New "Seven Samurai" 2-Disc Criterion in the works??? (1 Viewer)

[MarcoBiscotti]

Can anyone confirm or deny:

http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=103399

If it's true, does that mean that we can expect reissues of The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro as well?

I was thinking of picking up the current boxset in the next few weeks but I just want to be sure first.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Nobody knows?

 

[JonZ]

I remember seeing something about 6 months ago about Criterion redoing SS, but havent heard anything since.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Seven Samurai should get a re-release of some sort by the end of 2004. This has been all but assured to us, as well as receiving new Kurosawa films (Stray Dog, The Lower Depths, etc.)

The Hidden Fortress is doubtful to get a new release. In the recent chat, it was mentioned that Yojimbo and Sanjuro would like to be worked on for new transfers, but nothing was said more than just that - wishful thinking.

 

[Mark_vdH]

There is no official news. Lee Kline, the technical director of Criterion was a chat guest a week ago, and (of course) he was asked about Seven Samurai. From the chat transcript:


The 'problem' with the 'new subtitles theory' is that Criterion also holds the theatrical right to these movies: it could be that the new translations have been made just for theatrical re-issues. I would bet that The Hidden Fortress will not be re-issued anytime soon, simply because the current edition looks quite spectacular - especially in relation to the other Criterion Kurosawa releases.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Hopefully, we will see a remastered 2-disc of Seven Samurai later in the year, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I'm sure it will come eventually.

What would be great would be if Criterion could release Sword Of Doom at some point. Brilliant Samurai film.

And I wish that Image would anamorphically remaster Chushingura.

 

[oscar_merkx]

if this turns out to be a 2 disc edition, the what kind of supplements are we likely to see ?

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

I think that this needs to be a 2-disc this time around due to the length of the film. 206 minutes over two layers is a bit dodgy. Recent Criterion encodings have averaged around 8-9 mbps. The film would most likely be split at the interval.

I'm sure that Criterion would keep the commentary from the current edition and add new features. What they may be, who knows. I'm sure there are some great SS-related materials out there.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I just hope that if Criterion reissues this as a 2-discer, they manage to do so in a context that will still make it possible to package the DVD along with the other 3 current films in that great looking boxset with the same cover art...

Btw, is this the only Kurosawa Criterion proposed for rerelease?

 

[andrew markworthy]

A 2-disc set of SS would be great, but I'd sooner have the present Criterion SS and more Kurosawa titles than a reissue of SS and fewer new Kurosawa titles. I'd love a good quality print of Madadayo, but that's hoping for too much I guess (am I the only person on HTF who prefers Kurosawa's contemporaraneous domestic works like Ikiru to his samurai movies?).

 

[KevA]

To andrew: No you are not. I watched Rhapsody in August recently (for the first time in several years) and it is truly amazing. Kurosawa's cinematic artistry -- the power and the emotion conveyed -- is something else in this film. I also rate "The Bad Sleep Well" above Seven Samurai and the other "conventional" favorites usually listed. It is another superb film...and there are so many more, as you know.

(There is no reason to re-release Hidden Fortress; the transfer is excellent.)

 

[dannyB]

Here's hoping for re-releases of "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro" with anamorphic transfers as well. Please, Criterion.