The Magnificent Seven is a 1960 American western film directed by John Sturges about a group of hired gunmen protecting a Mexican village from bandits. It is a resetting of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film, Seven Samurai.
Production
Filming began on 1 March 1960, on location in Mexico, where both the village and the US border town were built for the film. The first scene shot was the first part of the six gunfighters’ journey to the Mexican village, prior to Chico being brought into the group.
Cinematographic process
The cinematographic process was anamorphic. This process was developed in the 1940s but not widely used until the 1960s. A film with anamorphic aspect ratio appears wider (more panoramic) than when shot and projected at a ratio of 4:3 (width:height), which had been the industry standard until wide-screen formats gained popularity. This change was intended to give the cinema a look that would further distinguish it from – and give a competing edge over – television (which used the 4:3 format).
Score
The film’s score along with the main theme is by Elmer Bernstein. The score was nominated for an Academy Award in 1961. The original soundtrack was not released at the time until reused and rerecorded by Bernstein for the soundtrack of Return of the Seven. Instead electric guitar cover versions by Al Caiola in the US and John Barry in the UK were successful on the popular charts. A vocal theme not written by Bernstein was used in a trailer.
From 1963 the theme was used in commercials in the USA for Marlboro cigarettes with Victoria Bitter beer in Australia having a similar sounding but different tune. The theme was included in the James Bond film Moonraker (also from United Artists). Other uses include a passage on an album by the rock band Yes in the early 1970s; in the 2005 film The Ringer; as entrance music for the British band James, as well as episodes of The Simpsons that had a “western” theme (mainly in the episode titled “Dude, Where’s My Ranch?”).
The score was listed at #8 on AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores.
Cast
- Yul Brynner as Chris Adams
- Eli Wallach as Calvera
- Steve McQueen as Vin
- Charles Bronson as Bernardo O’Reilly
- Robert Vaughn as Lee
- Brad Dexter as Harry Luck
- James Coburn as Britt
- Horst Buchholz as Chico
- Vladimir Sokoloff as The Old Man
- Jorge MartÃnez de Hoyos as Hilario
- Rosenda Monteros as Petra
