New Seven Samurai and more Kurosawa from Criterion? (1 Viewer)

[Jon Robertson]

Kevin - we're discussing the recent cinema re-releases that Janus Films and Cowboy Pictures did of a bunch of Kurosawa films starring Toshiro Mifune, including Seven Samurai. They all had new subtitle translations by Linda Hoaglund.

If the new Hoaglund version does indeed contain phrases like

"Cut the racket, you little brats. There's no rice. Quit yapping. All right, listen here, you little piss-pants. This is all the rice there is. If we give you any more, we'll get all... (mimics fainting) That's how it is. Say, any of you got a pretty sister?"

then I would much rather put up with an inferior transfer (which is by no means poor in the first place) than subtitles that irritate the hell out of me.

I'm very glad I kept my Criterion copy of The Killer for this exact reason - the transfer may be inferior to HKL's version, but the subtitles are so much better (not to mention the original mono tracks over the botched 5.1 remix on HKL's disc with music cues all over the place), I'd choose the Criterion any day.

 

[Kevin M]

Ah, sorry. I thought you guys were referring to the DVD's as that was the basic topic of the thread.

 

[Jason Hennigan]

We are refering to the DVDs Kevin.

The translation which was done for the Kurosawa-Mifune Retrospective late last year is the translation which will probably be used on the DVD.

There is no translation difference between the first edition of Seven Samurai (the one coded Region 0 which includes the restoration demo) and second edition (Region 1 without the restoration demo).

 

[Joseph Young]

Jason,

Thanks for clarifying. I purchased the Kurasawa set from Criterion already. My Seven Samurai box is actually for the first edition, but the disc inside is for the second edition. Kind of strange.

I have a 'serviceable' knowledge of Japanese but I have a harder time making out the dialogue Seven Samurai, for one main reason: audio quality. It's imperative that the subs convey the proper meaning for me. If the Hoaglund subtitles (as exampled above) are really as awful as the examples given, I'll keep my original DVD thanks.

If there's anything I can't stand, it's homogenized, watered down, 'play to the masses' colliquialisms in classic foreign cinema. Yuch.

~j

 

[Kevin M]

We are refering to the DVDs Kevin.

........
No, I think I've been able to piece together what the hell you guys were referring to. You are concerned that any "New" DVD will contain these newer translations used in last years theatrical roadshow, right?
I think Criterion might just go the way of Thrown of Blood (using two different translations) if we raise enough of a stink.

 

[Damin J Toell]

No, I think I've been able to piece together what the hell you guys were referring to. You are concerned that any "New" DVD will contain these newer translations used in last years theatrical roadshow, right?

This issue has actually been under discussion since the very first post in this thread. The article linked to in that post says: "The new subtitles, laser-printed onto newly restored prints for a traveling retrospective of Kurosawa films starring Mifune Toshiro, are scheduled for release on DVD." The new subtitles are the entire basis for that article and, hence, this thread. I don't know why everyone is confused all of a sudden.

DJ

 

[Kevin M]

This issue has actually been under discussion since the very first post in this thread.

Yes and wasn't again mentioned until the 2nd page of the thread, the bulk of the discussion was regarding DVD. Being a rather old thread I didn't bother to go back and reread it, so when I didn't understand what Jason was referring to (and because of that I misunderstood some of the other responses) I got two completely different answers when I asked what it was about, hence my initial confusion. That is no longer the case but gosh, thank's for your concern Damin.

 

[Brook K]

Having just seen the new print of Seven Samurai Saturday night, I can confirm it contains the above phrases exactly as Jon quoted. It also includes lots of "jerks" and multiple uses of profanity.

 

[Carrol]

I didn't read this whole thread to see if this had been posted previously or not...

http://www.cowboypictures.com/seven_sam/schedule.htm

That's the schedule for the new print of SEVEN SAMURAI that's circulating the country. It will be in my city next weekend, couldn't be more stoked.

Can you guys imagine this as the cover of a possible Criterion re-release?

Such beauty...

http://216.168.37.61/posteritati/FMP...12620850&-find

 

[TonyE]

If they don't include the original literal translation on the new dvd, i will be dissapointed. I actually wouldn't mind having the new translation to watch once or twice, but in the end i will most likely want to go back to the literal translation. But i really want the new transfer! If they include two subtitle options like Throne of Blood has, from what i hear, then i'll be a happy camper.

With the phrase "laser printed onto the new transfer" - doesn't that mean us getting two options will be highly unlikely?

 

[Jason Hennigan]

The Cowboy Picture poster for Seven Samurai is definitely very cool.

I had been planning on getting one, but backed off when I saw the price they were going for.