just as with the gunmen in The Magnificent Seven, I have trouble keeping two or three of the samurai here straight. Seven Samurai is far superior to Sturges's English-language remake, though, largely because so much time and care is given to depicting the village itself, both its people and its geography. because of this, moments like the closing lines, or Kikuchiyo's rant against first the farmers and then the samurai, actually land. oh! that's how that was supposed to work! I found myself thinking.

also, as great as Mifune is here, at this point I'm tempted to call Takashi Shimura the essential Kurosawa actor. he's always so different, and so wonderful.

(16/36 of my 6 x 6 challenge, 3/6 directed by Akira Kurosawa)