Possibly the greatest western ever made, a retelling of Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai".

Now to my nit. In some scenes, they show the sun rising behind some joshua trees. But joshua trees don't grow in Mexico, they're found only in the Mojave desert, in California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.

So what language are these people communicating in? Would the seven *all* know Spanish? or the small village of farmers *all* know English?

I know this is blasphemy, but I thought this movie really paled to Kurosawa's. Maybe if I'd seen this one first I'd appreicate it more, but having seen the original several times (uncut version mostly) before finally seeing this, I couldn't help feel it was missing an awful lot.

Actually it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for the seven to all know spanish since in the american southwest of the time period spanish was a very common language, and these guys are all well expereienced travellors. As well as mercenaries and professional gunmen in the region.

I really gotta see the kurosawa film. I've known this was a western version of it but have yet to ever see the samurai one. Course I much prefer westerns anyhow (I own most of the John wayne collection) so I'd probably still like this one anyhow.

I'm sure my appreciation is tainted by having seen Kurosawa's first. I'd probably have been blown away if Mag7 was the first one I'd seen.

A few more viewings will probably help, leveling out my expectations.

Probably. Maybe I'll feel the same if I get around to see the samurai one. I don't know.

Hey any excuse to watch a good movie like this one is a good excuse. :-)

There's also an anime adaptation, with all the weirdness that implies.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3127

Ok. That looks different. For a moment there I was afraid you meant there was an anime version of the mag7. Yul brenner in an anime. *shudders at the thought*

James Coburn in an interview told a funny story about the making of this superb motion picture.Steve McQueen was absolutely determined to gather the rest of the cast in an attempt to upstage Yul Brynner & steal the picture from out under him.The rest of the actors being very competitive,as well as ambitious were all for it...except Charles Bronson.He simply did not trust McQueen,or any of the rest of the cast for that matter.So he was going to look out for himself.Rugged individualists indeed!

Nit: When Calvera's men give them back their guns, it's clearly on a soundstage.

NANJAO: When the Old Man says, "As for women, I became indifferent when I was eighty-three.", the look on Steve McQueen's face is priceless.

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But Joshua trees don't grow in Mexico; they're found only in the Mojave desert, in California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.

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