Kurosawa DVDs? (1 Viewer)

[Matt_P]

The Criterion Yojimbo is not bad, but not great. It's the best presentation you can currently obtain in R1, and worth picking up if you're a fan. The OAR is a bit off, and due to overscan on most TVs looks even worse (some of the credits are cut off on a TV, but on a DVD-ROM, or a monitor w/little to no overscan, the credits are intact).

I'm happy to own it.

I doubt Criterion will revisit it anytime soon, especially since they are releasing a "Samurai" box set.

 

[Ted Todorov]

But at least the R2 version's subtitles are placed within the widescreen frame. The only way to watch the Criterion on a 16:9 TV, is (heavily) window-boxed. It's the only Criterion I traded....

That is not true: I watch it on my 16:9 TV with no window-boxing. Here is the secret: a DVD player capable of doing proper scaling. On my Malata, I zoom in until the left and right edges of the picture are just at the edges of the TV's 16:9 frame, and then I shift the picture all the way to the top of the screen, so there is only one big black bar at the bottom, which can accommodate both lines of subtitles. Result: properly framed picture, 0% overscan, no problems seeing the subtitles. From what I know a Panasonic RP-91 or similar will do the same thing.
All that said, it is criminal that no one has done anamorphic DVDs of Yojimbo, Sanjuro & High and Low. What were the R2 DVD producers thinking? Non-anamorphic in 2002 is inexcusable...
Ted

 

[Ted Todorov]

Coincidently, I just ordered this version today. Can anybody comment on the quality of this (apparently 3-disc) set?

No, but you should tell if this Dersu Uzala DVD is good as soon as you get it, because it is WAY cheaper than Ruscico
Ted

 

[Jean-Michel]

All that said, it is criminal that no one has done anamorphic DVDs of Yojimbo, Sanjuro & High and Low. What were the R2 DVD producers thinking? Non-anamorphic in 2002 is inexcusable...

IIRC the BFI gave the same reason Criterion did -- Toho wouldn't give them the elements needed to do an anamorphic transfer.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Which is typical of Toho

 

[Mark_vdH]

No, but you should tell if this Dersu Uzala DVD is good as soon as you get it

Sure, but I never saw the movie, and my set-up is limited, so you'd beter ask someone else .

 

[Nathan V]

When will we ever see IKIRU?????
Does Criterion have any plans for this?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Criterion has the rights for, and plans to do everything prior to Do-des kaden

 

[Jean-Michel]

Criterion has the rights for, and plans to do everything prior to Do-des kaden

I would personally be very surprised if Criterion does everything prior to that. They made LDs for, what, 13 years, and in that time they got less than half of his pre-Do-des'kaden output. It'd be nice but some of that stuff is so obscure I can't really see Criterion doing it (The Quiet Duel?).

 

[Mike Broadman]

I bought and watched Seven Samurai last night, only to read today that there will soon be a boxed set that includes it. I will try to return or exchange it tomorrow, but I doubt they'll let me. This means I'll have to either:
1. Sell it and buy the box set, or
2. Just get all of the titles individually.
Damn me and my impatience.
I noticed something weird with the subtitles: in that scene before the big showdown, where Kitsushiro and Shino meet up and right before they finally have sex, she exclaims, according to the subtitles, "We're all going to die!" Kitsushiro responds with something like, "Not necessarily."
That dialogue never sat right with me- she seems a little too panicky and the dialogue doesn't really fit with the situation.
The trailer has the same scene, but the subtitles are different. She says, "You're all going to die," referring to the samurai, not the villagers. He says, "Not all of us." Now, this makes much more sense, as the samurai were at much more of a risk than the villagers. She was worried about him specifically, which also leads to the sex better.
Assuming the subtitles in the movie itself were wrong, I don't even want to think about what else could have been wrong. I'm tempted to learn Japanese just to watch this movie.
Anyone want to buy a brand-spankin' new DVD of Seven Samurai?
I also noticed that the spine of the case has a number 2 on the bottom. Does this have something to do with the box set?

