Kurosawa admitted that he didn’t retain many American films. When he did watch John Sturges’ adaptation of his script, he felt that it was far enough removed that it couldn’t even be considered an adaptation. Perhaps Kurosawa felt that his film was too closely tied to feudal Japan to be considered adaptable. The director admitted:
“The American copy is a disappointment, although entertaining. It is not a version of ‘Seven Samurai.’ I do not know why they called it that. Oh, but I do enjoy some American films. […] But I do not remember their titles. I am partial to European films.”
Kurosawa then mentioned that he enjoyed the films of Federico Fellini and Vittorio De Sica. He also liked the work of American director Elia Kazan and Albert Lamorisse’s celebrated French short film “The Red Balloon.” One had to admire Kurosawa’s dismissive attitude; he’d certainly earned the right to brush off films that didn’t concern him.
Kurosawa’s comments contradict other stories about his reception to “The Magnificent Seven,” however. According to William V. Costanzo’s 2014 book “World Cinema Through Global Genres,” Kurosawa watched “The Magnificent Seven” and immediately sent Sturges a samurai sword as a gift, presumably because the director was so impressed with Sturges’ work.
Kurosawa frequently saw his films remade in his lifetime. Famously, Sergio Leone’s “A Fistful of Dollars” ripped off his 1961 film “Yojimbo” without asking permission. “Yojimbo” also inspired “Django,” “The Warrior and the Sorceress,” Albert Pyun’s “Omega Doom,” and Walter Hill’s “Last Man Standing.” Most recently, Oliver Hermanus adapted Kurosawa’s classic “Ikiru” into the drama “Living.”
Kurosawa passed in 1998, but, as mentioned, his film continue to inspire new screenwriters all over the world. It will be hard, however, to ever truly top “Seven Samurai.”
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