:

Behind the scenes of Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress.

“In 1981, we visited George Lucas’s enormous studios… At the studio entrance stood R2D2 and C3PO, the robot pair inspired by a pair of farmers in The Hidden Fortress. Someone evidently told Lucas that Kurosawa had come to collect a copyright fee for their use. On hearing that, Kurosawa hastily told Lucas, ‘No, no!’ adding with a smile, ‘Please use them all you like.’” – Teruyo Nogami