The Hidden Fortress

Greg_S_H · 07-20-2007, 05:18 PM

Has there only been one US release of the Hidden Fortress DVD? I thought I remembered hearing about it being rereleased with a new, better translation, but I can't find any old threads about it.

Lord Dalek · 07-20-2007, 11:14 PM

Only the Criterion release is available.

Can't see why the film would need a different translation though, the current Hoaglund one is fine.

Greg_S_H · 07-20-2007, 11:28 PM

If that's the original Criterion release, the translation is severely lacking. "This sucks!" "Shitworms." Ugh.

mike kaminski · 07-22-2007, 06:17 PM

Well, Hoglund's translations have drawn some flack for their deviation from LITERAL translations, in a lot of ways they are more faithful to the original scripts. Although I'm not positive that Hoglund did this release anyway. I certainly hadn't heard anything about this release being re-issued--theres other R2 non-Criterion versions IIRC. Criterion implied it might get around to redoing some of its poorer early efforts the way they did with Brazil and Yojimbo but as far as Kurosawa is concerned High and Low is the most paramount film in need of re-issuing.

Lord Dalek · 07-23-2007, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike kaminski

Well, Hoglund's translations have drawn some flack for their deviation from LITERAL translations, in a lot of ways they are more faithful to the original scripts. Although I'm not positive that Hoglund did this release anyway. I certainly hadn't heard anything about this release being re-issued--theres other R2 non-Criterion versions IIRC. Criterion implied it might get around to redoing some of its poorer early efforts the way they did with Brazil and Yojimbo but as far as Kurosawa is concerned High and Low is the most paramount film in need of re-issuing.

Yeah, the current disc is a bit lacking in extras but the transfer is excelent and Perspecta is included.

And on the subject of vulgarities, they're peseants, they're supposed to lack refinement!

**HTF Ads**

Greg_S_H · 07-23-2007, 12:20 PM

I don't care about that, but it's a period piece and "this sucks" is ridiculous. It's been a long time since I watched the disc, but I think there were other anachronisms. "What did the Japanese audience hear in 1958" is what I'd like to come closest to as possible in a translation.

mike kaminski · 07-23-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H

I don't care about that, but it's a period piece and "this sucks" is ridiculous. It's been a long time since I watched the disc, but I think there were other anachronisms. "What did the Japanese audience hear in 1958" is what I'd like to come closest to as possible in a translation.

Well, it is worth considering that use of words like "shit" and the like may very well be what audiences literally heard; for instance, Mifune in Seven Samurai--again meant to be a vulgar peasant--I believe uses the word "fuck" (or its Japanese approximation), and you must also consider that Kurosawa was not using archaic period prose in most of his films but rather contemporary characterisation and dialog (most apparent in Yojimbo--though Throne of Blood is certainly the most "authentic" in period IIRC).

Also, Hoglund did not translate the Criterion Hidden Fortress--looking at the liner notes in the DVD the english subtitles are credited to a "Fumiko Takagi".

Edward Weinman · 07-23-2007, 02:04 PM

Just a note:

Hidden Fortress was televised in hi-def on the Voom channel: World Film (...I think that's what it is called...)

It looked spectacular!



Skin Chooser:	Contact Us - Advertising Information - Home Theater Forum - Archive - Top