BFI FILM CLASSICS- SEVEN SAMURAI (2ND EDITION)
Museum Member Price: $14.36
BFI FILM CLASSICS- SEVEN SAMURAI (2ND EDITION)
In Seven Samurai (1954) a whole society is on the verge of irrevocable change. Akira Kurosawa's celebrated film, regarded by many to be the major achievement of Japanese cinema, is an epic that evokes the cultural upheaval
brought on by the collapse of Japanese militarism in the 16th century, but at the same time echoes also the sweeping cultural changes occurring in the aftermath of the American Occupation that followed Japan's defeat in the Second World War.
The plot is deceptively simple. A village of farmers is beleaguered by a horde of bandits. In desperation, the farmers decide to hire itinerant samurai to protect their crops and people and defeat the bandits. There had never been a Japanese film in which peasants hired samurai, or an evocation of the social transformation that made such an idea credible.
There are six samurai and one who is accepted as such. Together they reflect the ideals and values of a noble class near the point of extinction. Seven Samurai may be the greatest action film, a technical masterpiece unmatched in its depiction of movement and violence, but running beneath the sound and fury is a lament for a lost nobility, 'a dirge for the spirit of Japan,' writes Joan Mellen, 'which will never again be so strong.'
Mellen's study contextualises Seven Samurai, marking its place in Japanese cinema and in Kurosawa's film-making career. She explores the film's roots in medieval history and, above all, the astonishing visual language in which Kurosawa created his elegiac epic.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword to the 2022 Edition
Seven Samurai
Credits
Biography
Published May 19 2022
Format Paperback
Edition 2nd
Pages 112
Imprint British Film Institute
Illustrations 60 bw illus
Dimensions 7 x 5 inches
Series BFI Film Classics
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
SIGN UP FOR FREE and receive 10% off your first order! Retail subscribers receive the most-updated information on product launches, restocks and sales!
BECOME A MUSEUM MEMBER for 10% off every day and 20% off during member appreciation days! Members automatically receive their discount online when checking out using the email address associated with your museum membership account. Premiere Circle members receive 20% off year-round. Some exceptions apply and membership discount does not apply to sale items already marked down.
Processing time (not included in the shipping time) for orders is 1–3 business days. Processing times may be extended during holidays and promotional periods. You will receive an email confirmation with a tracking number when your order has shipped.
All shipping rates will be calculated at checkout and are determined by the items ordered and the destination. Oversized and odd sized items such as furniture and posters may incur additional shipping charges. For orders shipped within the contiguous 48 US States, shipping transit time is 3–7 business days.
International shipping rates are calculated at checkout based on the destination This includes Guam, American Samoa, and Outside US Territories. Oversized and odd sized items such as furniture and posters may incur additional shipping charges. International delivery time is 5–20 business days (not including time for customs and other import inspections). Shipping costs do not include taxes and import duties. The recipient is responsible to pay all taxes and duties upon receipt of their order directly to the postal carrier or to their local government agency. Unfortunately we do not offer free international shipping.
For online returns, please email us at academymuseumstore@oscars.org with your first name, last name, and order number so we can assist you.
Refunds will be returned back to the original form of payment and may take up to 7 days to process. Shipping and handling fees are non-refundable.
If you are in the Los Angeles area, online orders can be easily returned in-person at the store. Please bring with you the original order invoice that was included with your shipment. Don't worry, general admission tickets are not required to visit the Academy Museum Store!



Please note the measurements provided may have a variance of about an inch. The description on the detail page will also indicate the fabric content of the item.
For customer service inquiries, please email academymuseumstore@oscars.org or call us at +1 323.930.3035. Our Customer Service team is available during store business hours. We do our best to respond to all customers within 48 hours. Response times may be extended during holidays and promotions. Inquiries are answered in the order they are received.
We are located at:
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
6067 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
United States
General Admission is not required to visit the Academy Museum Store and is open to the general public during our normal business hours.
The Academy Museum is open six days a week 10am-6pm, closed on Tuesday.