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Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Kamatari Fujiwara, Minoru Chiaki, Susumu Fujita ... see more see more... , Takashi Shimura , Eiko Miyoshi , Toshiko Higuchi , Koji Mitsui , Tadao Nakamaru , Ikio Sawamura , Kichijiro Ueda , Makatari Fujiwara

Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress (original Japanese title: Kakushi Toride No San Akunin) stars Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara as a pair of misfit soldiers. Running from the enemy after a disa... read more read more...strous defeat, the two soldiers fall in with general Toshiro Mifune, who is in search of a huge cache of gold. Mifune is also desirous of freeing princess-in-exile Misa Uehara from the clutches of the evil victorious army. Several large and small battles ensue before Mifune can realize his goal. If the plot of Hidden Fortress sounds vaguely familiar to you, try this exercise: substitute two robots for Chiaki and Fujiwara, Mark Hamill for Mifune, and Carrie Fisher for Uehara. George Lucas himself admitted that Hidden Fortress was a principal inspiration for his Star Wars saga; stretching the point farther, both Hidden Fortress and Star Wars had their roots in John Ford's The Searchers. Originally released in a 137-minute form, The Hidden Fortress was sliced to ribbons by its American distributors, and years later received extensive restoration. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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90% liked it

16,065 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

22 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 19 min.

Directed by: Akira Kurosawa

Release Date: January 1, 1958

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DVD Release Date: June 28, 2010

Stats: 879 reviews

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Princess Yuki Misa Uehara Princess Yuki A moment of rest Princess Yuki The Hidden Fortress (kakushi-toride No San-akunin)
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Flixster Reviews (879)

  • dwt5411
    January 29, 2011
    dwt5411
    If Japanese cinema icon Akira Kurosawa ever made a comedy of sorts, this is it. The Hidden Fortress follows two bumbling, stumbling, bickering peasants named Matashichi and Tahei -- the odd couple of samurai flicks -- on a cross country trek with a defeated general, a misplaced ... read moreprincess, and 200 gold pieces. No one could create the world of feudal Japan like Kurosawa and his seminal picture weaves action/adventure and comedy into a heavenly melange set against a ruthless, medieval civil war where honor and loyalty are compromised in the service of self-preservation. That Kurosawa was able to contemplate his usual cultural themes and make The Hidden Fortress the tremendous entertainer it is, is a testament to the director's uncanny virtuosity. George Lucas took notice and modeled much of his original Star Wars after the ground Kurosawa had tread in The Hidden Fortress -- a minor masterpiece by the legendary filmmaker, but possibly his most enjoyable.
  • FilmFanatik
    January 11, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    To call this film a masterpiece is certainly an understatement. It is most prominently in film circles known as a direct inspiration for Star Wars, but I tend to leave those comparisons aside when viewing the actual film. It's just another round in the Kurosawa arsenal which wa... read mores more powerful than any others at the time (and mostly today).
  • ythelastman89
    July 27, 2010
    ythelastman89
    I have to be honest, people really have to stop comparing this to Star Wars and searching for every possible parallel. Really the only connection here is the peasant characters being C-3PO and R2-D2, which George Lucas will admit openly. Just because there's a princess doesn't me... read morean it's Princess Leia. Hidden Fortress should be seen as something entirely different with a completely different message and overall plot. This is mostly a movie about selflessness and duty for the greater good, not just about one man or one woman. Akira Kurosawa's vision is flawless like it always is, never is there a frame left untamed. This has one of Toshiro Mifune's best performances too, he's a lot more subtle and powerful because of it.
  • rubystevens
    December 27, 2009
    rubystevens
    this was fun! but where was luke? or was that george lucas' own contribution: a hero named after himself lol
  • ScoopOnline
    December 11, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    Nice Classic.
  • SirPant
    October 1, 2009
    SirPant
    A fantastic film!!! Another classic from the master of cinema, Kurosawa paved the way for so many film makers. It really annoyed me watching the introduction by Lucas. He makes out that this is an OK film, his forth favourite Kurosawa film. Pah! if it weren't for this film, or sh... read moreould i say, if it weren't for him ripping off this film, he wouldn't have a career! It beats the hell out of Star Wars!!! Fujiwara & Chiaki play the brilliant bumbling duo who's performances inspired R2-D2 and C3PO and Mifune and Shimura's performances show exactly why Kurosawa chose them for most of his films. A wonderful film!
  • DrZeek
    September 2, 2009
    DrZeek
    General Rokurota Makabe: Hide a stone among stones and a man among men.

