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Criterion Press Release: AK 100: 25 FILMS BY AKIRA KUROSAWA

#1
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9/17/09 at 9:08am
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#2
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9/17/09 at 11:52am
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Oh My.This is excellent News..I so want this set...Man i am just speechless...lol

thanks for the news

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#3
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9/17/09 at 3:18pm
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If your a fan of Akira Kurosawa this is the ultimate box set. It's available for preorder at Amazon for $299
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#4
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9/17/09 at 4:10pm
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My goodness!

The inevitable questions -- is there a Blu-ray edition planned or in the works?
If not, I should buy this.
Better check with my bank first and see if they'll let me.


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#5
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9/17/09 at 4:17pm
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I love the idea of this set, but since I already own the latest versions of all the Criterions I'll probably have to give this a pass.
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#6
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9/17/09 at 5:51pm
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 I assume the restored digital transfers are the most recent restorations that Criterion has offered and not brand-new ones (?). 
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#7
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9/17/09 at 5:53pm
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RASHOMON, I believe, is the new restoration that was undertaken by the Academy Film Archives.

-J. Theakston

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#8
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9/17/09 at 5:58pm
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Hard to tell about the transfers, but you'd think they'd advertise if there were any new ones.  Regardless, if there are any new transfers, they're bound to come out as individuals down the road.
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#9
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9/18/09 at 4:42am
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wow speechless is the word I was planning to se as well

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#10
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9/18/09 at 5:26am
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This was brought up on another board but it's an interesting point.  With 25 films on 25 discs, does that not imply that some of the extra features discs on the current Criterion releases will be left off?  Additionally, Seven Samurai has been split over two discs on the latest remaster.  Are they jamming it all back onto one disc?  I would want to know the answer to these questions before I got myself too worked up.
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#11
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9/18/09 at 5:55am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdnitoil View Post

This was brought up on another board but it's an interesting point.  With 25 films on 25 discs, does that not imply that some of the extra features discs on the current Criterion releases will be left off?  Additionally, Seven Samurai has been split over two discs on the latest remaster.  Are they jamming it all back onto one disc?  I would want to know the answer to these questions before I got myself too worked up.

The set is modeled after the Essential Art House box; in other words, the discs are bare-bones.  The supplements have been posted on the Criterion forum:

# "The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa", a book by Stephen Prince
# Book features an introduction and notes on each film by Stephen Prince
# "Films of Akira Kurosawa," a remembrance by Donald Richie

EDIT:  From the pic, it looks like you don't get the Prince book after all.

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#12
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9/18/09 at 8:42am
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That's kind of what I was thinking, which makes this set even less attractive if you've kept up on your Criterions.
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#13
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9/18/09 at 1:29pm
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Bare-bones editions of films I already own, I have 14-15 of these already...the packaging is gorgeous and I'd love to have a remastered Madadayo, but not for $300.
 

Blu-ray I'd break the bank for

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#14
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9/18/09 at 5:56pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W View Post

My goodness!

The inevitable questions -- is there a Blu-ray edition planned or in the works?
If not, I should buy this.
Better check with my bank first and see if they'll let me.

 
Almost certainly R1 Blu-ray editions are coming as the films are even now being released on that format in Japan. Toho has 21 volumes that they will be releasing on Blu-ray in 3 sets of 7 over the next half-year or so; the first box-set of seven will be released on October 23rd., the second is now confirmed for December 18th. No doubt the last set will follow some time next year. The 4 non-Toho titles (which include Rashomon and Ran) have been licensed by Kadokawa and have already been released separately. Given all this activity, I cannot believe we in the U.S. won't see Blu-rays of all 25 of these in 2010.

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#15
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9/18/09 at 7:15pm
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one would think that sanshuro sugagta,man who treads and the most beautiful would possibly be released as a eclipse box set?

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#16
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9/19/09 at 10:51am
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Confirmation of sorts on the lack of extras from the Criterion facebook page:

"There are no supplements on the discs in the Kurosawa box. If you're one who values our special features, you may want to stick to the full Criterion special editions and supplement with the Postwar Kurosawa Eclipse set, but if you just want to immerse yourself in the life's work of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, this box is going to be a great way to do it: a gorgeous object and the most cost-effective to fill out your Kurosawa library."
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#17
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9/19/09 at 1:31pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse Brickzin View Post

one would think that sanshuro sugagta,man who treads and the most beautiful would possibly be released as a eclipse box set?
 

The response to this question from their Facebook page:

Quote:
We can't make any promises there. We'd like to get them out as singles so that anyone who has been collecting Criterion Kurosawas over time doesn't have to spring for the big box just to get four films, but our schedule is pretty jammed, so we can't say at the moment when or which of these might get separate releases. That said, we are certainly sensitive to the issue and will be taking it into account as we make the schedule.
Yesterday at 6:19pm


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#18
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9/20/09 at 7:43am
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 It's a must have even for $299
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