Creative Loafing / Hidden Fortress

DVD Pick: The Hidden Fortress

By Adam Frazier

Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress has just about everything a cinephile could ask for. The characters are compelling, the story is simple yet elegantly told, and the visuals are impeccably composed within the frame.

The film begins with two hapless peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, who are fleeing the aftermath of a battle. While trying to make their way home, they encounter General Rokurota Makabe (Toshiro Mifune). The general is trying to transport Princess Yuki, played by Misa Uehara, to safe territory with the remains of her royal family’s wealth...

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