KIKUCHIYO. Well, what do you think farmers are? Saints? They are the most cunning and untrustworthy animals on Earth [...] When they smell a battle, they make themselves bamboo spears. And then they hunt. But they hunt the wounded and the defeated. Farmers are miserly, craven...mean, stupid...murderous! You make me laugh so hard I'm crying! But then, who made animals out of them? You? You did—you samurai! All of you damned samurai! And each time you fight you burn villages, you destroy the fields, you take away the food, you rape the women and enslave the men. And you kill them when they resist. You hear me—you damned samurai?!
KAMBEI. You're a farmer's son, aren't you?
"The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself"—Kambei.
The translations above are by Donald Richie. They do not perfectly match the translation in the film.
Heihachi's funeral:
1. What moment in today's viewing stuck with you—and why?
2. Think of today's viewing in strictly film terms—camera movement, framing of the image, use of sound and/or music, editing, maybe how all of these go together: what strictly movie moment that utilized one or more of the preceding film devices stuck with you and why?
3. Pick one of the quotes from the top of the page. How does it help us understand what Seven Samurai is about?
Again: try and not repeat what those who answered before you wrote. Help us by trying to add something more to what someone said before you, if you have to say something similar.
Finally: here's a gorgeous moment in the film. Kyozu escaping to the forest in the rain to practice his craft. You can see why young Katsushiro idolizes him.
The moment that stood out to me was when we peer through the holes in the bandit hideout with the Samurai. Burning the fortress seemed like a good option for the Samurai, but I can’t help but think how painful it must be to burn alive: surely nobody, not even the worst bandits, deserve that. As soon as we began to see women inside, especially the one that is focused on (which turns out to be Rikishei’s wife) I felt a little unsettled--it was like something we’re not supposed to see. After Rikishei’s wife turns back into the burning building, it was clear that there was no good option for the Samurai in the first place,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated the moment when the village grieves the loss of a Samurai, and Kikuchiyo runs, grabs the Banner, and plants it. It seems like such a simple scene--yet there's so much more to it. The cuts and use of music really support the emotion of the scene. At first, only Kikuchiyo is defiant--he is the one climbing with the Flag, symbol of the unity of the Samurai and the villagers--and he is the only one in the shot. When he plants it, Kurosawa cuts to all of the Samurai--and then to the villagers. The arousing samurai theme plays, and the villagers stand up, affected by Kikuchiyo’s actions. He won’t let the death of a friend affect his morale, and won't let the village dwell on it, either.
How Kambei responds to Kikuchiyo’s exposition is pretty revealing. We sort of already know what he’s getting at by this time in the film (there are no winners in such a hellish atmosphere) but Kambei knows not to expect a high-born Samurai to go off like that-- he is expected to stay aloof and to do his duty without a fuss. Personally, I think this concept of duty is very import in Seven Samurai, and Kikuchiyo, an orphan, shows us what it's like for an outcast to live in a world with such strict social structure.
ReplyDelete1. What moment in today's viewing stuck with you—and why?
The moment that really impacted me today was Kikuchiyo’s emotional scene in the barn. He expressed his negative view of the samurai and how being raised as a farmer has affected his life. It was hard to watch him divert from his comedic role in order to share the pain of his upbringing with the other samurai. To me, this was a very dramatic transition from the lighthearted assembling of our heroes to the difficulties that the samurai would soon encounter.
2. Think of today's viewing in strictly film terms—camera movement, framing of the image, use of sound and/or music, editing, maybe how all of these go together: what strictly movie moment that utilized one or more of the preceding film devices stuck with you and why?
One of the scenes that really struck me took place when the bandits first appeared. The sequence begins with a wide shot of the bandits emerging from the horizon of a hill. As they descend, the camera tilts (while still maintaining its wide framing) down the side of a massive mountain until it reaches the samurai and farmers. For me, this shot really exemplified the disparity of resources and manpower between the protagonists and the antagonists. It also made me excited to see how the farmers/samurai would fare against their larger group of enemies.
3. Pick one of the quotes from the top of the page. How does it help us understand what Seven Samurai is about?
Kambei’s line about selfishness being the destruction of one’s self really intrigued me. I believe that it perfectly encapsulated the message of the movie; before the conflict of the film truly began, the samurai agreed to fight for the farmers without any compensation. Through this act of selflessness, the samurai are able to form significant bonds with each other. This quotes depicts the film as a work that condones selfishness while also illustrating the long-term benefits of selflessly helping others.
1. What moment in today's viewing stuck with you—and why?
ReplyDeleteA moment that stuck with me in today’s viewing was when the houses were burning and the woman's husband was in the still in the house while it was on fire and she came out with her baby and died almost immediately after. This really stood out to me because the samurai tried everything in their power to save them. When Kikuchiyo rescued the baby and said “This baby is me” this really stood out to me because of how emotional it was and the knowing that the baby will grow up with neither of his parents.
2. Think of today's viewing in strictly film terms—camera movement, framing of the image, use of sound and/or music, editing, maybe how all of these go together: what strictly movie moment that utilized one or more of the preceding film devices stuck with you and why?
