![]() Constantly bickering between themselves, they’re as corrupt as their exploiters. Still these pieces of peasant flotsam and jetsam aren’t noble sufferers. Threatened with death at one moment, forced into slavery at another, their lives are one long process of victimization. They’re entirely at the mercy of whatever miliary faction is currently holding sway. Matashichi (Kamatari Fujiwara) and Tahei (Minoru Chiaki) live on the lowest possible level of the feudal totem pole. For rather than deal with his heroes directly, Kurosawa elects to tell their story through the eyes of two minor characters-a pair of peasant farmers that the Princess Yuki and the General use to aid their escape. Straightforward as this seems on paper, this same scenario unfolds in a somewhat oblique manner on screen. Once on their way, it’s one chase, swordfight, and hairs-breadth escape after another. With their clan’s precious gold horde hidden in sticks of firewood, they plan to make their escape across a nearby border by disguising themselves as peasants. Having escaped the clutches of an enemy clan, Princess Yuki (Misa Uehara), her loyal retainers, and her faithful military commandant, General Rokurota Makabe (Toshiro Mifune), are hiding out in a secret mountain fortress. Fast-paced, witty and visually stunning, The Hidden Fortress has delighted audiences not only on its home turf, but throughout the world-something few “Chambara” films ever managed to do.Īt heart the story is a simple one. In the hands of the man who made such films as Rashomon, Ikiru, Yojimbo, and Ran, however, genre particulars appear as anything but routine. And like the majority of westerns, most “Chambara” films are “programmers”-routine action “quickies” ground out like so many sausages and tossed out on the movie marketplace. Produced in 1958, this thrilling Cinemascope epic-starring Kurosawa’s favorite actor Toshiro Mifune-is set squarely within the traditions of the Japanese film genre known as the “Chambara.”Ĭostume and swordplay epics set in the 16th-century feudal period, “Chambara” films mix history and folklore with the conventions of theatrical melodrama much as American westerns do. This episode was written, edited, and narrated by Damion Damaske.One of the greatest action-adventure films ever made, The Hidden Fortress stands alongside the finest achievements of its creator-Japanese film master Akira Kurosawa. The film itself is a surprising genre pastiche smörgåsbord, being at once a great buddy-cop action film, a fun sci-fi flick, and a chilling creature feature all at once! It contains a well-made combination of exciting car chases, bloody shoot-outs, large explosions, as well as gooey and slithering aliens all done practically! It's overall a fun romp worth checking out!Īn FBI agent (Kyle MacLachlan) and a homicide detective (Michael Nouri) hunt the current human host of an orally exchanged alien life-form.Īnyway, this is a great film for those who can vibe off of its very particular wavelength, so we'd love it if you could check out our newest episode to help spread the word! And for more video content, please subscribe to our recently launched YouTube channel JoBlo Horror Videos! ![]() In the latest episode of our Best Horror You Never Saw video series, we take a look at the 1987 sci-fi action horror film The Hidden ( OWN IT HERE / WATCH IT HERE), directed by Jack Sholder ( A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge), and starring Kyle MacLachlan ( Twin Peaks) and Michael Nouri ( Flashdance)!
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