FILM SCREENING
Windows on Mifune: The Hidden Fortress

This event is fully booked

The Hidden Fortress (1958) by Kurosawa Akira is the fourth instalment in Japan House London’s film season ‘Windows on Mifune’, dedicated in shedding light on the monumental career of Japanese acting icon Mifune Toshirō. This film blends elements of fairy tale with samurai action in a legacy that has exerted a major influence in cinema worldwide with George Lucas having taken inspiration from the story for the first film in his Star Wars series.

More a bracing adventure exploring the value of morality in a corrupt world than a tale of heroes, the story follows greedy peasants Matashichi (Fujiwara Kamatari) and Tahei (Chiaki Minoru) who leave their homes to make their fortunes as soldiers of the Yamana clan. They eventually cross paths with two strangers hiding in a camp who, unbeknown to the peasants, are really the famous enemy Akizuki clan general Makabe Rokurota (Mifune) and the Princess Yuki (Uehara Misa) in disguise.

The peasants agree to help them escape Yamana territory in return for gold, while the general decides to keep their identities secret. Mifune stars outstandingly in his role as the stoic general Makabe, balancing his signature overly masculine demeanour with a humorous personality that concur to make his intimidating character even more believable.

The film was also Kurosawa’s first experiment with the widescreen system of Tohoscope, which he exploited to the fullest in the rich variety of landscape locations, and it was awarded the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival.

This film is in Japanese with English subtitles. Duration: approx. 118 minutes. Please note that this movie is rated PG and is therefore not considered suitable for an audience younger than 8 years old unaccompanied.

Booking tickets

Please choose your preferred screening date and time and click on the button to book your free ticket.

Guests who are booked to attend the screening can also enjoy 10% off drinks at The Stand on their way in.