During the 1950’s, Akira Kurosawa was determined to produce period samurai films that could hold their own as great filmmaking, without merely being costume dramas which were popular at the time. His determination produced three timeless classics. If you have never seen them, chances are you actually have, albeit in modern Hollywood conventions. THE SEVEN SAMURAI inspired the John Sturges film, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, and YOJIMBO became Sergio Leone’s A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS. But it’s probably Kurosawa’s overlooked third masterpiece that had the greatest impact on modern cinema. THE HIDDEN FORTRESS sparked the imagination of a young filmmaker named George Lucas who remade Kurosawa’s film as a science fiction blockbuster, STAR WARS. Tell me if you’ve heard the plot of THE HIDDEN FORTRESS before: A headstrong princess must be rescued from the clutches of an evil army by a group of wanderers, two of whom are always constantly bickering and denouncing each other. THE HIDDEN FORTRESS has achieved true classic status around the world, but few of Kurosawa’s samurai films have been released on Region 1 DVD. This Region-free Hong Kong import is now available in an excellent widescreen version for those who don’t want to wait for Criterion to get their act together.

Akira Kurosawa likes to employ his stock actors, and THE HIDDEN FORTRESS is no exception. The film stars the great Toshiro Mifune (Japan’s equivalent of Sir Laurence Olivier,) as General Rokurota. Misa (KAMIKAZI) Uehara plays the tomboyish Princess Yukihime. Takashi (GHIDRAH, THE THREE HEADED MONSTER) Shimura plays Mifune’s opponent, General Nagakora. Minoru (GIGANTIS, THE FIRE MONSTER) Chiaki is greedy peasant Tahei. His bickering ally is fellow gold-digger, Matakishi, played by Kamatari (RAZOR:SWORD OF JUSTICE) Fujiwara.

In nineteenth century Japan, two greedy peasants, Tahei (Chiaki) and Matakishi (Fujiwara) witness the killing of a samurai warrior. The killers on horseback are guards for an unfriendly army that now controls the territory. This territory was previously controlled by Princess Yuki; but the rival army usurped her position, and subjected her people to slavery. The Princess has since disappeared, and she is now wanted as a criminal. The army has setup a blockade so that no one can escape the territory. Tahei and Matakishi are captured at the blockade and thrown into a slave camp.

Their imprisonment is short-lived, however. A slave revolt erupts with a massive slave horde overpowering their gun-wielding captors. Tahei and Matakishi escape into the wilderness. As they gather firewood, they discover a piece of wood than contains gold inside it. As they bicker for ownership of the gold, the mysterious General Rokurota makes his presence known. The high-ranking General Rokurota is actually undercover as a peasant. He is a sworn guardian for Princess Yuki, and offers Tahei and Matakishi a chance to earn some gold if they help him smuggle Princess Yuki’s cache of gold through enemy territory. Tahei and Matakishi are only too happy to accompany General Rokurota to a hidden mountain retreat where Princess Yuki and her advisors reside.

General Rokutora plans on transporting the large cache of gold by inserting it inside wooden sticks. Tahei and Matakishi round up some horses, and together with Rokurota and the undercover Princess Yuki (they think she is a deaf mute), they mount the gold-filled sticks on horseback, and leave the territory. The opposing army is aware of this contingent, and even goes so far as to set fire to Princess Yuki’s hidden retreat in the mountains. The army then closes in our band of heroes, and they must constantly use their wits to evade capture. Finally, General Rokurota is captured and must face the leader of the army, General Nagakora. Rokutora and Nagakora know each other well, from previous alliances. However, Rokutora must fight his former ally to earn his freedom. They duel with staffs, and Rokutora ends up winning, thereby gaining his freedom.

Rokutora rejoins his comrades Tahei, Matakishi, and Princess Yuki, who are now joined by an abused slave girl. There is a big ceremony thrown by the villagers called a Fire Festival. Rokutora’s group joins this environmental celebration, and it provides them an opportunity to hide from their enemies. Unfortunately, Rokutora and Princess Yuki are captured by General Nagakora’s men. Tahei and Matakishi get away, but somehow those two bickering peasants must find a way to free their friends and escape with the gold.

The story is told from the perspective of the two peasants, Tahei and Matakishi. They are corralled into a scheme to smuggle a fugitive princess and her cache of gold back to her homeland. Tahei and Matakishi are engaging in their simplicity and greed. They veer back and forth between camaraderie and back-stabbing, swaggering and cringing with a constant strain of venality and cowardice throughout. They are hilarious foils to the noble General Rokutora and the proud, headstrong princess. THE HIDDEN FORTRESS relies very little on spectacular action, and builds excitement in an intellectual way as the heroes use their brains to stay one step ahead of the enemy. The tension comes from not knowing whether our heroes will be captured.

THE HIDDEN FORTRESS vividly depicts feudal Japan with the intricate sets and production design. This also marks the first time Kurosawa uses a wide-angle camera which allows him to turn the screen into a sweeping canvas big enough for his epic vision. During the slave revolt scene, hundreds of slaves pour into the cinematography. In other scenes, Kurosawa just uses his widescreen techniques to photograph an empty landscape of sand, plains, and rocks for dramatic effect. Kurosawa always depicts the Earth and elements as important characters in his films, and this one is no different.

Kurosawa’s script and direction are tight as usual. He combines all the elements of the classic samurai adventure film, including a large scale slave rebellion, daring escapes, dangerous duels, awe-inspiring landscapes and bawdy humor. The slave revolt is epic in scope and is reminiscent of THE SEVEN SAMURAI and RAN. Though Kurosawa holds in high regard the chambara (swordplay) films, he tried hard to break conventions and push the envelope in other directions with THE HIDDEN FORTRESS. For instance, THE HIDDEN FORTRESS features one of the first performances of an aggressive female central character (Princess Yuki) in Japan. This is especially interesting considering that the equality movement in Japan is years behind the U.S.

Kurosawa crafted some memorable and ground-breaking characters, and the cast rose to the occasion. Misa Euhara is superb as the humane and headstrong Princess Yuki. Minoru Chiaki, and Kamatari Fujiwara (as Tahei and Matakishi, respectively) are perfect as the always-bickering, greedy thieves. What can you say about Kurosawa main-man Toshiro Mifune? The man has genuine screen presence, unlimited acting ability, and a truly amazing voice. His talents are crucial to the role of General Rokutora, a man of standing who must pretend to be a commoner to perform his duty and save his princess. Even the roles that Mifune plays where his characters are not of highest morale fiber, he still manages to give his characters a sense of nobility.

- Tony Mustafa