Shichinin Quotes

I was 18 when I saw Akira Kurosawa`s Shichinin no samurai (1954). After about 30 seconds, I realized that this was not just a cultural thing, it was universal. Years later, I read Bushido. It talked about many things that I strive for in my own life: loyalty, compassion, responsibility, the idea of looking back on your life and taking responsibility for everything you`ve ever done. I`m fascinated by the samurai and the samurai code - it`s one of the main reasons I wanted to make The Last Samurai (2003).

Before I go off and direct a movie I always look at 4 films. They tend to be: "Seven Samurai" (Shichinin no samurai (1954)); Lawrence of Arabia (1962); It`s a Wonderful Life (1946) and The Searchers (1956).