So, all of the questions in this blog post require you to compare the two films. Since you have to watch them both to do the post, this one is worth 20 points instead of 10.
- What differences did you notice between Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven? What was the same?
- When answer the above, please be more specific than the obvious stuff like "one was in Japan and the other had cowboys. Think about things like which plot points stayed the same and which were different, which characters in each film corresponded to the characters in the other film, in what ways were the character different, how the change of locale made it necessary to change plot points or themes, etc.
- How do the differences and similarities between the two films help you understand the Japanese's culture and/or cinematic style better? How does it help you understand our own culture and/or cinematic style better?
First off, let me say that I loved and love Seven Samurai extremely. I would even go so far as to say it is one of the best international films I have ever seen. I really want to get that super awesome blu-ray edition that Josh brought into class (Christmas, only the rest of the year to go!). I will definitely check out more of Akira Kurosawa in the future, but, on to business.
ReplyDeleteBesides the obvious differences like time period, weapons, culture, language, etc., I did notice some key differences. For starters, I noticed that some of characters in Seven Samurai got a more in-depth look in Magnificent Samurai, but at the same time downplayed. The drunk farmer samurai and the apprentice samurai were combined into one character, and a bounty hunter cowboy definitely got a little more screen time than the character he represented in Seven Samurai. There was also a little more humanity in the bandits with Magnificent Seven too, thanks to the amazing actor Eli Wallach, though admittedly not much.
On the next question, I thought the look at culture and change was lesser in Magnificent Seven. On one hand you have the slow disappearance and death of the samurai, their role being taken over by guns and machines, some reduced to freelance, others to drinking, a life of philosophy, challenge, the list goes on. But on the other side, in Western America, you just have cowboys defending farmers. I wish they would have put in something like the slow death of the Old West, like in Red Dead Redemption. They could have shown the slow death of cowboys, with revolvers turning to pistols, horses to cars! It would have been SO much better!
But, on the long run, I thought that Magnificent Seven was of course lesser, but not too much so. I thought it was a good remake, and I enjoyed it very much. Seven Samurai, now, that is a perfect movie if I have ever seen one. The story magnificent, the characters and acting outstanding (My favorite being Kyūzō, the most humble and quiet of them all, yet also the most deadly), the cinematography some of the best I have ever seen, the music amazing and subtle, perfection. In fact, I am now willing to say it is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and one of my favorites.
Ashton Bowers,
ReplyDeleteOne difference i noticed was the one crazy cowboy took the role as both the apprentice samurai and crazy samurai in one. Also the cowboys all left the village instead of sending a couple like the samurai toward the bandit camp, but the cowboys didnt find anything and came back to the village being takein over. The cowboys also didnt really start dieing untill the end for the last fight of the village.
I think our culture is more Heroic and Action, because the cowboys died in the last fight after doing something cool, like one died after saving the villagers from captivity. while the samurai died throught the film, not all being heroic. also i seemed to connect more with the villagers in the cowboy version, in the samurai version they just seemed to be there for the role as helpless villagers. Even if the cowboys would probably kill the samurai because they have guns, i think that the samurai version of the movie was way better.
Kudos to you, I actually didn't notice the differences in the deaths of the two movies. On one hand you have honest, brutal deaths, and on the other hand you have heroic and dramatic deaths. Can't say I noticed that, but at least I can say I know of it!
DeleteThere were quite a few differences between these two films being apart by the fact that both were made from different places in the world. There were a few differences in the plot between Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven. I noticed that some of the characters that were being introduced in the beginning had their same roles like the woodcutter and the guy who would test his skills. Things that were different between the plots was the deaths. I felt like the deaths in Seven Samurai were one by one while Magnificent Seven had some die mostly near the end. Something different i noticed is that the samurais didn't have a reward to spread the word to get others to join in and help the helpless villagers. While the cowboys did had someone valuable things the villagers were willing to offer.
ReplyDeleteThis film did help me learn about the Japanese culture a little more. I have watched quite of few movies that were Japanese in the past, one involving samurai's also but i can't remember the name. Comparing these two films you can see what are the same and what are different which you can pull out is Japanese culture. Things like how the characters background and decisions they made throughout the film. You can see what people do for a living, what conditions they lived in, what kind of shelters they had for sleeping, what foods were available to them, etc. These are all based on culture and differences vary from where you live. Comparing things about yourself from a different person helps you understand yourself better. Just like comparing two different stylized films its the same concept.
quite of few movies that were Japanese in the past, one involving samurai also but i can't remember the name Comparing these two films you can see what are the same and what are different which you can pull out is Japanese cultur Things like how the characters background and decisions they made throughout the film You can see what people do for a living, what conditions they lived in what kind of shelters they had for sleeping, what foods were available to them These are all based on culture and differences vary from where you live. Comparing things about yourself from a different person helps you understand yourself better
ReplyDeleteI did notice some key differences. For starters, I noticed that some of characters in Seven Samurai got a more in-depth look in Magnificent Samurai, but at the same time downplayed The drunk farmer samurai and the apprentice samurai were combined into one character, and a bounty hunter cowboy definitely got a little more screen time than the character he represented in Seven Samurai. There was also a little more humanity in the bandits with Magnificent
ReplyDelete