The Next Reel Film Podcast

Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we start up our Seven Samurai Family series with Kurosawa’s 1954 masterpiece "Seven Samurai".

Show Notes

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"Once more, we survive."

When you think of Akira Kurosawa, it’s easy to connect him to great samurai films like Ran, Throne of Blood, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro. What’s surprising, however, is that he didn’t make his first samurai film until midway through his filmmaking career. That film, of course, is arguably his greatest film, Seven Samurai, which was released in 1954. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we start up our Seven Samurai Family series with Kurosawa’s masterpiece. 

We talk about how well this film holds up and speculate as to why this film not only is so easy to watch despite it’s nearly three-and-a-half-hour running time, but also feels so modern. We discuss Kurosawa, what it took for him to get this film made and why he worked to make this stand apart from the glut of samurai films being made at the time. We chat about the cast, notably Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Daisuke Katô, Isao Kimura, Minoru Chiaki, Seiji Miyaguchi and Yoshio Inaba as our titular seven, and why they all work so well here (even drawing a comparison to Coen brother casting). We look at the camera work and how Kurosawa, along with cinematographer Asakazu Nakai, proves himself a master of the medium as we look at his framing, lens choices, camera movement and more. We look at the rest of the production team to bring this world to life so perfectly (except perhaps the bald caps). And we discuss how well this film did in Japan contrasting that with why Toho Films felt the need to truncate it before releasing it to the rest of the world. 

It’s a brilliant film and the foundation of a series we’re quite excited to talk about. So tune in!

Film Sundries

  • Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • [Netflix][netflix] • Hulu
  • Script Transcript
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Original poster artwork
  • Flickchart
  • Letterboxd
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Creators and Guests

Host
Andy Nelson
With over 25 years of experience in film, television, and commercial production, Andy has cultivated an enduring passion for storytelling in all its forms. His enthusiasm for the craft began in his youth when he and his friends started making their own movies in grade school. After studying film at the University of Colorado Boulder, Andy wrote, directed, and produced several short films while also producing indie features like Netherbeast Incorporated and Ambush at Dark Canyon. Andy has been on the production team for award-winning documentaries such as The Imposter and The Joe Show, as well as TV shows like Investigation Discovery’s Deadly Dentists and Nat Geo’s Inside the Hunt for the Boston Bombers. Over a decade ago, he started podcasting with Pete and immediately embraced the medium. Now, as a partner at TruStory FM, Andy looks forward to more storytelling through their wide variety of shows. Throughout his career, Andy has passed on his knowledge by teaching young minds the crafts of screenwriting, producing, editing, and podcasting. Outside of work, Andy is a family man who enjoys a good martini, a cold beer, a nice cup o’ joe. And always, of course, a great movie.
Host
Pete Wright
#Movies, #ADHD, & #Podcasting • Co-founder @trustory.fm🎥 The Next Reel Family of #Film Podcasts @thenextreel.com🎙️ Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast @takecontroladhd.com📖 Co-author of Unapologetically ADHD • https://unapologeticallyadhdbook.com

What is The Next Reel Film Podcast?

A show about movies and how they connect.
We love movies. We’ve been talking about them, one movie a week, since 2011. It’s a lot of movies, that’s true, but we’re passionate about origins and performance, directors and actors, themes and genres, and so much more. So join the community, and let’s hear about your favorite movies, too.
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