A scene that stuck out to me was the funeral scene with everyone on the hill mourning. The framing of all the people really showed how Heihachi's was loved. The zooming in and out on different groups of people gave the viewer a better sense of how people really felt about the death of him. The use of the drum in the background gave the scene a dramatic and more emotional effect.
3. Pick one of the quotes from the top of the page. How does it help us understand what Seven Samurai is about?
“The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself"—Kambei. This quote shows how everyone needs to act as a team or else they will be destroyed. The samurai ultimately made a decision to fight for the farmers and if one drops then they all drop together. They all have one goal in mind, and work together to defeat the bandits.
The moment that has stayed with me after today's viewing is the scene where Yohei gets shot with an arrow by the bandit. More specifically, Kikuchiyo’s reaction to Yohei’s death. When Kikuchiyo realizes that Yohei is down for good, he curses, cries, and hunts the bandits with new vigor. In these emotions we see that the crazy Kikuchiyo, who seemed to be somewhat of a loner, actually had a good friend, and someone that he cared about. This scene shows that Kikuchiyo isn't simply a killing hungry maniac, but someone who cares for others, and will avenge loved ones.
ReplyDeleteThe scene where the women of the village gang up and attack one of the bandits has stayed in my mind. The way the moment is filmed, with shaky, quick, and a combination of wide and close up shots makes the chase of the bandit seem chaotic, a feeling the bandit probably felt as his life spun out of his control. These filming aspects, along with the savage yells of the women and the confused and terrified cries of the bandit thoroughly portray the fear and almost animal like nature of the scene. The blood thirsty women, wielding their farm tools, care not for the desperate cries of the man who has obviously given up.
I think the quote, "The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself”, said by Kambie, really shows the ideas and the message of the film. This point is constantly repeated throughout the film. One of the first examples of someone's selflessness occurs when Kambie, along with the six other samurai, agree to help the farmers. They dismiss ideas of money and glory and begin thinking about helping the villagers. The idea of selflessness versus selfishness also appears in the bandits. They think only about pillaging villages and winning food, people, and money for themselves. In making the bandits the antagonists, Akira Kurosawa directly portrays selfishness as wrong. Thus, Seven Samurai is a movie about laying down one's own desires and instead, helping others less fortunate than you.
I loved the scene where Katsushiro told Kyozu just how much he idolizes Kyozu and how “magnificent” he is. Maybe that is the origin of the word “magnificent” in The Magnificent Seven. This scene once again shows Katsushiro’s innocence, which is adorable. Also, I really enjoyed Kyozu’s reaction. All he wanted to do was go to sleep, but he patiently listened to Katsushiro with an amused smile on his lips, and I got some father-like vibes. You could tell that Kyozu was touched by his words and genuinely cares about him.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the scene where Kyozu runs down the trail into the woods towards the bandits’ camp in the hopes of stealing a musket because it was a classic movie suspense scene, but also made me realize how much I have actually come to care about the characters and want them to succeed. The film (and Katsushiro and I) held its breath while we awaited his return, and I believe there was an absence of the very action-movie music that is ever-present in the film.
Kambei asking Kikuchiyo “You're a farmer's son, aren't you?” was pretty powerful. Kikuchiyo was already treated as an outcast from the beginning, and you could tell he was not quite like the others, but I did not realize that he was not born into the samurai class until that moment. This scene shows the divide among social classes, but it also shows how thin that line really is. Kikuchiyo may not have been born into that class, but he is still good enough to stand and fight beside any of the other “higher class” samurai.
The moment that stood out to me the most was when one of the Samurai had just been killed in the small battle at the bandit's hideout. The villagers were grieving immensely and everyone seemed very down in morale, and Kikuchiyo is running around, yelling at everyone to stop crying as usual. Eventually he gave up and ran inside of the hut. He emerged into the roof carrying the banner and plants it on top of the house just as the bandits came to attack. I thought this moment really shows the unity between villagers, samurai and people in general that this fight has given people. Although the bandits attacking is a bad thing, the Samurai coming to the village to protect it is a good thing. The banner being put up really shows the sense of pride, and I believe it also symbolizes the unity between classist and how the class system of Japan at the time was trivial.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite scenes in terms of performance, camera placement, music and dialogue was when Kikuchiyo was holding the orphaned baby in his hands. The camera had Kikuchiyo holding the baby just above the water in arms with the burning mill in the background, with another samurai and the turbulent river water in the foreground. Kikuchiyo opens up to the other samurai for a brief moment saying "this baby is me" revealing that he was born a farmer, but his parents were taken from him by bandits when he was just a baby. This scene really shows the inner workings of Kikuchiyo's mind beautifully without having to do immense exposition of the scene and it's characters. This scene itself is a beautiful work of cinema as is the rest of the film.
In the film Kambei says to Kikuchiyo "The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself", and I think that says a lot about the meaning of the film. This entire story so far has been focused on unity and the building of relationships and friendships through groups of people. I think this quote perfectly explains how Kurosawa wants us to feel in this film. He is using the characters to say "Hey, we need each other to succeed and we can only do this if we work together".
