• Certainly a very good film in its own right, Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress is also notable for its influence on George Lucas, and also Kurosawa’s first widescreen venture (TohoScope which was the Japanese equivalent to Cinemascope)

Kurosawa’s first widescreen venture (TohoScope which was the Japanese equivalent to Cinemascope)

  • Kurosawa’s dog-eat-dog nihilistic worldview, greed, is prevalent despite the fantasy/escapism/adventure genre and entertaining nature of the narrative (this is certainly one of his funnier films and a 180 from The Lower Depths– the film right before this in that respect). It’s there in that very first shot- the nice opening long take tracking shot of the two peasants walking down the dusty road- they’re spitting and swearing and “this is hell” in the text comes a short time later

the nice opening long take tracking shot of the two peasants walking down the dusty road

  • Extras galore to give the film scope- and Kurosawa in his medium-long shots takes advantage of them in the frame
  • Mifune with a great introduction 20 minutes in—the depth of field background- he’s standing between these great rocks from higher ground with this arms crossed. A little later the princess in intro’ed much in the same way

    Mifune with a great introduction 20 minutes in—the depth of field background- he’s standing between these great rocks from higher ground with this arms crossed

  • Again, you could write this entire thing talking about Star Wars– from the editing wipes, to the peasants as the two droids, the missing princess, etc.
  • This is a far cry from Ikiru or even Stray Dog but there are some impressive triangulation in the frame compositions (certainly a main stylistic characteristic from the great master even if they are relatively few and far between in this 139 minute film) from Kurosawa. One at 64 minutes with the princess in the foreground and the two peasants in the background

there are some impressive triangulation in the frame compositions (certainly a main stylistic characteristic from the great master even if they are relatively few and far between in this 139 minute film) from Kurosawa. One at 64 minutes with the princess in the foreground and the two peasants in the background

  • Fire festival “life is a burden”- “world is dark”

a great battle between warriors, and Kurosawa and his camera whipping in an action sequence with Mifune on horseback

  • At 136 minutes a strong composition at the trial in the courtyard and then the reverse before the ending

    At 136 minutes a strong composition at the trial in the courtyard and then the reverse before the ending– this is the reverse shot here

  • Recommend/ Highly Recommend border