From Mr. Thompson...

You've probably heard of guys like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Alfred Hitchcock. But perhaps the most revered director of all time, the one that ALL the other directors look up to as a master of the craft, is Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Any of his films would serve as a master class on cinematic storytelling but for our purposes, we're going to look at 'Seven Samurai.' You may be familiar with its (TWO!) American remake(s), 'The Magnificent Seven.' It's said that before he sets out to direct a new film, Steven Spielberg always rewatches 'Seven Samurai.' Of course, in addition to simply enjoying this epic story of seven ronin warriors who protect a small village from a brutal warlord, we're going to look at not just WHAT Kurosawa places in the scene, but HOW he places it. How he guides your eyes by using the mise-en-scène to create dynamic shapes which highlight themes, characters, and emotional beats.

Composition and geometry are things that will seem perhaps a little intellectual at first. "I don't care about that kind of stuff," you may think. "I just want to see a good movie." But that's the point. Good composition makes for a better viewing experience. Wanna know what makes the Conjuring films so effective? A big part of it is James Wan's ability to compose elements within the frame that trigger you psychologically. The same will happen here. In addition to 'Seven Samurai' being a great story, it's also just an interesting film to look at. That may seem trivial at first but consider how Kurosawa's placement of elements within the scene -- the mise-en-scène -- helps to TELL that great story.

Enjoy Akira Kurosawa's timeless 1954 classic, "Seven Samurai."