1. The moment that stuck out to me was Heihachi’s death because he was my favorite character. He brought a sense of lightheartedness to the crew in dire situations. What makes it worse is he died before the battle began, so we will never get to see him fight the bandits. However, it was inspiring because Kikuchiyo didn’t let Heihachi’s flag go to waste. He raised to boost morale, and it worked. Although Heihachi perished before thebattle, he did not die in vain.
ReplyDelete2. The way the battle scenes were shot stuck out to me a lot because it resembled the way action scenes would be shot in the future. The editing of quick shots and the camera movements attributes to the fast paced action. This movie is revolutionary to the action movie industry. The way the action was shot was completely different from the rest of industry.
3. “But then, who made animals out of them? You? You did—you samurai” was the most interesting quote because it relates to wit in the sense of creating something unintentionally. For instance, Vivian created Jason. She helped form the way he thinks and feels about his work. She instilled the rigor inside of him to become a doctor. However, she did unintentionally it because she wasn’t directing it specifically at him; he just happened to take her class. According to Kikuchiyo, Samurai created the way farmers live their lives, in constant fear. They are scavengers, trying to avoid direct conflict.
The moment that stuck out the most to me was also when the mother and child came out of the burning house and she died shortly after. Not only was it emotional because the both of the child's parents died and the samurai went through the same experience, but it also made me wonder if the samurai would do anything about it. Would he take the baby to raise so he would have a family? Would he try to find a different family for it? The parallel they made there was very interesting and made me think.
ReplyDeleteWe discussed this little but in class before continuing with the movie, but I especially picked up on how they use music in the film for different characters and different moments. The samurai music is more intense and has a low tone, while the music during the invasion of the bandits was loud and energetic. I also picked up on one scene when Katsushiro was skipping through the field of flowers and the music they played was very playful and childish which is how the other samurai saw him.
I like the quote by Kambei that says, "The man who thinks only of himself destroys himself" because I think it sums of the movie very well. The entire plot is devoted around the seven samurai helping out the farmers for no cost, and working together to defeat the bandits. They also do their best to help train the villagers to fight. The samurai know that they cannot defeat the bandits by themselves even though they are masters at what they do. If they stood on their high horse and tried to defeat the bandits alone, they probably would've failed.
1. The scene that stood out most to me in this viewing was when Kikuchiyo broke down in the middle of the battle. Kambei and Kikuchiyo went to the Old Man’s barn and saved the woman’s child as she collapsed on the floor from burns(I’m assuming she died as well). Before she falls, she instinctively gives her child to the nearest person. Kikuchiyo holds the child in awe and terror as he realizes this is what happened to him as a kid; the exact same circumstances. It’s a very sad scene and explains why this character is so rough around the edges. Honestly, I did not like Kikuchiyo at the beginning of the movie. He seemed purely selfish and idiotic, albeit funny. As the movie progressed his character still possessed these qualities, but they were tempered by his inner surface. He may not seem like it, but he cares deeply about these people now. This scene and Yohei’s death made me realize Kikuchiyo might be my favorite character.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how well the camera movement and editing gave us a sense of where each individual skirmish occurred. The camera would follow the horse riding bandits into the village, and transition smoothly into the other squads as they all aimed their swords at the enemy. The audience was able to understand the scope of the battle, where each squad was in relation to the others, and mentally conjure the setting of the battlefield if one watched close enough.
“Farmers are miserly , craven...mean, stupid...murderous! You make me laugh so hard I’m crying! But then, who made animals out of them? You? You did- you samurai!” This quote really highlights the moral ambiguity of the characters in the movie. Japan feudal society may seem black and white, but Kikuchiyo really highlights how everyone does wrong. He shows how the farmers aren’t so innocent as we the audience thought, but also makes sure the samurai know their part in creating the sinful farmer.
1. The moment that stuck with me the most was Kikuchiyo’s speech about the true nature of farmers. I think this moment helps illustrate why I connected with him so well. We get more of his story than any of the other characters. Sure, they’re all humanized a little, but with Kikuchiyo we are given a character who is able to be funny and emotional, and one who has a real backstory. The scene where he holds the baby after its mother dies and exclaims “this is what happened to me” also stuck with me, for the same reason.
ReplyDelete2. During the action sequences, there were lots of quick cuts and low to the ground camera angles. These struck me as impressive choices considering the film was made in the 50s. Action is incredibly well captured and directed, in a way that puts me as a viewer into the moment.
3. The quote that Kambei speaks to Kikuchiyo relates to the whole film’s theme of the importance of others. No one can survive in this cruel world on their own. The farmers need the samurai to fight off the bandits and the samurai need each other to win against the bandits. Without the trust that the samurai have in each other or that the farmers have in the samurai, the farmers would have been long burned to the ground.
1. Like Kiran, the moment when they peering into the bandit hideout stuck out to me, specifically when they are watching a woman, who we later find out to be Rikichi's wife, wake up, notice the burning, and decide to not do anything about it. The main reason this stuck out to me was visual beauty from the slow tendrals of smoke that snuck creepily into frame when we were looking at her. This was something I had not noticed in my previous viewings, and it added a whole new layer of appreciation. It honestly made me speechless.
