Stars: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Takashi Shimura, Eiko Miyoshi, Susumu Fujita

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Summary: During a civil war in 16th-century feudal Japan, two cowardly farmers (Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara) stumble upon Makabe (Toshiro Mifune), a fierce army general. Escaping from hostile territory, General Makabe embarks on a mission to rescue both Yukihime (Misa Uehara), the willfull princess of his ruling house, and the royal fortune. In the selfish hopes of finding the gold, the two misfits accompany the hardened soldier through dangerous mountain passes.<BR>In addition to its status as one of Akira Kurosawa's finest films, THE HIDDEN FORTRESS is especially notable for its influence on director George Lucas's STAR WARS. Lucas admittedly borrowed much from Kurosawa's lighthearted epic; the two bickering misfits were likely the inspiration for R2-D2 and C-3PO, while Princess Leia was largely patterned after the feisty Lady Yukihime. Both Luke Skywalker and Han Solo contain elements of General Makabe, but neither character matches Mifune's disciplined ferocity.

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In one of the many classic collaborations between director Akira Kurosawa and his leading man Toshirô Mifune, this 1958 film tells the story of a warrior and a princess trying against all odds to return to their homeland with their fortune. Along the way, they are simultaneously assisted and thwarted by two itinerant and not-too-bright farmers with their own designs on the treasure, giving the story a subtle comic bent. Acknowledged by George Lucas as the inspiration for Star Wars(note the similarities, especially the comic duo who are the models for R2D2 and C3PO), Hidden Fortresscombines an epic tale of struggle and honour with modern comic sensibilities, creating a masterful addition to world cinema. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com

Aspect Ratio:	16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	Japanese
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Interview With George Lucas About Akira Kurosawa
Subtitles:	English
Year:	1958
Release Date:	March 25, 2002
Runtime:	138 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B F I V D 506
Keywords:	Men, Subtitled, Bad, Forest, General, Wide, Screen, Three, Hidden, Fortress, Rascals, San, Drama, Japanese, Akunin, Kakushi, Toride
Genre:	Drama