Seven Samurai returns to UK cinemas and gets a new 4K UHD release

Akira Kurosawa’s SEVEN SAMURAI, one of the greatest action films ever made, and the BFI’s best-selling Blu-ray/DVD/VHS release of all time, is released on 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) for the first time in the UK on 21 October 2024 along with a Blu-ray release. The BFI’s new presentation will have its UK premiere at BFI IMAX on 26 September as part of the BFI’s forthcoming UK-wide season ART OF ACTION and will be screened in selected cinemas in the UK and Ireland from 27 September.

The 1954 film, nominated for two Oscars and three BAFTAs, has influenced the work of directors from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg, and spawned remakes, most notably John Sturges’ acclaimed THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960). Newly restored in 4K by Toho, Japan, it had a world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2024.

Each home entertainment format will be available as a Limited Edition 2-disc set with a perfect-bound book, a set of four postcards and a double-sided poster. Special features include a newly recorded commentary and the English subtitles have been updated and improved.

When 16th-century farmers whose village is repeatedly attacked by merciless bandits ask an elderly masterless samurai (Takashi Shimura) for help, offering nothing but food in return, he hesitantly agrees, and assembles a band of warriors to defend and train the villagers. Boasting terrific performances, particularly from Shimura and Toshirô Mifune as a peasant masquerading as a samurai, the film has superb camerawork and expertly mounted battle sequences.

Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) using funds from the National Lottery, ART OF ACTION will take place at cinemas across the UK from October-December 2024. This new season celebrates the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema. ART OF ACTION will spotlight the genre through the ages, with films ranging from cult classics to lesser-known gems from around the world. Amongst the various themes, the season will explore how action films became a global phenomenon as both Eastern and Western filmmakers were inspired by each other, and the impact of such cross-cultural influences on cinema today – from SEVEN SAMURAI (1954) and THE WILD BUNCH (1969) to the POLICE STORY TRILOGY (1985-1992).

Tickets for the BFI IMAX premiere go on sale on 20 August at www.bfi.org.uk/imax