Film society to show Kurosawa classics

The Virginia Festival Film Society and Vinegar Hill Theater are presenting a treat for film buffs — a summer-long film series on Japanese director Akira Kurosawa and actor Toshira Mifune, whom author David Shipman calls “the greatest actor-director team in film history.” The series of films, which is being circulated nationally by Cowboy Pictures, highlights their samurai masterpieces, “Seven Samurai” and “Yojimbo,” as well as the brilliant forays into film noir, “Stray Dog” and “High and Low,” and the film that inspired “Star Wars,” “The Hidden Fortress.”

Each of the films will screen twice: Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Vinegar Hill Theater. Admission is $7.50 or $6.50 for Film Society
members.

June 11-12: “Yojimbo” (photo at right)

June 25-26: “The Bad Sleep Well”

July 9-10: “The Hidden Fortress”

July 23-24: “Stray Dog”

Aug. 6-7: “Drunken Angel”

Aug. 20-21: “Seven Samurai” (Note: the Thursday screening will be at 6 p.m.)