ReplyDelete2. Oh geez. I'm going to try and limit this answer as I have talked about this many times in previous blogs. Also this time I will talk about use of sound. And off course, not purposefully, I will be branching off of the scene Kiran has talked about. The moment when Kikuchiyo plants the Samurai banner on top of the village hut is certainly inspiring, which results from the use of music. The samurai theme plays in full swing this time, and it was purposely obvious. The music made my hairs stand up and filled my heart with anticipation and hope for the battle ahead. We have seen this moment done thousands of times before in every other team action movie, so it seems cliché looking on it now, but one must recognize that Seven Samurai helped originate this heart pounding heroic moment that has played out many times since. Also, a decision I think was more clever than this music filled flag brandishing, was the following realization that the bandits are coming and the complete silence as the samurai rush to positions. Kurosawa purposely made the following sequence completely silent, which forces the audience to try and hold onto that fleeting sense of hope that had just been garnered from the raising of the flag. If this were made today I have no doubt that the race to the field of battle would also be accompanied by a heroic score, but Kurosawa subverts that expectation, perhaps even before it was an expectation, which adds to the intensity of the battle soon to come as the audience is left to anticipate in the silence of their own thoughts.
3. "The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself"
This quote encapsulates a general theme that manifests in several ways throughout the film, which explores how Seven Samurai is really a film about individual sacrifice for the common good, especially in the face of death. When Rikichi runs into the battlefield outside of the bandits hideout to get his wife, he is only thinking of himself. This action results in the death of one of the Samurai, which in a sense punishes Rikichi for his selfishness. When Kikuchiyo abandons his post in search of personal glory in taking a rifle from the bandits, others around him similarly are punished as he returns to find that the bandits have begun attacking where he was supposed to be protecting. This theme is most obvious in the entire premise of the film: seven samurai coming together to fight without reward for the poor farmers.
1. The moment that was memorable from today was when the bandits were on their way and Kikuchiyo was overseeing the collapse of the bridge. A couple with a young child ran over the bridge to try and get the village elder to leave the mill before the bandits came. The couple were not quick enough and Kikuchiyo was too busy defending the post to remember they were still in the mill. When he realized, he ran into the river just as the young woman slowly entered the river with her crying child in her arms. Kikuchiyo took the child from her arms as she died from a spear wound. Kambei was already climbing out of the river when he looked back to see Kikuchiyo crying on his knees holding the child. He said something along the lines of “this child is me. This is just what happened to me.” This is one example of how, in this second part of the film, we are learning a lot more about Kikuchiyo’s past, emotions, and how it makes sense of his behavior.
ReplyDelete2. There was one scene in particular where the music and effect created a very suspenseful moment within the film. The morning after Kyuzo went to steal a musket from the bandits, Katsushiro hears footsteps and everyone gathers in the road to look out into a dense fog. The sound at the time along with the visual effects makes it very clear to the audience that they are in a very vulnerable position they were in (facing the direction of potentially oncoming bandits). The camera cuts back and forth between the eager face of Katsushiro and the fog.This moment was very memorable because when the figure was recognized to be Kyuzo, he threw the musket to one side and calmly said something along the lines of “two more down.” (ending the suspense with humor)
3. "The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself"—Kambei. This shows how the film is about more than fighting for your personal gain. An example of this is Kambei’s decision to help the farmers in the first place. The quote also reflects on living life as part of a community and for more than just yourself. The way that each of the seven seemed to be lonely and dredging on before this, but fighting for a cause, together, they’ve become a cohesive family of sorts.
I really loved the moment when, after Kyuzo sees Katsushiro giving his rice to Shino, Kyuzo tells the young samurai that he may take Kyuzo's leftovers instead and eat his fill. I find Kyuzo so fascinating as a character. He is very much the brooding, quiet type, but he obviously wants Katsushiro to enjoy his time with Shino. I thought it was kind of hilarious when Kyuzo blatantly exposed the fact that Katsushiro was bringing food to someone in front of the other samurai like it was no big deal. I just thought it was a funny and sweet moment in the film before all the death and carnage.
ReplyDeleteThe scene in which Kyuzo is practicing in the woods in the rain really stuck with me because it was such a beautiful and well-shot scene. From the camera angle and lack of movement, it is as if the audience is hiding in the forest watching Kyuzo train. I thought this was an incredibly cool moment in the movie, especially being able to see his entire body as he quickly drew his sword and lunged into position. I think this was definitely one of the most beautiful scenes of the movie, and not just because John linked it on this post.