    An adventure film involving a rag tag team, sword fights, princesses on the run, gold, and epic widescreen frames. Its another good film from Kurosawa, although I was not as taken by it as some of his other ... read moreworks.

    The story involves two peasant farmers, who are refugees, trying to return home after a war. They find gold, and join with a mysterious powerful-looking man and a mysterious beautiful girl. Together they attempt to smuggle the gold across the border and evade capture.

    Its a simple set up for a two hour plus film. Film length never really bothers me, but I have a feeling I would have been more interested if I saw this on a huge screen. It has some sweeping, adventure type situations occurring throughout, which would just be better appreciated in the larger venue.

    The film manages to be funny and exciting. A main influence on Star Wars, you can see this kind of adventure film setup in many popular films decades later. Badass hero, beautiful but spunky heroine, comic relief side characters, and wipe transitions. It has all these elements and looks great through Kurosawa's lens.

    Its an enjoyable film, but probably more engaging for a bigger audience seeing it on a large, wide screen.

    Tahei: Get away from me! You stink of dead bodies!
  • cosmo313
    July 30, 2008
    cosmo313
    This is a really fun adventure movie, and the influence it had on Star Wars helps its credibility as well. The impact of the social,political, and cultural class elements will be lost on some Western viewers, but that's no big deal. The film is still well-made, enjoyable, and funny.
  • garyX
    June 9, 2008
    garyX
    A pair of bickering escaped slaves stumble upon the mountain hideout of a defeated general and his princess who are being hunted by the occupying army. They decide to join forces (with the added incentive of a horde of royal gold) to reach friendly territory. Widely acknowledged ... read moreas the inspiration for Star Wars, it has also influenced a huge number of other stories including TV show Monkey, Hero and everything in between. The imagery is as gorgeous as you'd expect from Kurosawa, the characters brilliantly written and the performances all perfect, from Toshiro Mifune's commanding general, to the striking Misa Uehara as the noble but fiery princess. The two greedy and bad tempered slaves provide the comic relief, and it has everything you could possibly want from an adventure; laughs, action, excitement and heroism. Yet another masterpiece from a true genius.
  • kenstachnik
    February 29, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Mifune is gold, all the characters are great!
    An inspiration for Star Wars.

View All The Hidden Fortress (kakushi-toride No San-akunin) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther
May 9, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Essentially a superficial film and that Kurosawa, for all his talent, is as prone to pot-boiling as anyone else. Full Review

James Berardinelli
March 27, 2003
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

By introducing comedy into the mixture and telling the tale from an atypical perspective, Kurosawa has differentiated The Hidden Fortress from nearly every similar feudal era Japanese epic ever commit... Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
June 22, 2009
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Highly entertaining comical samurai film. Full Review

Paul Brenner
April 6, 2009
Paul Brenner, Filmcritic.com

a masterpiece of composition, atmosphere, and subtext. Full Review

Jay Antani
August 26, 2006
Jay Antani, Cinema Writer

I enjoyed The Hidden Fortress as I do all of Kurosawa's movies...for those wonderful, keenly felt moments of life in harmonious balance with the world surrounding it Full Review

Dan Jardine
November 14, 2005
Dan Jardine, Cinemania

Why don't we have a Kurosawa altar at which to worship? After all, this is one temple I'd actually attend. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
May 22, 2005
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

[An] exciting adventure epic. Full Review

Luke Y. Thompson
July 16, 2003
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times

No Star Wars fan should miss this suspiciously familiar samurai epic.

Brian Mckay
June 20, 2003
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com

Kurosawa reminds us that he really is the best Samurai movie director ever ... There are many laugh out loud moments, and the film also bears some of Kurosawa's finest action sequences. Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten
March 10, 2003
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle

George Lucas gives this Kurosawa classic its props as one of his inspirations for Star Wars. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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