Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai 4K Restoration to release in select US theatres

It seems like the time for film buffs could not be any better, with Akira Kurosawa's cherished epic Seven Samurai set to get a limited theatrical release next month. Considered by many as the greatest film ever to grace the planet, Seven Samurai 4K restoration from Toho Company premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. It is now getting a theatrical release from Janus Films.

Sadly, the theatrical release will be limited to New York and Los Angeles, so those from outside these two cities will have to plan ahead to catch this movie in theatres.

The restoration starts on July 5, 2024, in New York at the Film Forum, which will be followed by LA's premiere at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre on Sunday, July 7, 2024. The following week, the film will open at Laemmle Royal, Los Angeles, on July 12.

Seven Samurai 4K restoration also got a brand new trailer and poster ahead of this theatrical re-release.

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Seven Samurai remains one of the most enduring pieces of art

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, the three-plus-hour odyssey, which kickstarted a samurai film movement that lasted for ages, was originally released on April 26, 1954. The epic samurai action movie starred Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Inaba, Daisuke Katō, Seiji Miyaguchi, Minoru Chiaki, Isao Kimura, and Toshiro Mifune as the seven titular samurai.

Mifune went on to enjoy a stellar career in the genre, with many critics calling him the greatest in this style. It was directed, co-written, and edited by Akira Kurosawa, who is also considered one of the greatest directors of all time.

The synopsis for the movie reads:

"A veteran samurai gathers six of his men to protect a village from the cruel bandits. As the samurais teach the natives how to defend themselves, the village is attacked by a group of 40 bandits."

It is set in the e Sengoku period of Japanese history and has drawn frequent comparisons to Western films. It has also allegedly inspired many great Western works that followed this period.

Of course, creating such a masterpiece came with a bit of struggle. The film was reportedly the most expensive film ever made in Japan at the time and included hundreds of actors, elaborate sets, and carefully curated sequences that went with it. It made a lot of money too, becoming the second-highest-grossing movie of the year. It ended up earning ¥268.2 million, which is not really a lot more than its budget, but Seven Samurai won differently.

In the years that followed, the film managed to carve out its place in the history of cinema, inspiring decades of filmmakers, and eventually coming to be regarded among the greatest movies of all time. Among its most prominent achievements, it was voted the greatest foreign-language film of all time in BBC's 2018 international critics' poll.

Because of this Restoration project, many fans will once again be able to witness Seven Samurai on the big screen, especially with modern restoration and better quality.

The original Seven Samurai is also available for rent or purchase on various digital platforms.