7 samurai

the director, Akira Kurosawa, created meaning in death highlighting every single bandits demise by not effectuating the characters but focusing on the outcome of action unlike modern films. This gives the viewer a great sense of the impact of death. 
In most modern films slow motion is used to show action close up and in detail but in this piece he uses slow motion to show death and its effects on characters and surroundings. He uses a telescopic lens from far away to make things seem faster than they are. He also panned using a telescopic lens to show importance in events or characters. this was incredible filming and incredibly odd for the time. His fast paced cutting is used to keep the film in time like a drum beat.
From the 12 century to the 19th century was the slow downfall of feudal Japan and the samurai as this was the start of a peoples future and democracy. This was set during the 1500s a time when samurai and Ronin could cut down peasants as if they where ants. This film began to illustrate a more democratic future and nothing shows this better in the film than the final battles aftermath and ending. At the end it shows the aftermath of the battle short term and long term. In the short term there is sorrow for no more vengeance for fallen samurai. Yet long term the villagers are happy and the Ronin have served their purpose. yet as the camera catches the 4 graves left their is a feeling of shallowness left. Happiness amongst he people and the representation of a people's future came at the cost of the samurai. Like in reality during the 18th century when samurai had begun to serve the public as dock wardens or policemen before the eventual dying out of the samurai.  Each of the characters in the 7 samurai are an archetype of war: Yohei (the farmer) is  the fear of battle that dies as soon as rage for fallen ones ensue. Kikuchiyo is the vanity of prior won battles yet as seen vanity steeps into love for ones comrades and anger for the enemy. he also understands the peasantry struggles because he himself is one with the farmers.  Kambei is the weariness of war he understands what may happen and accepts this is a peasant victory. Katsushirō  is a young warrior who has never seen battle and only knows stories of war but when faced with loss understands sorrow and anguish.  Kyūzō is discipline respect and honour. he does not boast and even in death is silent and honourable. He is admired by Katsushirō  and is a driving force for the group who turned down helping peasants. But reconsidered and held honour high even when stooping to help peasants. Gorōbei acts as the tactician and creates a map of the area (also giving the viewer an understanding of the area.
Finally Heihachi, the spirit of war always looking on the bright side. Yet dies as the hard times start.
The film creates a vivid image of the graves on the viewer's mind. a solemn reminder of the death of the samurai and the bright future of the commoner.