From the first part of the movie, the audience knows that Kikuchiyo is not who he says he is, and claims that he does not even remember his own name. At the beginning of the movie through much of the first hour or so, Kikuchiyo was definitely my least favorite character; he came across as childish, rude, and even moronic at times, but after the samurai arrive at the village, we slowly see more and more of Kikuchiyo's true self. In the scene where he yells at the other samurai for how they judge the farmers for killing the wounded samurai after a battle, there is clearly a lot of emotion behind his words. Afterwards, when Kambei says, "You're a farmer's son, aren't you?", the audience is finally able to understand so much more about Kikuchiyo. He blames the samurai for making the farmers in the village the way they are, and he blames them as well for what happened to his village when he was young. In the scene where he is carrying the orphaned child away from the burning house, Kikuchiyo breaks down, holding the child close, and saying that the child is him. He had suffered the same fate as the little orphaned baby in his own village, probably because of the samurai. At the beginning of the movie, we have the impression that the samurai are all about honor and righteousness, but Kikuchiyo tells us, or rather shouts it, that the samurai are just as bad, if not worse, than the farmers who kill the injured soldiers left on the battlefield. Kikuchiyo being the son of a farmer gives the story a whole new level of depth, as well as Kikuchiyo's character. He wants to save the village that reminds him of his own, the one that he could not save; He wants to save the farmers because he couldn't save his parents. Each of the samurai has his own reason for helping to save the village, but we learn that Kikuchiyo's is perhaps the saddest and most desperate, trying to save the villagers in an attempt to fill the hole inside him where his village and family once were. Kikuchiyo may front tough, but deep down, he has a lot of pain and anger inside of him.
1- The moment that stuck with me most today had to be when Kikuchiyo climbs up on top of the house and plants the flag while that amazing theme music played. It gave me an extremely rousing feeling even as a viewer and it made me feel as if I was right there in the fray with them, ready to go in to battle with this rag tag group of farmers prepared to lose everything to protect their home.
ReplyDelete2- One particular image framing technique that created a shot I absolutely adored was the angle at which we saw the houses on the edge of the village being burned. The way in which Kikuchiyo was framed as almost a silhouette against the flames of those houses being destroyed left a lasting image in my mind and made me view the struggle as all the more real and daunting to think about. I think it was a great choice by Kurosawa to place not so much an emphasis on directly the event that was transpiring in the case of the burning, but to focus on the effect it had on the characters and the sheer anger they must have felt at that time.
3- The quote from Kikuchiyo regarding the existence of the farmer in relation to samurai really made me think harder about what this film was truly about. It was one of the first times in the film where samurai are outwardly questioned and their honor and way of life is cast into doubt. Throughout the film we are made to view these samurai as the sole saviors of these farmers, who often appear ungrateful or quick to question their methods. Through listening to Kikuchiyo’s plea, a child born to a farmer’s household, it gave me greater insight into just how awful Samurai have the potential to be, and how we must always be willing to hold ourselves accountable to the criteria we hold others to.
Today viewing was a lot more exciting and fast paced than previous days. I remember vividly that everybody in the sixth period class gasped loudly when Gorobei died. It was so heart wrenching because he was one of the seven samurai who really uplifted the farmers and made the warriors seem like human like. He recruited one of the other samurai just because he thought they would be funny. Gorobei also worked very hard to keep his squad of farmers motivated by having them shout out battle cries before the fighting began. He was truly my favorite. During Gorobei's funeral service, Kurosawa had the camera frame both the burial sight and the war banner that Gorobei had made by hand. This emotional moment was only intensified by the great camera movement. Kambei said, "The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself". This is one of the most important quotes of the movie because it explains the whole genre of the movie. The seven samurai must come together in order to defeat the bandits. The farmers must work together or else their village will be plundered. This quote was quickly addressed when the three families who lived outside of the village tried to revolt from the squad training. The three families from the outside must protect the twenty families who live together. Three families can not thrive by themselves, so they must protect the majority.
ReplyDeleteA moment that stuck with me from today's viewing was the moment in which Katsushiro goes up to Kyozu to tell him how much he admires his craft and looks up to him. This moment really emphasizes Katsushiro’s innocence and childlike nature as he looks up to Kysozo as an idol and role model. It also a very sweet moment because, in the midst of so much violence in war, it's a quiet moment of kindness and admiration. I think this moment of contrast is important and almost heartwarming for the film.
ReplyDeleteThink of today's viewing in strictly film terms—camera movement, framing of the image, use of sound and/or music, editing, maybe how all of these go together: what strictly movie moment that utilized one or more of the preceding film devices stuck with you and why?
One moment that I thought was really beautifully framed and shot combining with the music and the editing was the funeral scene on the hill. The angle in which we see all the villagers crying with the sword being stabbed into the grave is very tranquil and emotional until Kikichiyo begins yelling, breaking through the somber moment.
The Quote, “The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself" gives great insight into the underlying meaning of the whole film. The movie is based off values of community, trust, and admiration. We see the samurai’s portrayed as the ultimate goal of a person to strive for and they are portaryed fighting for the greater good and committing to something bigger than just themselves, as they wouldn't be there fighting the bandits without the other five samurais and they wouldn't be there in the first place if it werent for the benefit of the whole farming village. They build off of eachother, connecting to the main topic of the film and this quote of seflessness.
