Press Release Criterion Press Release: Fires on the Plain (1959) (4k UHD Combo) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

​

An agonizing portrait of desperate Japanese soldiers stranded in a strange land during World War II, Kon Ichikawa’s Fires on the Plain is a compelling descent into psychological and physical oblivion. Denied hospital treatment for tuberculosis and cast off into the unknown, Private Tamura treks across an unfamiliar Philippine landscape, encountering an increasingly debased cross section of Imperial Army soldiers, who eventually give in to the most terrifying craving of all. Grisly yet poetic, Fires on the Plain is one of the most powerful works from one of Japanese cinema’s most versatile filmmakers.

FILM INFO​

• Japan
• 1959
• 104 minutes
• Black & White
• 2.39:1
• Japanese
• Spine #378
  
  

  4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES​

  • New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Introduction by Japanese-film scholar Donald Richie
  • Program featuring interviews with director Kon Ichikawa and actor Mickey Curtis
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Chuck Stephens
    
    Cover by Michael Boland
    
    
    August 5, 2025

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

https://www.amazon.com/Fires-Plain-Criterion-Collection-UHD/dp/B0F96RGHRZ

 

[bujaki]

A flat-out masterpiece.

 

[lark144]

A flat-out masterpiece.

Absolutely, but not something I ever need to see again. For people interested in the extremes of compositions and contrast, both photo chemical and creative, found in b&w scope, it's essential, beyond the performances, screenplay and themes. We studied it at NYU, frame by frame. Extraordinary in so many ways, and yes, arguably his greatest film, but as Shirley Maclaine once said to me, when she asked whether she should see DEAD RINGERS, I'm in a fragile consciousness these days.

 

[Dick]

Finally, another DVD in Criterion's vast catalog of never-upgraded titles gets an upgrade! What a gorgeous, terrifying film! I've been lobbying for this (although please from just this one fan dude probably did not lead to this release) for years, along with...

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE
BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET
Z
FIEND WITHOUT A FACE
TESTAMENT OF ORPHEUS
DAY OF WRATH
etc.

Also, other Kaiju titles from the Toho collection:

MATANGO
THE MYSTERIANS
H-MAN
etc.

Plus, along the foreign-language lines, I'd love to see the label acquire and release:

THE COLOR OF PARADISE
KING OF MASKS
JU DOU
FIORILE
SOLDIER OF ORANGE
SPETTERS
BARAN
BLACK RAIN (JAPAN)
MEMORY OF A KILLER
etc.

 

[titch]

A flat-out masterpiece.

Fires on the Plain and Come and See are the most unforgettable anti-war films.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Preorder is live. See second post