Kurosawa dvds

[Bill Carson]

  hola Amigos! ok, so I read recently that there are some planned new editions of the classic Akira Kurosawa films, The Seven Samurai, Yojimbo and possibly The Hidden Fortress. does anyone have any further information?

[The Smoker]

Criterion do the best prints out side of Japan. Maybe there going back to the earlier 1999/2000 titles.

Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Hidden Fortress all fall into that catergory.

Red Beard, Rashomon, Ikiru have had better treatments recently.

Maybe 'They who Step On Tigers Tail, Dersu Uzala,The Quiet Duel & Sugato Sanshiro. will get proper releases in the west.

[shorty larsen]

You can already find those DVDs on Amazon.fr

[klaatu]

Anyone knows if his early masterpiece'Terminal Station' DVD came out?

[The Smoker]

Do you mean Indiscertion of an American Wife & Terminal Station??

Don't recall that Koursawa fim

[klaatu]

Do you mean Indiscertion of an American Wife & Terminal Station??

Don't recall that Koursawa fim

Sorry What I meant was 'Drunken Angel' I don't know why I put that title. Just mixed up with something other in my mind.

[The Smoker]

Actually There is some connection with a Terminal Station with Drunken Angel... or was it Stray Dog?? Anyways


You can get... well almost... all of his movies on DVD from  Mei Ah, a Hong Kong company. The prints go from average to excellent.
But.. Apparently the Japanese dialogue was translated into Chinese, then the Chinese translated into English. I think you can work out the result of this.  quite amusing results in places.
it tends to the more simple straight forward stuff that  gets tied in knots. More detailed dialogue seems to be fine.

But they are super cheap on ebay as a plus. i bought a few about a year ago (2 for £10)



Mei Ah releases

SEVEN SAMURAI (already available from Criterion)
NO REGRETS FOR OUR YOUTH
IKIRU (available from Criterion)
STRAY DOG ( soon available from Criterion)
DRUNKEN ANGEL
SANSHIRO SUGATA
SHANSHIRO SUGATA II
ONE WONDERFUL SUNDAY
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
SANJURO (already available Criterion)
YOJIMBO (already available Criterion)
THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (already available Criterion)
DODESKADEN
RECORD OF A LIVING BEING
HIGH AND LOW (available from Criterion)
THE LOWER DEPTHS (available from Criterion)
THE BAD SLEEP WELL (available from Criterion)
THRONE OF BLOOD (already available Criterion release)
THEY WHO STEP ON A TIGER'S TAIL
RED BEARD (available from Criterion)


P.S. Thanks Shorty ive been looking for a Copy of Dersu Uzala.

[Nobody]

Get the korean release of Dersu Uzala! It's a 3 disc special edition including both the original russian cut of the film, plus the american. Amazing.

By the way, the only Kurosawa films I haven't got are "The Quiet Duel" and "Those Who Make Tomorrow". Anyone know if they have ever been released. If so, where and and how can i get them.

[Nobody]

In America, Criterion holds the rights to every Kurosawa film thorugh Dodes'kaden, but both Sanshiro Sugata and Dodes'kaden have been postponed indefinately due to element damages. They recently released Stray Dog, and will release The Lower Depths in short time. New subtitles also been written for Drunken Angel, The Bad Sleep Well, and I Live In Fear. I recently sent a mail to Criterion, asking if they had any plans to release either Those Who Make Tomorrow or The Quiet Duel (they're the only ones I can't track down), but there are no plans at this stage. Also, there are no plans for re-releases of early titles.

[The Smoker]

I think their running low on good prints. Stray Dog is not suppose to up to there normal print standards.
My Hong Kong copy of sanshiro sugata is not that bad condition for a 1944 movie.
Actually i kinda like dirt. as long as the image is in focus, and clear.

[Nobody]

Stray Dog didn't look that bad, at least it was better than the UK dvd. My hk dvd of Bad Sleep Well looks quite good, so I have high hopes for Criterions treatment of that on.

[almulock]

In the Uk it's BFI that realese them I have a couple of them(yojimbo,seven samurai,Throne of Blood)they are all brilliant prints but they don't have much in the way of extras .Although Yojimbo does have a full length commentry track I think but I haven't heard it.

[boardwalk_angel]

I just watched the Criterion release of "The Bad Sleep Well"......devastating film.
Great transfer..digitally restored...new & improved English subs..a 33 minute documentary on the making of the movie..a terrific booklet w/ essays by film critic Chuck Stephens and director Michael Almereyda.
Wow...what a movie.
I have no doubt that Sergio Leone loved & learned from this movie, too....& composer Masaru Sato's (Yojimbo..Sanjuro..among many others) influences on Morricone   are as noticeable as ever.

[Leone Admirer]

Just to say that this year Criterion are re-releasing their Seven Samurai disc with a new transfer, translation and a lot more extras on a second disc.

[The Firecracker]

Just to say that this year Criterion are re-releasing their Seven Samurai disc with a new transfer, translation and a lot more extras on a second disc.

will they number it? will it be considered as another criterion?