Seven Samurai

OK WOW HOLY SHIT. this is long as hell, first of all. but halfway through the runtime there’s literally a few minutes break — like black screen and a text that goes “BREAK” — which i’ve never seen done before in a film. like it knows it’s long as it is, and it allows you to clear your mind, go smoke a cigarette, piss etc and that’s just so… kind of Kurosawa i think? second of all, this kept me hooked the entire time and i’ve been feeling a little fed up with B&W recently since it’s mostly what i’ve been watching this year so far, that i thought “ok this is over 3 hours long, so it’s probably going to be somewhat slow, AND it’s black and white. i’m going to get bored at some point.” BUT NO. NUH UH. this film literally middle fingered me and was like “fuck off you’re not getting bored” and i didn’t. i didn’t feel the need to use my phone or leave the couch even when that break came. third, you’d think this film is full of action. i thought the same. but apparently that’s not quite the case. watching it proved my predictions for the storyline so wrong in such a good way - i thought it’s just going to be seven samurai fighting other samurai or something for over 3 hours. but no, the samurai ain’t got shit to do with anybody until like after the first hour/hour and a half of the film. the first 50-60 min are spent assembling the samurai. which when you think about it, it’s somewhat long — but you barely feel it cause you’re (or i was) just into it! the opening theme is so haunting and it just gets louder and louder over those credits in such a way that it’s making you anxious about what’s going to be the first scene, the opening shot. and that theme - which i assume is the samurai theme or something - is repeated a few more times throughout the film and i just fucking love it! the film overall lacks in majority… the soundtrack. i mean you kinda do but don’t have a soundtrack. which is both good and bad. it’s good because it makes it real. it makes you feel like you’re in the story, back to back with the samurai, hearing them step into mud, swords clenching, yelling, falling… now it’s also bad because you do feel the need for score, an emotional one, or a haunting one during certain moments. like when people are scared, or they’re crying in pain, or there’s just these really big moments - even action moments. i wanted to hear some score during that final battle, which is genius by the way. whoever decided to have it happen during rain is a fucking cinema god. and the way the shots are handled over all GOD DAMN. you don’t even notice how you’re being pulled from a medium shot to a long shot. and the closing shot is just magnificent, it’s like a painting - in fact most of the film is framed and shot like you’re in a Japanese painting.  i really wish i could experience this film someday in one of those theaters that do the soundtrack performed live, it’s definitely one of THE films of all time. i think everyone should watch seven samurai once in their life. it’s a piece of art. but especially if you’re deeply passionate about film and haven’t watched this yet, go and fucking do it