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

Oh My.This is excellent News..I so want this set...Man i am just speechless...lol

thanks for the news

If your a fan of Akira Kurosawa this is the ultimate box set. It's available for preorder at Amazon for $299

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.

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.

 I assume the restored digital transfers are the most recent restorations that Criterion has offered and not brand-new ones (?). 

RASHOMON, I believe, is the new restoration that was undertaken by the Academy Film Archives.

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.

wow speechless is the word I was planning to se as well

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.

That's kind of what I was thinking, which makes this set even less attractive if you've kept up on your Criterions.

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

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.

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

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."

The response to this question from their Facebook page:

 It's a must have even for $299

i haven't seen any1 post any reviews on this. i actually own this set... =P. but i paid $270 instead of the now much cheaper $220!!! on deepdiscount DVD.

just FYI for any1 that haven't pulled the trigger =P.

meanwhile... do you guys know if Postwar Kurosawa has any bonus/extra material? just seems like the Eclipse sets would just be MOVIE only.

I've got the Postwar Kurosawa set and no, there is no bonus material.

i did some research and it looks like Criterion had released 15 single movie editions (with bonus) out of AK's 30 films. i'm going to borrow most of them from the library and buy the ones i'm missing.

i meant here on HTF =P.

just noticed somn interesting. High and Low's original single movie Criterion release was letterboxed, the High and Low DVD inside the AK 100 boxset is anamorphic!

All that means is that they packaged the first disc from the High and Low reissue Criterion did recently.  I would expect they did the same with Sanjuro and Yojimbo as well, not to mention Seven Samurai.  It's still going to be missing that second disc of extras.

meh? reissue? High & Low has a double discer?

apparently it doth:
http://www.criterion.com/films/543

ok, i've done some research: is this accurate?

 Akira Kurosawa Filmography

1. 1943 Sanshiro Sugata/Judo Saga (Sugata Sanshiro)
2. 1944 The Most Beautiful (Ichiban Utsukushiku)
3. 1945 Sanshiro Sugata Part II/Judo Saga Part II (Zoku Sugata Sanshiro)
4. 1945 The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (Tora no o wo fumu otokotachi)
5. 1946 Those Who Make Tomorrow (Asu o tsukuru hitobito) AK Disowned making this (also not available w/subtitles)
6. 1946 No Regrets for Our Youth (Waga seishun nu kuinashi)
7. 1947 One Wonderful Sunday (Subarashiki nichiyobi)
8. 1948 Drunken Angel (Yoidore Tenshi) Single Disc
9. 1949 The Quiet Duel (Shizukanaru ketto)
10. 1949 Stray Dog (Nora inu) Single Disc
11. 1950 Scandal (Shubun)
12. 1950 Rashomon Single Disc
13. 1951 The Idiot (Hakuchi)
14. 1952 Ikiru (Living/To Live) Double Disc
15. 1954 Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai) Three Disc
16. 1955 I Live in Fear/To Live in Fear (Ikimono no kiroku)
17. 1957 Throne of Blood (Kumo no su-jo) Single Disc
18. 1957 The Lower Depths (Donzoko) Double Disc (Renoir on the other)
19. 1958 The Hidden Fortress (Kakukshi toride no san akunin) Single Disc
20. 1960 The Bad Sleep Well (Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru) Single Disc
21. 1961 Yojimbo Single Disc
22. 1962 Sanjuro (Tsubaki Sanjuro) Single Disc
23. 1963 High and Low (Tengoku to jigoku) Double Disc
24. 1965 Red Beard (Akahige) Single Disc
25. 1970 Dodes’ka-den (Dodesukaden)
26. 1970 Dersu Uzala
27. 1980 Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) Double Disc
28. 1985 Ran Double Disc
29. 1990 Dreams (Yume)
30. 1991 Rhapsody in August (Hachigatsu no kyoshikyoku)
31. 1993 Madadayo (Not Yet)

That looks about right.  There are also the titles available through the Postwar Kurosawa Eclipse set, depending on just what it is you are trying to document here.

i'm trying to obtain ALL of the bonus/extras (for completion's sake) that is MISSING from AK 100. afaik, the Eclipse Postwar Kurosawa doesn't have any bonus/extras, correct?

as of now, i'm 2 movies away from it: High and Low and Lower Depths =). ordered but not yet here =P. when they arrive i should... "have it all" muhahahah =).

Okay, gotcha.  You can even go so far as to say that you're one movie away, High & Low.  The second disc for Lower Depths is devoted to the Renoir filmed version of the story.