Seven Samurai

From back cover:
Desperate village hires seven samurai to protect it from marauders in this crown jewel of  Japanese cinema. No other film so seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action. featuring Japan's legendary star, the great Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is an inspired epic, a triump of art, and unforgettable three-hour ride.

Toshiro Mifune - Kikuchiyo

Takashi Shimura - Kambei

Isao kimura - Katsushiro

Yoshio Inaba - Gorobei

Daisuke Kato - Shichiroji

Minoru Chiaki - Heihachi

Seiji Miyaguchi - Kyuzo

Director - Akira Kurosawa

Produced by Sojiro Motoki (1954), 207 minutes.

Comment:
First time I saw this film in 1985 when there was Japanese Films Festival in my campus. The film takes place in 1587 during the warring states period of Japan. I was very impressed. My emotion runs with this film. Moreover when three surviving samurai are left to observe the villagers happily planting the next crop. Though they have won the battle for the farmers, they have lost their friends. "Again we are defeated," Kambei muses. Kambei is The leader of the group. "The farmers have won. Not us."


Awards:
Mainichi Film Concours (1955) for Best Supporting Actor (Seiji Miyaguchi)
Venice Film Festival (1954) - Silver Lion for Akira Kurosawa
Jussi Award (1959) for best foreign actor (Akira Kurosawa) and (best foreign actor (Takashi Shimura)

Since I have seen this film, I want to collect Akira Kurosawa's movies. I have some of them and I will post later.
I give ***** for this film.

Madadayo

From back cover:

Considered to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Akira Kurosawa's touching and final film Madadayo, is the perfect ending to a lifetime of cinematic achievements.

The film follows the last two decades in the life of Hyakken Uchida, a writer and teacher who retires in the war years of the early 1940s. His student venerate him in his old age , and join him and his family each year for ritual birthday party asking "Mahda-kai? (Are you ready?)" ti which Uchida downs a big glass of beer and answer "Madadayo! (Not Yet!)," acknowledging that death may be near, but life is still goes on.

Starring:
Prof. Hyakken - Tatsuo Masumura
Professor's wife - Kyoko Kagawa
Takayama - Hisashi Igawa
Amaki - George Tokoro
Kiriyama - Masayuki Yui
Sawamura - Akira Terao

Produced by DAIEI CO., LTD. DENTSU INC. KUROSAWA PRODUCTION INC. (1993)
Written and directed by AKIRA KUROASAWA
Based on literary works of Hyakken Uchida