can write a better script than that!”

Then there are films that make me want to quit altogether, just throw in the towel, go back to school and get a “useful” degree, find a “secure” job, and forget the whole film thing because, fuck, I’ll never, ever, in a thousand lifetimes reach the standard of filmmaking that this director has set.

You and I both know where Seven Samurai belongs.