Seven Samurai

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• Toshiro Mifune

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One of the great pleasures in revisiting this action-filled 1954 masterpiece is how the seven different samurai will consider the odds and adversity against them, then simply throw back their heads and laugh. They don’t look so grim and anguished as certain latter-day action heroes, although they’re both a product of and influence upon Hollywood. Toshiro Mifune stars as Kikuchiyo, an unwashed 16th-century peasant masquerading as a samurai, only grudgingly tolerated by the six real ronin defending a village against 40 bloodthirsty bandits just "for the fun of it." Kikuchiyo entertains the village children with his mimicry, connects with its adults with his earthy humor, and wins the audience with his insecurities and bluster. And, of course, he fights like "a wild dog" when the time comes. (NR) BRIAN MILLER
June 24-26, 6 p.m., 2011