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In the aftermath of World War II, the movies of Akira Kurosawa were amongst the first to present Japanese history and customs to the world. Kurosawa's 1954 movie The Seven Samurai is about a small village under siege by bandits. So they employ a motley crew of travelling warriors to protect them.
This is the movie that launched the Samurai into popular culture. It redefined action movies of the day with it's expansive battle shots, slow motion sequences and powerful symbolic elements. And the plot cast a huge influence on modern western cinema - inspiring a variety of movies, ranging from The Magnificent Seven (1960) to A Bug's Life (1998).
Extras: Surprisingly few on the actual disc but there is an excellent booklet-essay by David Stratton.
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Films on SBS TV
Friday, 24th May
23:05
Manual Of Love 2
Monica Bellucci leads a host of good-looking Italian actors in this heart-warming, comical anthology of four interconnected tales of love. A radio DJ invites listeners to call in and tell their love stories. What follows are the stories of four different kinds of relationships. Directed by Giovanni Veronesi and also stars Carlo Verdone, Riccardo Scamarcio and Sergio Rubini. (From Italy, in Italian) (Romantic Comedy) (2007) (Rpt) M (S,L,N,V)
00:15
Empire Of The Wolves
Jean Reno stars in this fast paced action thriller in the vein of The Bourne Identity. Two police officers scour the underworld of Paris to investigate a series of brutal murders. The case leads them to a mysterious Turkish far-right group called the Grey Wolves. Directed by Chris Nahon, and also stars Arly Jover and Jocelyn Quivrin. (From France, in French and Turkish) (Thriller) (2005) (Rpt) MAV (V)
Saturday, 25th May
21:30
Snowtown
Based on true events, 16-year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighbourhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder. Winner of six Australian Film Institute awards in 2012, including Best Direction. Directed by Justin Kurzel and stars Lucas Pittaway, Bob Adriaens and Louise Harris. (From Australia) (Mystery/Crime) (2011) MAV (A,V,L) CC
23:45
Out Of The Blue
A powerful and haunting film based on the Aramoana massacre of 1990 where local recluse David Gray shot 13 people dead before going into hiding on the outskirts of the small New Zealand seaside village. As he stalked his victims the terrified and confused residents were trapped in the village for 24 hours while a handful of under-resourced and underarmed local policemen risked their lives trying to find him and save the survivors. Directed by Robert Sarkies and stars Karl Urban, Matthew Sunderland and Lois Lawn. (From New Zealand) (Drama) (2006) (Rpt) MAV (V)
Sunday, 26th May
23:45
Noise
The community is left reeling after a multiple shooting on a suburban train in Melbourne's inner-west. A young cop, beset with doubt and afflicted with tinnitus, is pitched into the chaos that follows this tragic event. He struggles to clear the noises in his head while all around him deal with the fallout of the crime. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema) at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Matthew Saville and stars Brendan Cowell, Maia Thomas and Henry Nixon. (From Australia) (Drama) (2007) (Rpt) MA (V,L) CC
Monday, 27th May
00:05
Death Note
A law student, disillusioned by the justice system, gets hold of a mystical notebook that gives him the power to kill by writing down a victim's name. He starts to bring criminals to justice himself by killing them using the notebook. A dark fantasy based on a successful manga series that was a huge box office success in Japan. Directed by Shusuke Kaneko and stars Tatsuya Fujiwara, Asaka Seto and Kenichi Matsuyama. (From Japan, in Japanese) (Thriller) (2006) (Rpt) M (H,V)
Tuesday, 28th May
23:05
Matchmaker, The
During the summer of 1968, young Arik Burstein goes to work for a matchmaker who has survived the Holocaust. As Arik begins to learn the personal stories of his new clients, he comes to appreciate the restorative power of love. Nominated for the Gold Hugo for Best Feature at the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival. Directed by Avi Nesher and stars Adir Miller, Maya Dagan and Tuval Shafir. (From Israel, in Hebrew) (Romance) (2010) M (S,L)
Wednesday, 29th May
23:10
Caramel
Lebanon's official entry at the 2008 Academy Awards takes a vibrant and intricate look at the lives and relationships of five Christian and Muslim women who work at, and frequent, a Beirut beauty salon. Directed by and stars Nadine Labaki. Also stars Yasmine Al Masri, Joanna Moukarzel and Gisele Aouad. (From France, in Arabic) (Drama) (2007) (Rpt) M (A)
00:55
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance
Beautiful Lee Guem-ja is finally out of jail after thirteen years imprisonment for the kidnap and murder of a six-year-old boy. She can now start to seek revenge on the man who was really responsible for the boy's death. But will her actions lead to the relief she seeks? Nominated for Best Asian Film at the 2006 Hong Kong Film Awards. Directed by Park Chan-wook and stars Lee Yeong-ae, Choi Min-sik and Tony Barry. (From South Korea, in Korean) (Drama) (2005) (Rpt) MAV (V,S)
Thursday, 30th May
00:05
Grbavica
A powerful, understated look at post-war Sarajevo with a single mother's struggle to survive her personal demons and raise a teenage daughter in a city broken and scarred by conflict. Winner of the Golden Bear at the 2006 Berlin International Film Festival. Directed by Jasmila Zbanic and stars Mirjana Karanovic, Luna Mijovic and Leon Lucev. (From Germany, in Bosnian) (Drama) (2006) (Rpt) MA (L)
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