Findings

From Chinatown to Little Italy, the Bronx to Brooklyn, Harlem to the Heights, West Village or the East Village, Queens to Koreatown, it doesn’t matter the language being spoken, the food being cooked, or the music people are dancing to; a motorcycle in New York City fits you into any scene, both physically and culturally. Squeeze in through gridlock-packed streets to easily get through traffic and conveniently roll into a parking space just created by you, practically anywhere. In a city that everyone is trying to access, a motorcycle gives you more access than most.

Seven Samurai Promo Art

Criterion Collection Special Edition Release Promo Art for Seven Samurai.

Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made and director Akira Kurosawa’s best masterpiece. The theme of Seven Samurai revolves around the iconic form of the circle. A historic symbol of unity, from King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table to the Lion King’s, the circle of life, the circular form represents balance and equality.

At the heart of film, the circle signifies the ideal of a classless society where everyone is equal. It juxtaposes the two views of individualism versus the group mentality. Individualism is represented by the separation of people by society classes, and also relates to the idea of the ronin samurai warriors who travel alone to fend for themselves versus the ideal samurai, who fights to protect others.

Kurosawa begs the question, can the ideals of what the circle represents actually be achieved? Can a classless society actually exist in perfect balance where everyone is equal or will it always be doomed to failure where one group will inevitably always have more than the other?

Also, how does one realize the ultimate level of the ideal samurai? How does a samurai achieve that balance to complete the circle? In the story, we see samurai who focus on the benefit of the self (individualism) versus the samurai who focus on serving and protecting others (the ideal samurai).

The concept and art for this project is inspired by the philosophical significance of Kurosawa’s circular symbol.

Criterion Collection Special Edition Release Promo Art for Seven Samurai.

Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made and director Akira Kurosawa’s best masterpiece. The theme of Seven Samurai revolves around the iconic form of the circle. A historic symbol of unity, from King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table to the Lion King’s, the circle of life, the circular form represents balance and equality.

At the heart of film, the circle signifies the ideal of a classless society where everyone is equal. It juxtaposes the two views of individualism versus the group mentality. Individualism is represented by the separation of people by society classes, and also relates to the idea of the ronin samurai warriors who travel alone to fend for themselves versus the ideal samurai, who fights to protect others.

Kurosawa begs the question, can the ideals of what the circle represents actually be achieved? Can a classless society actually exist in perfect balance where everyone is equal or will it always be doomed to failure where one group will inevitably always have more than the other?

Also, how does one realize the ultimate level of the ideal samurai? How does a samurai achieve that balance to complete the circle? In the story, we see samurai who focus on the benefit of the self (individualism) versus the samurai who focus on serving and protecting others (the ideal samurai).

The concept and art for this project is inspired by the philosophical significance of Kurosawa’s circular symbol.

Drake Pickel

Here's a beautiful minimalistic black and white title sequence to captivate the eyes in a visual serenade of subtle sensuality.