Hidden Fortress [1958] [DVD]

Hidden Fortress is an outstanding example of Akira Kurosawa's film-making style, clear and simple. Although not as well known as the classics 'Seven Samurai' or 'Yojimbo', this film deserves to be rated among his finest. The narrative is both quick and engaging never allowing your attention to wander. This was Kurosawa's first widescreen film and he seems to revel in the new width of his canvas, without over indulging in the space. The performances are excellent with Toshiro Mifune in one of his finest roles, the two bickering slaves are wonderful. This film was in fact the inspiration for Star Wars and these two slaves are easily recognisable as the droids from George Lucas' Sci-Fi tale. I would recommend this film to any fan of Mifune's or Kurosawa's work as they are at their best in this picture. If you not aware of either of this pairing, do not allow that to put you off. Buy it, sit back and enjoy what is a delightful adventure that will hold you from beginning to end.

Having watched many of Kurosawa's films, I was interested in Hidden Fortress, because I had heard that George Lucus borrowed its plot for the original Star Wars film.
I bought the film hastily, but have not regretted it at all.
It is a little light-hearted than his other films such as Rashomon and Seven Samurai, but this makes it all the more enjoyable, as does the fact that is hard to see where the film is going to lead you.
The 2.35:1 effect works brill on a widescreen TV, capturing Mount Fuji in all its glory.
As with many Kurosawa films, Toshiro Mifune is a central character, but its the two peasants that steal the show.
Buy it, watch it, and see for yourself what made George Lucus make Star Wars.

The Hidden Fortress has some major problems with pacing and overlength. The first 15 minutes dealing with the aftermath of a war are great and the last hour is pretty good, but the hour of repetitive bickering and clumsy slapstick inbetween from the film's two unlovable clowns is incredibly grating. Yes, it's a bold move of Kurosawa to give centerstage to a couple of greedy, stupid, duplicitous and all but irredeemable scumbags, but unfortunately he neglected to make them particularly interesting greedy, stupid, duplicitous and all but irredeemable scumbags and there's only so much of them shouting, digging holes and performing pratfalls you can take. It might help if some of it was funny, but it's like watching a Bowery Boys movie from the days when they should have been drawing their pensions instead of still pretending to be teenagers.

Themes of honor and compassion are dealt with in passing as nominal hero Mifune fails to appreciate the preciousness of all life, not just that of the princess he is sworn to protect, but this is pure popcorn fodder with more than a touch of Vera Cruz about it (but none of it's economy of line), as evidenced by George Lucas lifting elements for his first Star Wars film. Oddly enough the influence on John Milius is far more noticeable than Lucas - the scene where Mifune chases two soldiers on horseback and cuts them down without leaving his saddle is clearly the inspiration for the fight on the beach in The Wind and the Lion (even the music is similarly orchestrated). It gets there in the end, but it takes its time about it.

The BFI's UK PAL disc is light on extras - only a very half-hearted appreciation by George Lucas, who obviously doesn't think much of the film these days. Annoyingly, the subtitles are constantly presented over the picture area rather than on the black borders of the 2.35:1 widescreen transfer.