In a year filled with major re-releases that have sometimes worked better than new movies, Janus Films celebrated the 70th anniversary of an all-time classic this weekend, but in just one theater. Playing at New York’s Film Forum, the 4K restoration of Japanese masterAkira Kurosawa’sSeven Samuraigrossed $19,000 across three days, ahead of its expansion in Los Angeles and Boston this Friday. Originally released in 1954,Seven Samuraiisperhaps themost influential filmof all time.
It tells the epic tale of a group of samurai warriors who fight on behalf of villagers being hounded by local bandits. The epic film starred the Japanese iconToshirō Mifune, alongsideTakashi ShimuraandKeiko Tsushima.Seven Samurairuns nearly three-and-a-half hours long, and had a famouslytroubled productionthat saw numerous delays and budget issues. It was eventually decided that far too much time and money had been invested in the project to pull the plug on it, and the movie wasreleased to box office success in Japan.Seven Samuraiwas previously re-released in North America in 2002, grossing over $270,000.
Widely influential,Seven Samuraiis often regarded asone of the greatest films of all time. It holds aperfect 100% “fresh” ratingon the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, and has routinely been ranked inside the top 20 of Sight & Sound magazine’s critics' poll of the greatest movies of all time. Kurosawa won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and the movie was nominated for two Oscars following its stateside release in 1956.Seven Samuraihas influenced everything fromGeorge Lucas’Star Warsto Pixar’sA Bug’s Life, as well as the biggest Indian film of all time,Sholay, andZack Snyder’s recentRebel Moonmovies.
While most re-issues are conducted in a semi-wide format, Janus Films is givingSeven Samuraia platform release of sorts. By comparison, A24 recently re-issued a host of its most memorable movies —Hereditary,Ex Machina,Midsommar, andUncut Gems— in over 300 domestic IMAX locations. Sony, on the other hand, celebrated the 100th anniversary of its film division byre-releasing every live-action Spider-Man moviein over 400 domestic locations. The 40th anniversary re-release ofRidley Scott’sAlientook place in over 1,700 theaters, while Disney delivered one of the best re-release hauls of all time withStar Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Other notable recent re-releases includeStephen Sommers’The Mummy, which turned 25 this year, andthe millennial classicShrek 2, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Audiences also got the chance to watchDenis Villeneuve’s firstDunemovieon the big screen, perhaps for the first time, considering it was released bang in the middle of the pandemic originally.Seven Samuraiisavailable to stream on the Criterion Channelin the United States. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Seven Samurai
A poor village under attack by bandits recruitssevenunemployedsamuraito help them defend themselves.