I really enjoyed today’s viewing because we finally got to see some fighting and how the samurai and farmers matched up against the bandits. One thing that stuck with me through the rest of the day was the scene where Kikuchiyo dresses up as a bandit, finds the bandit musketeer, and makes conversation with him until he kills him. It’s a funny scene and I think that it definitely suited Kikuchiyo’s character. Shortly thereafter, Kikuchiyo is scolded for leaving his post and some of the farmers from his post are killed because of that. I think this presents a nice balance between the goofiness of Kikuchiyo and also the horrors of war.
ReplyDeleteI think one movie moment that I enjoyed the most was the scenes where the bandits would ride into the village in the path and then were ambushed by the samurai and farmers. I liked the shot where it had farmers on both sides of the road and the bandits riding in because I think it was a cool way to show how the farmers collapsed on the bandits as soon as they let one through. It was also a very intense moment because there were muskets, spears, and swords all being used. I also liked it because there were moments were the farmers and samurai had the advantage in the scene and then the tide changed and the bandits were pushing through.
I agree with Andrew here. I think that Kikuchiyo’s message was really eye-opening because the samurai in this movie are the protagonists of the story but what Andrew said about their potential to be bad also makes a lot of sense. Samurai are obviously trained extremely well and this skill and intelligence could be used both for good and for bad. The samurai that Kikuchiyo is taking about have taken advantage of their higher social class and use that to get themselves in a better situation. Overall, I think that Kikuchiyo is saying that the samurai have the option to do whatever they want and treat the farmers however they want because they have more power over the farmers.
The scene that really stuck with me was Kukuchiyo was holding the baby in the river crying and saying this is what happened to me. I suspected that he came from a farmer background because of his rant about farmers earlier in the movie, and I was waiting to see when his past would come out. When he revealed his past in this scene it was memorable, holding a baby who’s whole family had just been killed, while its father is being burned alive in the background. Every scene that Kukuchiyo is more than just the jokester captivates me.
ReplyDeleteA scene that I found beautiful was the final night before the last battle. It opens on Kukuchiyo, sitting on the hill next to the Samurai graves. There is little talking, but you hear the beautiful music and an owl. I also really like how they use natural fire for light, it illuminates the faces of the samurai but keeps everything around them dark.
"The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself." This quote really sums up the movie in so many ways. This movie looks at a society made up of bandits and farmers. Where everyone believes they must only think of themselves because they think it is the only way they can survive. But as kanbei points out, at the end of the days there really are no winners in war, and everyone is going to lose in the end. That is why I think it is interesting that the Samurai, who are a more successful and wealthy class, have made the decision to take a different path and help people other than themselves.
ReplyDeleteI definitely see Kikuchiyo becoming more and more vulnerable as the film progresses. We are able to understand him more, even though he is not one of the main characters like Kambei is. One of the other moments where Kikuchiyo shows his vulnerability--the first one being the moment quoted at the top of this page--is when the lady escaping from the fire gives Kikuchiyo the baby and faints. Kikuchiyo hears the baby crying and shrieks, “This baby is me!” He then embraces the baby. I think that moment stuck with me because it’s not common for us to see such vulnerability with Kikuchiyo; he’s always so focused on proving his skill, wits, and masculinity that sometimes he gets lost in all of it.
I definitely think the music adds so much to the scene. There is one scene where all the samurai are all in one room discussing plans to defeat the bandits and there is music playing in the background that is just a beat of a drum on a loop. I think it’s so cool that something so simple like a drum beat has the ability to add so much to the intensity of the scene. From watching these films, I see that music definitely makes a difference in adding emotions or emphasizing the mood of a scene.
“The man who thinks of only himself, destroys himself.” - Kambei.
Kambei said this quote in reference to the farmers not working with each other to combat the problem of the bandits. They were only thinking about their well-being and failed to realize that they made each other stronger. I think this is one of the messages that Seven Samurai wants to portray to us: that together, we are stronger than if we were to live life in a solitary matter. I think this togetherness, helping others and learning from others is definitely more beneficial to one than just staying isolated and thinking about yourself. Your quality of life as well as the quality of life of others will benefit overall.
The moment that stuck with me in today’s viewing was the scene when Heihachi was being buried. It stuck with me because everyone was incredibly upset. When the samurai’s first came to the village, the villagers were terrified of the, but then after they get to know them and realize that they are just trying to help, they actually are able to mourn over the death of one of them.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of the fight scenes were scored really well. The music playing during them made the whole thing a lot more dramatic. I think that it worked so well with the movie.
“The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself” I think that this quote helps me with the understanding of Seven Samurai because it shows why the samurai decided to help the farmers. It shows who the samurai are as people. It also helps show what the movie is about as a whole. It’s about doing what is right, and not being greedy. Sure, the samurai’s are not going to get anything out of doing this for the farmers but they do it anyway. The movie wants to teach the audience that you should do something for the good of the people and not for the fame.
1.For me, a moment that stuck was when the three samurai go to the bandit’s camp, and they bring Rikichi as a guide. They look inside the cabin before they burn it, and you see a woman wake up. She realizes that the cabin is burning but doesn’t say anything. Later in that scene, Rikichi runs up to her, and she looks shocked and runs into the building. I think this scene intrigued me so much because it left me with many unanswered questions. Was she taken? Did she go with the bandits? I think they will probably be answered later, but they might not be. Earlier, we are hinted at that Rikichi has something about a wife that he is reluctant to talk about, and this opened that story for me.
