TRULY great movies cross every boundary of age, gender and culture.
Their messages are timeless and speak across generational divides.
They forge great change not just in the industry but in the minds of those people who view them.

Such a film is Seven Samurai, a Japanese masterpiece which is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential movies of all time.

Local audiences will have the chance to see Seven Samurai on the Allison Dickson Theatre big screen on April 4th as part of the USQ Friday at the Flicks series – and no-one is more excited than film buff Thomas Banhazi.

Associate Professor Banhazi – Principal Scientist with the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture – has a deep appreciation of Japanese culture, and believes this particular film was ground-breaking in showcasing that evolving culture to the Western world.

“This film is a bit of nostalgic ‘rumination’ of the Japanese virtues that were slowly disappearing in the post-war environment – as felt by the older/more conservative generation,” Associate Professor Banhazi said. “The film is full of nuances and fine portrayals of these virtues that might not be always obvious to foreign audiences, but are delightful gems to the initiated.”

Seven Samurai was released in 1954, and was directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film is set in 1587 during the Warring States period of Japanese history, and follows the story of a village of farmers that hire seven masterless samurai (ronin) to combat bandits who will return after the harvest to steal their crops.

It broke new ground in the world of film-making, and its influence can be traced to modern day hits such as The Guns of Navarone, The Dirty Dozen, Ocean’s Eleven, and even A Bug’s Life. Another Hollywood classic – The Magnificent Seven – was specifically adapted from the Japanese movie.

“Akira Kurosawa is considered to be one of the most noteworthy and influential directors in cinema’s history,” Andrew Mason, USQ Lecturer in Arts and Communication, said. “He was awarded an Academy Award for his Lifetime Achievement in filmmaking.

“This film, Seven Samurai, is perhaps the most famous of his 30 or more feature films and is placed in the canon of significant films of the 20th century. Friday at the Flicks is a rare opportunity to see Seven Samurai on the big screen.”

Seven Samurai (rated PG, with a running time of 204 minutes) will screen on Friday, April 4th at 6pm in the USQ Allison Dickson Theatre. Tickets cost $15.50, which includes a pre-show drink and nibbles, as well as a brief introduction to the film. Subscribing to the Friday at the Flicks series can save up to 20% on tickets.

Contact USQ Artsworx on 4631 1111 for more information or tickets, or visit www.usq.edu.au/artsworx.

Submitted by:
Wendy Johnson
USQ Artsworx

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