 

[Michael Taylor]

The number 2 at the bottom means it is the second DVD in the Criterion Collection. Go to Criterion Collection to see the current list in release order.

 

[TonyE]

I doubt Criterion will revisit it anytime soon, especially since they are releasing a "Samurai" box set.

Are you referring to Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy, or to a Kurosawa boxed set?

Also, i've heard the restoration montage was taken out of the Criterion version of the Seven Samurai by Toho, is the previous version really alot worse than the Criterion version? Since this was my first time seeing the film, i have never seen any other transfers of it.

Do you think the film could ever be restored more than it is already, or would it be too costly to restore this movie to the quality of other classics that have been released on DVD? I am assuming this movie probably wasn't handled properly and that is the reason for all the film defects i still saw on the present DVD. I'm also guessing the Criterion version is the best we are going to see in the states unless you can get the Japanese release and speak Japanese....

 

[Ben Tallen]

Any word, announcement, rumor, speculation, or psychic experiences with regards to a Dreams disc that looks half-decent. I know chances are slim from the WB, but maybe region 2, or 3?

Tim, things do not look good for a DVD release of Dreams at any time soon. I don't work for WB or anything but this is a title I have searched for quite extensively. There is a laserdisc version floating around but the quality is roughly equal to the VHS I believe. Criterion has said this is one of their most requested titles but, of course, they don't own the rights to it. No idea about other regions.
Here's the online petition for a Dreams DVD if you're interested.
Ben

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Also, i've heard the restoration montage was taken out of the Criterion version of the Seven Samurai by Toho, is the previous version really alot worse than the Criterion version? Since this was my first time seeing the film, i have never seen any other transfers of it.

It's the same disc except the 2nd disc is Region 1 instead of 0 and lacks the montage. Why Toho insisted it be removed is known only to Toho.

Dreams is owned by Warner all around the world. While Fox recently issued Kagemusha in Hong Kong and the UK, neither title is currently headed to the US, and all we can get out of Warner on Dreams is that they want to restore it (translation, don't hold your breath, I'm guessing 2004-5)

 

[Lew Crippen]

It's the same disc except the 2nd disc is Region 1 instead of 0 and lacks the montage. Why Toho insisted it be removed is known only to Toho.

It is my understanding that Toho was embarrassed by a demonstration of their inability to keep a pristine print, and that it took non-Japanese to correct their oversight.

Perhaps some member in Japan will correct me, but I believe this to be no good thing.

 

[Mark_vdH]

I assumed that Toho was not happy with a R0 NTSC (and thus playable in Japan) version with restoration demonstration. I just guessed they feared potential imports.....

 

[Kirk Tsai]

I believe thedigitalbits reported not too long ago that a region 2 Kagemusha is being planned by Fox. Hope it gets to region one soon.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

"Ran" will be rereleased in the Fall by Wellspring (formerly Fox Lorber) as a "Masterworks Edition", and also as part of a limited edition boxset

I will pray that the transfer will be good, as I must have this on DVD, but the current transfer isn't very good.
This is great info, as I had not heard about this re-release! Ran is one of my favorite films!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

It's quite possible Toho was embarressed, and yes they certainly didn't like the R0 part. I believe all the transfers in the Japanese box sets are Criterions and they include the Criterion commentaries as well

The single non-box RAN won't be out till spring

The region 2 and 3 Kagemusha are out rightnow. I have the R3 sitting on my shelf right now. It's done by Fox, and I'm guessing that any US release will be the same disc with the region flipped

Print is kind-of trashed, but it's anamorphic and progressive. Lots and lots of grain is the biggest complaint, but Kurosawa seems to favor the gritty look. Fox is considering an R1 release.

 

[Matt_P]

Tony,

I was referring to Criterion's upcoming Kurosawa "Samurai Box Set," which will include the current editions of Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and The Hidden Fortress (thereby indicating that any type of re-release of these titles soon is unlikely).