Seven Samurai (1954)
0.4943Canon Score · ranked #5 all time
Aggregated from 17 of 31 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →
About the film
A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
Why it ranks #5
Every list on which Seven Samurai appears, with its position as published.
| List | Authority | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Letterboxd Top 500 (2026-07 snapshot) | Editorial list | #5 / 500 |
| Time Out Centenary Top 25 (1995) | Critics' canon | #5 / 25 |
| Variety 100 Greatest (2022) | Critics' canon | #6 / 100 |
| TIFF Essential 100 (2010) | Editorial list | #6 / 100 |
| Time Out 100 Best (2026 ed.) | Critics' canon | #7 / 99 |
| Halliwell's Top 1000 (2005) | Critics' canon | #7 / 1041 |
| Sight & Sound Directors' 100 (2022) | Major international poll | #15 / 104 |
| Sight & Sound Critics' 250 (2022) | Major international poll | #20 / 264 |
| Village Voice 100 Best of 20th C (2000) | Critics' canon | #23 / 100 |
| DGA 80 Greatest Directorial (2016) | Critics' canon | #26 / 78 |
| Empire 500 Greatest (2008) | Editorial list | #50 / 500 |
| Cahiers du Cinéma 100 (2008) | Major international poll | #57 / 100 |
| Empire 100 Best (2025) | Editorial list | #57 / 100 |
| THR Hollywood's 100 Favorite (2014) | Critics' canon | #100 / 100 |
| Ebert Great Movies (I–IV) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| 1001 Movies (2003-2024 union) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| NYT Best 1000 Movies (2004) | Critics' canon | Selected |