The Hidden Fortress

Japan Release: 1958
Running Time:
139 minutes

The Hidden Fortress


Japanese Title

 隠し砦の三悪人
[Kakushi Toride no San Akunin]

Distributor: Production:

Toho
Toho

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Live Action

Box Office - Stock Footage - DVDs - CDs - Pictures - Background - Concept Art - Cut Scenes - Reviews

Titles

International Title

The Hidden Fortress

Initial US Title

The Hidden Fortress
US Distributor: Albex (1962) / Time: 126 Minutes

Alternate Titles

The Three Villains of the Hidden Fortress
[Literal translation]

 


Staff

Cast

Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Writing credits Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Ryuzo Kikushima, Hideo Oguni
Produced by Akira Kurosawa, Sanezumi Fujimoto
Music by Masaru Sato
Cinematography by Kazuo Yamasaki
Film Editing by Akira Kurosawa
Production Design by Kohei Ezaki, Yoshiro Muraki
Assistant Directors Samaji Nonagase, Yoshimitsu Banno, Yoichi Matsue, Ken Sano, Yasuyoshi Tajitsu, Masahiro Takase
Rokurota Makabe, General Toshiro Mifune
Yukihime, Princess Misa Uehara
Tahei, Peasant Minoru Chiaki
Matakishi, Peasant Kamatari Fujiwara
Izumi Nagakura, Elderly General Takashi Shimura
Heiei Tadokoro, General Susumu Fujita
Old Lady-in-Waiting Eiko Miyoshi
Farmer's Daughter, Sold as a Slave Toshiko Higuchi
Samurai Shiten Ohashi
Slave Trader Kichijiro Ueda
Gambler Ikio Sawamura
Yamana Soldiers Ichiro Chiba, Shoichi Hirose, Niyoshi Kumaya, Makoto Sato
Injured Fleeing Samurai Takeshi Kato
Old Man in Front of Sign Kokuten Kodo
Akisuki Soldiers Yoshio Kosugi, Ryu Kuze, Haruo Nakajima
Yamana Samurai Masayoshi Nagashima, Etsuro Nishijo
Magistrate of the Bridge Barrier Toranosuke Ogawa
Guards Koji Mitsui, Yu Fujiki, Takeo Obugawa, Yutaka Sada
Captured Foot Soldier Sachio Sakai
Potential Slave Buyers Yoshifumi Tajima, Nakajiro Tomita
Captured Soldier Akira Tani
Samurai on Horseback Minoru Ito, Shin Otomo, Shigemasa Kanazawa, Haruya Sakamoto, Haruo Suzuki, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Hiroyoshi Yamaguchi
- Senkichi Omura
- Tadao Nakamaru
- Rinsaku Ogata


Posters


DVDs and Blu-rays

United States Region 1 The Hidden Fortress Criterion (2001) Order
United States Region 1 Essential Art House: The Hidden Fortress Criterion (2006) Order
Japan Region 2 Three Bad Men in a Hidden Fortress Toho (2003)
Australia Region 4 The Hidden Fortress Madman (2004)
United States Blu-Ray The Hidden Fortress Criterion (2014) Order

Background and Trivia

  • Toho submitted the film to the US copyright office on June 7th, 1984 with the registration number PA0000221705. The titles used were the international title, The Hidden Fortress, and also the Japanese title as "Kakushi Toride no San Akunin".
  • Director Akira Kurosawa stated the film was designed as pure entertainment. Mentioned in Japanese Cinema (ISBN: 9783822831564)
  • Actress Akiko Wakabayashi originally auditioned for the part of the princess before the role went to Misa Uhera. Noted in Age of the Gods (self-published).
  • Was remade 50 years later as Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess (2008).