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Trailer

Seven Samurai

1954Movie3 h 27 minNR

Drama
94
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.6Metacritic989.0Rotten Tomatoes100%97%

A nerve-racking, cathartic action movie about war and history, with standout direction and cinematography.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Where to watch

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Not for warmth or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Unmatched for suspense and spectacle!

A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.

Feels like

  • Epic Samurai Drama
  • Tactical Masterpiece
  • Class Conflict Allegory
  • Visually Stunning B&W
  • Ensemble Character Study
  • High-Stakes Siege Warfare
  • Humanist Tragedy
  • Cinematic Icon
  • Rhythmic Editing
  • Historical Authenticity

Cast

24 of 45

Crew

Directed by
Akira Kurosawa
Written by
Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
Produced by
Sōjirō Motoki
Music by
Fumio Hayasaka

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 26, 1954 · 3 h 27 min · NR

Released
April 26, 1954
Runtime
3 h 27 min
Age rating
NR
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Action, Drama
Original language
Japanese
Made in
Japan
Budget
$2 million
Box office
$105 million
Available in
23 countries

Tropes

The Gadfly, Only Known by Their Nickname, Genre Deconstruction +9

  • The Gadfly
  • Only Known by Their Nickname
  • Genre Deconstruction
  • Wrecked Weapon
  • NO INDOOR VOICE
  • Bottomless Magazines
  • Weather of War
  • Victorious Loser
  • Establishing Character Moment
  • Rated M for Manly
  • Do with Him as You Will
  • Team Title

12 of 195 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Seven Samurai?"

Questions about Seven Samurai

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Seven Samurai?

HBO MaxKanopyShout! Factory TVPlexTubi TV

In the United States, Seven Samurai streams on HBO Max, and it is free with ads on Kanopy, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, YouTube, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 10 other countries.

Is Seven Samurai worth watching?

94
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 94 (IMDb 8.6, Rotten Tomatoes 100%, and Metacritic 98).

Is Seven Samurai plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was Seven Samurai a box office hit?

Budget$2 million
Box office$105 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $2 million to make and earned $105 million worldwide, 52.5 times its budget.

Is Seven Samurai in English?

Japanese

No, it was made in Japanese.

What tropes does Seven Samurai use?

The GadflyOnly Known by Their NicknameGenre DeconstructionWrecked WeaponNO INDOOR VOICEBottomless MagazinesWeather of WarVictorious LoserEstablishing Character MomentRated M for ManlyDo with Him as You WillTeam Titleand 183 more

TV Tropes lists 195 tropes for it, including The Gadfly, Only Known by Their Nickname, and Genre Deconstruction.