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Information

A.k.a.
The Hidden Fortress
Year
1958
Runtime
139 min.
Director
Akira Kurosawa
Genres
Drama, Adventure
Rating *
8.1
Votes *
21,991
Checks
4,641
Favs
474
Dislikes
18
Favs/checks
10.2% (1:10)
Favs/dislikes
26:1
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. Siskoid's avatar

    Siskoid

    The Hidden Fortress may just have jumped to #1 on my list of favorite Kurosawa films. I knew it was a major inspiration for Star Wars in how it told the story mostly through the POV of the clowns (and I swear you could put the SW soundtrack on the early scenes and it would work), but I wasn't expecting it to be so funny. Like, uproariously funny. I knew Kurosawa had it in him from Sanjuro, certainly, but in that film Toshiro Mifune's character was a clever kind of funny, a trickster character who spoofed the samurai code. In Hidden Fortress, you don't laugh with the protagonists, but at them. They're stupid, greedy, foolish, cowardly, and suffer constant reversals of fortune as a result. You want them to pay for their sins, but also to survive so they can get into trouble again. The slapstick is excellent too - I could watch two hours of these two guys trying to climb a slippery slope. Kurosawa somehow also makes this an epic story about getting a princess to safety across enemy lines, with some "cast of thousands" moments and a brilliant spear fight between the real hero of the story, again played by Mifune, and a respected enemy. The tomboy princess stradles the drama/comedy divide in the film, by not taking Mifune's crap AND allowing her experiences while disguised as a commoner turn her into an empathetic and wise leader. It's a very rich and satisfying film that smoothly changes tone to suit whatever characters are on screen. 8 years 8 months ago
  2. withrowd's avatar

    withrowd

    Toshiro Mifune at his best. 12 years 5 months ago
  3. Zeuxippe's avatar

    Zeuxippe

    dat spear duel. 12 years ago
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In 9 official lists

  1. This movie ranks #8 in Galloway's Samurai Film Handbook & Companion
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    Galloway's Samurai Film …

    8
  2. This movie ranks #39 in IMDb's 1950s Top 50
    IMDb's 1950s Top 50's icon

    IMDb's 1950s Top 50

    39
  3. This movie ranks #60 in iCheckMovies's 1950s Top 100
    iCheckMovies's 1950s Top 100's icon

    iCheckMovies's 1950s Top…

    60
  4. This movie ranks #101 in Tom Vick's Asian Cinema: A Field Guide
    Tom Vick's Asian Cinema: A Field Guide's icon

    Tom Vick's Asian Cinema:…

    101
  5. This movie ranks #125 in Kinema Junpo's Top 200 Japanese Films
    Kinema Junpo's Top 200 Japanese Films's icon

    Kinema Junpo's Top 200 J…

    125
  6. This movie ranks #137 in The Criterion Collection
    The Criterion Collection's icon

    The Criterion Collection

    137
  7. This movie ranks #208 in FOK!'s Film Top 250
    FOK!'s Film Top 250's icon

    FOK!'s Film Top 250

    208
  8. This movie ranks #222 in Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey
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    Mark Cousins's The Story…

    222
  9. This movie ranks #966 in TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest Films: 1001-2500
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    TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest F…

    966
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