the hidden fortress

4k restoration at GFC

i think it certainly made sense that hidden fortress was a massive hit upon release. Toshiro Mifune has an oustanding presence as usual, and his costars give great performances. the scenes loking back up at the mountain are memorably stunning, and the story hits all the right points for a big hit. its also just funny. i think many of Kurosawa's movies have a comedic aspect to them, but this one certainly takes the cake in that regard. the theater was laughing the whole time (and the man sitting behiond us was really enjoying it), but the humor never distracted from or inhibited the story and characters.

***spoilers below***

from any other director, this would likely be their greatest. but to me, High and Low and Seven Samurai still win out. While The Hidden Fortress was a great time and by all means an amazing movie, i don't think the emotional core of the movie was as solid as in Seven Samurai and High and Low. for instance, the sacrifice of Mifune's character's sister, and how both the princess and Mifune's character felt about it, felt like a relatively small moment in the grand scheme of the movie.