The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara, Takashi Shimura, Susumu Fujita
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Adventure
Awards: None

The Hidden Fortress is one of Kurosawa's most light hearted films, yet it still takes part in a cynical and horrific world. After a princess (Uehara) is stranded in a hostile neighbouring province in Japan, General Makabe (Mifune) has the job of escorting her back home without being found by the enemy. They disguise themselves and there gold inside sticks whilst bartering the help of two farmers who have no idea who the princess really is.

The film is famous for showing most of the film from the perspective of the peasants, played by Chiaki and Fujiwara, as they squabble and show themselves to be selfish and cruel characters. Both characters are endearing if not completely likeable and play a great contrast to the moralistic princess and pragmatic General. Like Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress is an ensemble piece that Kurosawa does so well.

The action of the film is a beauty to watch, especially the duel between General Makabe and a rival general using lances. This is the closest Kurosawa ever got to making a simple adventure/action film and thus it is a great film to use an introduction to the filmmaker.

Mifune has the gravitas that one always expects, yet the rest of the actors don't fall by the wayside. Uehara gives just as great a performance as a woman who has never been part of the public and is only now seeing it for the first time. It's rare to see such a focus on a female performance by Kurosawa and yet - like a few others such as No Regrets Of Youth - it is done wonderfully well by both director and actor.

The Hidden Fortress may not be the most respected of Kurosawa's films yet it is certainly incredibly enjoyable. The story, performances, characters and directions allow for a marvellous experience that is most definitely recommended.

*****Brilliant

Throne Of Blood (1957)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Minoru Chiaki, Akira Kubo, Takashi Shimura, Takamaru Sasaki, Yoichi Tachikawa, Chieko Naniwa
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Fantasy, Horror
Awards: None

Throne Of Blood is the first of Akira Kurosawa's adaptations of William Shakespeare. This time around he takes on the dark and heavy material of Macbeth. This time, however, it is told as a samurai story about the ruler of Cobweb Castle.

A Great Macbeth has to have a great, well... Macbeth and Toshiro Mifune delivers with every ounce of his being, proving he is definitely the Marlon Brando of Japanese cinema. His brooding and powerful performance is miles away from his character in Seven Samurai. Supporting characters are also worthy of note, especially Yamada's Lady Macbeth and the spirit - played by Chieko Naniwa - who replaces the three witches.

The story is dark and thus the visuals are shown to be just as gritty, terrifying and dismal. There is little action until the end so one should not expect the violence of Kurosawa's previous samurai film as this more ponderous on the atrocities committed by the single character of Washizu and the guilt that reaches into him and his wife, leading to a brilliant climax that has become one of the most memorable images of Kurosawa's career.

As a follow up to Seven Samurai (counting only Kurosawa's Jidai-geki films), Throne Of Blood is a very different beast and is perhaps less enjoyable (especially if one is tired of the Macbeth story) yet it is unique take on a famous play with a brilliant collection of performers and stark imagery that still makes this a great piece of cinema in its own right.

****Good