The Long Shadow of 'Seven Samurai': How Kurosawa's Epic Continues to Shape Cinema

If you're a fan of modern cinema, you'd be amazed at how deeply iconic director Akira Kurosawa's legendary tour de force, "Seven Samurai" has trickled into the cinematic DNA of today's films. This 70-year-old epic is an elixir of immense creativity and storytelling that seamlessly cascades into a robust narrative of seven samurai heroes, saving a tiny village from vicious invaders in the heart of 15th century Japan.

With Kurosawa's display of unique storytelling, meticulously planned blocking and camerawork, and an inventive use of weather as a narrative tool, it's easy to spot his influence coursing through the veins of the movies we currently love. The magic of Kurosawa transcends time.

Let's take a quick trip in the film DeLorean and look at works of Quentin Tarantino for instance, where splashes of "Seven Samurai" can be spotted in films like "Kill Bill" and "Hateful Eight." Remember the scene from "Django Unchained" where hooded raiders storm over a hill on horseback? Yup, that was a classy 'Kurosawa-style' nod.

As part of Variety’s 120th-anniversary extravaganza, the film was screened and dissected by the filmmaker Andre Gaines and host Jazz Tangcay. Gaines was all praise for Kurosawa's work, exclaiming, “The composition, the symmetry of the shots…Every shot has something…It’s just enchanting to watch.”

Tagged as the original "Avengers," "Seven Samurai" set the benchmark for assembling a superhero team. "It rounds up a bunch of heroes to come together to defeat a villain. What’s interesting is that you don't see the villain very much,” Gaines remarked.

Despite being cut down to 158 minutes for its initial North American release as "The Magnificent Seven," the original 207-minute film remains a crowd favorite. Audience members were taken aback by its lengthy runtime, and Gaines chimed in to discuss the film's tempo. He underscored Kurosawa's edgy editing techniques and his understated genius as a writer.

Kurosawa’s genius also rippled through his bold moves, such as shooting an entire battle scene amid a downpour. Contemporary masterpieces like “John Wick” and Gaines's "The Dutchman" also find solace in rain-laden scenes. Gaines confessed, “Rain is very much a character in the story, and that was a direct influence from Kurosawa."

Let's travel to a galaxy far, far away – the “Star Wars” universe, which is brimming with the oh-so-obvious nods to Kurosawa, whether it's in the plot, dialogue, or even the camerawork.

Filmmakers just can't resist tapping into the stellar resource that is "Seven Samurai." Gaines concludes, “You can borrow something from this movie for an entire directorial career and still not reach the heights that it did.” He called it “a masterclass in craftsmanship." Safe to say, the legacy of Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" is alive, well, and continuously shaping the cinematic world.