ReplyDelete2. I think again, the moment I talked about above. The calm music and the beautiful lighting out behind this woman almost seems serene. The cut to a few moment later, there is just chaos. Bandits are running everywhere. I think this was a very interesting transition to make. The calmness in the first shot with everyone asleep to death and screaming.
3. When Kambei says, "The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself", he talks about how they need to work as a team. When a group doesn’t work as one, they will loose. Many times in American History at least, we see because people fight together. When one person steps out of the group and does what is best for him, not the group, he causes the group to fail. This leads to his own defeat
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ReplyDeleteI can most clearly recall the scene where Kukuchiyo leaves his post to find the man, woman, and baby who tried to retrieve the Old Man from the mill from a fire. This scene stayed with me because it is so emotional. Kukuchiyo begins crying as he holds the dead woman’s baby and says, “This Baby is me. This is just what happened to me!” Seeing a more emotional side to Kukuchiyo makes me feel empathetic toward him and, as Liam said, strengthens the audience’s emotional connection with him, which I felt was lacking compared to the other samurai. Similarly, this moment was the first time we saw him being sensitive. The majority of Kukuchiyo’s interactions with the farmers involved him fussing and scoffing. Now, clutching a child who has been left as alone in the world as he, Kikuchiyo reminisces upon the traumas of his past and makes a deeply personal connection to one.
ReplyDeleteWhen Kyuzo first spots Shino on the outskirts of the village and watches as Katsushiro brings her rice, I loved experiencing the two angles of inside the little hut and from Kyuzo’s perspective from the woods. The side profile perspective of young Katsushiro and Shino hiding together from the rain is such a classic shot and emphasized their growing friendship and attraction. All the while we get to see Kyuzo curiously observe from the trees. I appreciate the angle from the older samurai because it allows us insight into his perspective, something the audience doesn’t receive often.
Kambei explains to farmers that they must sacrifice some of the houses in the village to protect the rest, saying “The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself.” As characters are affected by selfish actions throughout the film, this statement becomes a common theme. Kikuchiyo abandons his post several times during the battle which leads to confusion and disorder, a consequence they cannot afford, within the army of villagers. The samurai’s worldview is explained in Kambei’s words: through aiding the defenseless village they are bettering the world. Leaving the bandits ignores a problem that could harm more than the village alone, while eliminating them brings safety.
ReplyDelete1.The moment when one of the villagers thinks he is about to die and he asks someone to get Shino, his daughter, but is turns out he is just scratched is very funny to me. In a scene that is so high stakes this is just a nice moment of comic relief. It shows that even is stressful situations there can still be something to laugh at.
2. The use of music when Shino and Katsushiro go back to the forest where they first met stuck with me. The anxiety in the music really helped portray the feelings of the two characters. The music managed to capture Katsishiro’sembarisment and confusion and Shino’s fear.
3. Kikuchiyo goes on a rant about how awful farmers are but how they have to be that way because of the samurai. This brings a whole new depth to the movie, before it was portrayed that farmers were weak and helpless and samurai were good honorable people. This shows that farmers aren’t helpless, they will defend themselves and lie in order to keep their families safe, and it shows that samurai aren’t always good people, they will kill and torture to get what they want. It help show that even though the film is black and white, real life is not.
ReplyDelete1. To me, the moment that stuck with me most during this section was when the village elected to kill the bandit they had as a prisoner, rather than save the life he was begging for. Up until this moment, the farmers seemed helpless, and innocent. But after killing the bandit in such a gruesome way, they no longer had that aspect to their story, and my perspective of them and sympathy I had for them was no longer there.
2. The framing and angle of the camera while the samurai and villagers hide in one of the houses when the bandits first show up, greatly affects how the viewers see the action. By having the camera placed in this way, the audience sees exactly what the peering samurai see, and in that way we connect with those hiding in that house. I felt involved in the action and the emotions felt by all the characters hiding behind the barred windows.
3. Again, I go back to honor. A man who thinks of not only himself but others as well, is a man who honors those around him, and deserves honor in return. A man who only ever thinks of himself, will never be respected in the village and will never succeed at much in his lifetime, because in return, he will have no one else to think of him. By isolating himself, he makes himself his only teammate, and no one can fight these kinds of battles and struggles alone.
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ReplyDeleteThe moment in today’s viewing that really stuck with me was when the Samurai run over to a burning house. They see that it is completely up in flames and a woman runs out holding her small child who is wailing. Kikuchiyo grabs the baby from her arms and shortly after the woman completely collapses. It’s heartbreaking because of how at this point both of this baby's parents have died. But also the Samurai, yells out “this is me”. At this point I think this scene breaks down that barrier between farmer and samurai as this invasion becomes a fight for life or death. This Samurai related to this child that was suffering and was heartbroken because he wanted to do everything possible to save peoples lives.
