The Hidden Fortress

Famously one of the main points of inspiration that George Lucas used to write the first Star Wars film, The Hidden Fortress was Akira Kurosawa chasing financial success with a big, brash action adventure after his last film, an adaptation of a Maxim Gorky play, didn’t exactly set the box office on fire. The film feels like a boys adventure story brought to life with close calls, chases, and danger around every corner. I could have done with a slightly different focus and the earlier introdu...