Upon release, The Hidden Fortress (Kakushi-toride no san-akunin, 1958) became Kurosawa Akira’s biggest box office hit to date and won several awards, including the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival. Some 20 years on, the film’s influence would have even greater impact on the world when George Lucas borrowed elements of its plot for the first of his Star Wars series. The BFI now brings this classic to both UHD and standard Blu-ray formats in August, with special features include a newly recorded commentary by Japanese film expert Tony Rayns.

A story of rival clans, hidden gold and a princess in distress, The Hidden Fortress is a thrilling mix of fairy story and samurai action movie. It was Kurosawa’s first film shot in the widescreen process TohoScope, and he exploited this to the full in the film’s rich variety of landscape locations, including the slopes of Mount Fuji.

The Hidden Fortress will be released on 4K UHD and on Blu-ray by the BFI on 18 August 2025 at the RRP of £27.99 for the UHD and £19.99 for the Blu-ray.

UHD AND BLU-RAY FEATURES:

• UHD version: Restored 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Blu-ray version: Newly restored in 4K and presented in High Definition
• Newly recorded audio commentary by Japanese film expert Tony Rayns
• BFI Screen Epiphanies: Steven Berkoff (2015, 18 mins): in a wide-ranging discussion with journalist Ian Hadyn Smith, the actor, writer and theatre director reflects on The Hidden Fortress, the talents of Mifune Toshiro and his first viewing of the film in the late 1950s
• Kurosawa Akira : It is Wonderful to Create – The Hidden Fortress (2002, 41 mins): documentary about the making of The Hidden Fortress with contributions from director Kurosawa Akira, production designer Muraki Yoshiro, actor Mifune Toshiro and script supervisor Nogami
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• George Lucas on Kurosawa Akira and The Hidden Fortress (2001, 8 mins)
• Original trailer
• Includes original Perspecta Stereophonic Sound audio track
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated booklet with a new essay on the film by Kenta McGrath, How Star Wars Conquered Cinema with the Help of The Hidden Fortress by Graham Hughes, Kurosawa on The Hidden Fortress (1964) and an original review