ReplyDeleteA movie moment that specifically stuck with me was shortly after the first real battle scene, when they set the bandits houses on fire. The funeral scene to me was very powerful. We see people moaning and sobbing at the bottom of the mound, as all of the other people surrounding, bowing with their heads to the ground also crying. I think the silence at the funeral, followed by the crying, then Kikuchiyo yelling at everyone to stop crying really began to show the pain that this battle was bringing. However, it also showed a contrast because of how Kikuchiyo was focused on staying powerful and unphased by death, while others were mourning death.
"The man who thinks only of himself, destroys himself" - I think this quote is reiterating the theme that we have seen throughout this film so far. That is, that neither a samurai nor a farmer can function completely on their own. It is impossible for one person to be powerful enough or wise enough to survive in this town full of conflict. But instead, they must work as a single unit, utilizing each of their skills to defeat the bandits.
In this part of the film, the character development that is occurring with Kukichiyo has really been drawing my attention. Being the only non-samurai of the group, Kukichiyo, in my opinion, is making this movie good. Kukichiyo is the catalyst that has created all of the humor, the idea of the classist society that existed in 16th century Japan, and was instrumental in how things have played out thus far. When we found out Kukichiyo’s past and how bandits had killed his family as well added even more layers to an already complex character.
ReplyDeleteI found myself specifically noticing the sounds and music that were used to indicate the mood and the main idea of the scenes. One instance of this was in the dramatic sounds used to indicate shock during Katsushiro and Shino’s first encounter. They were all very sudden and did a good job of getting the point across.
When Kukichiyo goes on his rant beseeching the unfair caste system that they are subjected to and how farmers have had to struggle for everything and should not be judged for what they have had to do. It shows essentially what the entire movie is about. I see it as breaking down class barriers and having samurai “employed” by lowly farmers. In a scenario in which the only compensation receive is food and a place to stay. Class is an element in almost every story arc that is going on at the same time: Katsushiro and Shino’s romance, Kukichiyo's internal struggle, and the farmers perpetual subjection to the will and whims of the upper class. This quote shows that even one that has been born to the lowest of the low is worthy to stand with samurai as an equal.
(Christian Lubsey)
The moment from today's viewing that stuck with me was during Heihachi's funeral when Kikuchiyo yells down from the roof that the bandits are here. When the villagers crowded around Heihachi’s grave hear the news, they scatter leaving the Old Man alone on the hill with the encroaching bandits. The villagers are so caught up in their fear and getting to safety, that they leave their wise village elder alone on the hill. This was powerful because it shows how concerned they are, they don't even think about their elder.
ReplyDeleteThe music in Seven Samurai is different from each character and event which helps the establish the moods and tone. In the scene that I mentioned before the camera switches between showing the fleeing villagers and the hill with the approaching bandits on horseback. The scene when Katsushiro walks up on Kikuchiyo, uplifting music is playing to match Katsuhiro's youthfulness and attitude. This is an example of a good use of the music because it accurately matches the character and how they think.
Kambei's quote speaks a lot to his character and why he's defending this village, with nothing but a little bit of rice in return. The Samurai are sacrificing their lives to save the whole village. If the Samurai were selfish and only thinking of themselves, the whole village would suffer. This quote shows Kambei's belief that living life to help others is the only way to live well, this is an example of the morality that guides the Samurai.
1. The scene that stuck with me was when KIKUCHIYO made his speech on what farmers are. This revealed that he was a farmer and he spoke on his feelings on samurai and why the villagers didn’t give them a hero’s welcome when they arrived. And it’s one of the few times he isn’t yelling for no reason he is speaking his emotions to the rest of the group.
ReplyDelete2. I liked the camera work and change of mood in music from the funeral to when KIKUCHIYO puts up the flag and the farmers and samurai change their mindset as the music/mood changes. As soon as one person saw it everyone saw it and that is when the bandits attacked and everyone went from mourning to their battle positions without running or pulling out last minute, they were together.
3.KIKUCHIYO Speech shows that everyone has a dark side to them. From the highest in power to the poorest class. Everyone has done something bad. He tells the samurai the truth that they don’t see because they are of such high class no one dares tell them. And the farmers are so weak and of low class you would think they wouldn’t be killers.
The moment when Kikuchiyo planted the flag on top of the house stuck with me. It showed that despite his distrust and dislike of farmers, he was still committed to the fight. Despite his angry disposition, I believe that Kikuchiyo cares deeply for his fellow samurai and he was devestated when they fell in battle. I think it showed positive character development for him as I found it hard to believe that the drunk, screaming man that we saw towards the beginning of the movie cared for his fellow samurai.
ReplyDeleteThe extensive numbers of cuts that were shown in battle really intrigued me. I noticed it when we Kambei cutting down one of the bandits and the camera suddenly switched to Kikuchiyo in hand to hand combat with another bandit. These rapid cuts made the action scenes quite exciting, even if they were hard to follow at times.
I found Kikuchiyo’s quote about farmers quite interesting. It highlighted the class divide and the rigidity of the class system and the resentment it created among both farmers and samurai. They are mutually distrustful. It’s also likely that it’s forbidden for a samurai to marry a peasant, similar to the Indian caste system.