The Hidden Fortress

Infobox Film
name = The Hidden Fortress


caption = Original Japanese poster
director = Akira Kurosawa
producer = Sanezumi Fujimoto
Akira Kurosawa
writer = Shinobu Hashimoto
Ryuzo Kikushima
Akira Kurosawa
Hideo Oguni
starring = Toshirō Mifune
Misa Uehara
Minoru Chiaki
Kamatari Fujiwara
music = Masaru Satō
cinematography = Kazuo Yamasaki
editing = Akira Kurosawa
distributor = Toho Company Ltd.
released = December 28, 1958 (Japan)
October 6 1960 (US)
runtime = 139 minutes
country = Japan
language = Japanese
amg_id = 1:22325
imdb_id = 0051808
budget =
nihongo|"The Hidden Fortress"|隠し砦の三悪人|"Kakushi toride no san akunin" is a 1958 film directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshirō Mifune as General Rokurota Makabe and Misa Uehara as Princess Yuki. A literal translation of the Japanese title is "The Three Villains of the Hidden Fortress".

ynopsis

The film begins with two luckless peasants, Tahei and Matashichi (Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara) escaping the aftermath of a battle. While trying to make their way home, they meet and begin to travel with General Rokurota Makabe (Toshirō Mifune). The general is trying to transport the princess of a defeated royal family and what remains of their wealth to safe territory in secret. The peasants mostly impede his mission sometimes trying to run off with the gold. They are later joined by a farmer’s daughter (Toshiko Higuchi), whom they acquire at an inn from a slave-trader, or procurer. Together, the five make an arduous and desperate trek through enemy territory, transporting a treasure of gold that the princess and the general hope to use to rebuild the princess's military to one day retake her land and rebuild her realm.

Production

This was Kurosawa's first feature filmed in a widescreen format, Tohoscope, which he continued to use for the next decade. "Hidden Fortress" was originally presented with Perspectasound, which was re-created for the Criterion DVD release.

Influence

George Lucas has acknowledged the influence of "The Hidden Fortress" on "", particularly in the technique of telling the story from the points of view of the film's lowliest characters, C-3PO and R2-D2. [Star Wars DVD audio commentary]

The film was rated 100 percent fresh at Rotten Tomatoes. [ [http://au.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009583-hidden_fortress/ The Hidden Fortress Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes ] ]

Remake

A loose remake entitled "Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin: The Last Princess" was directed by Shinji Higuchi and released on May 10, 2008 .

References

External links

*
* " [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009583-hidden_fortress/ The Hidden Fortress] " at Rotten Tomatoes
* [http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=116&eid=125&section=essay Criterion Collection essay by Armond White]
* " [http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1958/ch005520.htm The Hidden Fortress] " ja icon at the Japanese Movie Database
* " [http://www.kakushi-toride.jp The Last Princess (remake version)] " Main Site ja icon