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Seven Samurai - 2 Disc Special Edition??? (1 Viewer)

Peter Svensson

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According to Koreandvds the transfer is remastered, but it´s hard to find out something about a R3 edition transfer before it´s released. But if I´m not mistaken, didn´t Criterion announce that they were about to re-release this title this year? Perhaps that´s a reason to wait. I was hoping for an anamorphic release. And if you are unlucky, non of the extras has subtitles.

http://www.koreandvds.com/dvddetail.html?id=26272
 

MarcoBiscotti

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Thanks Peter, I did know about the Criterion re-release and I will be waiting for specs on that but I just found this interesting. I hope we get to see some reviews posted soon.
 

Peter Svensson

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What concerns me is that sometimes Korean editions has a very nice cover (digipackaging etc.), but the actual disks are pretty bad. I saw that there is another Korean company that sells an edition with similar specs (DD 5.1 and so on) and both the PQ and the sound are terrible. I would say that there is a risk that this is in fact an old transfer/edition with a new packaging.

The info states that it should be a remastered edition, but I bought the Korean "remastered" John Woo box set and the PQ is just awful. No way they have remastered that one.
 

Damin J Toell

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I'm glad the Criterion release is non-anamorphic and I hope any re-release stays that way. It's a 1.37:1 film and should be non-anamorphic on DVD for optimal use of active pixel area.

DJ
 

Peter Svensson

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Well, I´m not a purist so I like anamorphic widescreen releases and 5.1 soundtracks, even if it "should be" 4:3 and mono.
 

Hendrik

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"Well, I´m not a purist so I like anamorphic widescreen releases and 5.1 soundtracks, even if it "should be" 4:3 and mono."

...tsk, tsk, tsk... and shame on you...!...

. . . . . .
 

Peter Svensson

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Yes, I know it´s a "sin" here, but I´ve always felt that it´s a waste if you don´t use all the benefits of the DVD format. But of course, it´s my personal opinion.

I´m also very interested in this edition, since this movie is on top of my wanted list, but I can´t decide whether I should wait or not. I´ve contacted a local dealer, and if he imports it, I don´t think I will be able to resist.
 

Marko Berg

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What possible benefit could there be? Why would you crop off actors' heads and other important information only for the purpose of creating an anamorphic widescreen presentation of The Seven Samurai, which incidentally will use exactly the same number of pixels as a correct presentation?

Personally I don't understand this wrongful hardware worship at all. If filling a widescreen TV is so important, why buy films at all when there are demo discs and trailers that can be used to show off a system? :thumbsdown:
 

Peter Svensson

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This is getting a bit off topic now, but you don´t have to crop a movie to create a wide-screen presentation, at least not so much that you cut peoples heads off. I didn´t mean for this to be a aspect ratio discussion, I just said that I wouldn´t mind to see this movie in a anamorphic wide-screen presentation. You don´t agree and that´s fine with me.

The interesting thing for me regarding this new Korean edition is actually the packaging and possibly the transfer, although I don´t think it will be better than the Criterion transfer. I never watch extras so I don´t care if they don´t have English subtitles.
 

Gordon McMurphy

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Wait for the Criterion - it's coming, not soon, but I imagine that they will be putting in a hell of amount of effort into the transfer, video and audio restoration, extras, new translation, etc.

Anamorphically 16:9 encoding an image of less than 1.66:1 is a waste of resolution. It is more logical to transfer in 4:3.
 

Jace_A

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If you want an anamoprhic widescreen version, then you can forget about it. No distributor in their right mind would butcher a classic like Seven Samurai in this way. It's, simply, nuts.
 

Peter Svensson

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You´re most likely right, but here´s the reason why I have been waiting. I remember when I bought the Japanese Superbit edition of Dr Strangelove, I was first a bit confused about it having an aspect ratio of 4:3. I thought that all Superbits should have anamorphic wide-screen, but someone explained to me that this was the way Kubrick wanted it. Well, six months later they announced a new edition with anamorphic wide-screen.

After that I have been a little careful with buying movies that are "supposed to be 4:3". Now you´ll say that´s a big difference and you can´t compare with Strangelove and that´s probably right too, but that´s the reason why I have been holding off titles like this one.
 

andrew markworthy

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Peter, how about colorising it as well? ;)

Thanks for the info, Marco, but I think I'll wait for the new Criterion edition. The existing Criterion version is far from shabby, and I'll make do with that for the moment.
 

Julian Lalor

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Strangelove was made in variable aspect ratios, between 1.37:1 to 1.66:1. Seven Samurai was made strictly 1.37:1. You will never see an anamorphic version of this film on DVD.
 

Peter Svensson

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No, I´m beginning to realize this now. Since we are on the subject of Kurosawa, did Criterion announce that they were going to re-release more of Kurosawa´s movies? I´m thinking about titles as Rashômon, Yojimbo and Ikuru. They recently released Kagemusha I think. That could be a reason not to buy this edition, especially if there are going to be a Kurosawa box set from Criterion.
 

Mark_vdH

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Yojimbo, and also Sanjuro, are possiblities because the current dvd's of these movies are pretty poor.

There's nothing wrong with the fairly recent Ikiru and Rashomon dvd's however, and these will probably not be redone...
 

andrew markworthy

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I don't mean to side-track things, but has anyone got their copy of Kagemusha yet? I've got mine on order but have yet to receive it.
 

Ville Niemela

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Apr 13, 2005
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I have the new Korean SE, arrived just today.
By quick comparison it seems to have used the same transfer as the Toho release (Better then old Criterion)
Mono soundtrack is at really OK quality, but the 5.1 just sounds plain weird.
Generally I'm quite satisfied with this release.
Anyways, had I known earlier that the new criterion is coming this year instead of "Sometime in the future" I would have waited for it.
 

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