The Hidden Fortress (DVD, 2001, Criterion Collection)

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Description

During a civil war in 16th-century feudal Japan, two cowardly farmers (Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara) stumble upon Makabe (Toshirô 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.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 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.