Press Release Criterion Press Release: The Burmese Harp (1956) (4k UHD Combo) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

​

An Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces in Burma at the close of World War II and finds harmony through song. A private, thought to be dead, disguises himself as a Buddhist monk and stumbles upon spiritual enlightenment. Magnificently shot in hushed black and white, Kon Ichikawa’s The Burmese Harp is an eloquent meditation on beauty coexisting with death and remains one of Japanese cinema’s most overwhelming antiwar sentiments, both tender and brutal in its grappling with Japan’s wartime legacy.

FILM INFO​

• Japan
• 1956
• 116 minutes
• Black & White
• 1.37:1
• Japanese
• Spine #379
  
  

  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
  • Interviews with director Kon Ichikawa and actor Rentaro Mikuni
  • Trailer
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by critic and historian Tony Rayns
    
    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/Burmese-Harp-Criterion-Collection-UHD/dp/B0F963L5TH

https://www.amazon.com/Burmese-Harp-Criterion-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B0F96LZSJM

 

[bujaki]

Another Ichikawa masterpiece.

 

[Konstantinos]

I have seen an anime of this, I can't possibly think how they made it to a feature film that is interesting.

 

[Bartman]

Excellent movie. I remember renting the DVD from Netflix.

 

[mskaye]

I have seen an anime of this, I can't possibly think how they made it to a feature film that is interesting.

Astonishingly, they did.

 

[cinerama10]

Astonishingly, they did.

The Burmese Harp is my second all time favourite film.It was originally a two part TV series but it was edited down to a single film .Unfortunately the original missing tv footage has been lost forever.

 

[titch]

A very long time ago since I saw the Criterion LaserDisc. I never picked up the UK Eureka blu-ray so am really looking to seeing this again with a beautiful 4K transfer!