I'd get rid of my Criterion for this if everything is confirmed - this could be the ultimate edition of this film. 8)
It is a 2 disc set plus a photobook, and appears to contain the R1 extras (commentary) and has been given a proper digital clean-up/remaster. There are some more extras too.
Yeah me too. However Romero (on the Import forums) has accused this of being a boot (why would a legit retailer such as Yes Asia knowingly sell boots?) because according to him Criterion extras (the commentary in this case) are exclusive to them and can't be ported over. Their SS DVD is very old, maybe the rights have changed?
Also I'm told the Interview with Kurosawa has no English subs, and keep hearing Criterion will release the film again (maybe this year), What to do!? :mrgreen:
Is it the same commentator? This has been brought up before but IMO who cares. If the packaging and DVD quality as the same/as good/better does it really matter?
It's more likely it's a legit DVD but the source material maybe isn't. It's definitely not a bootleg in the strictest sense. The only proof of Criterion re-releasing this some years ago now was a new subtitle stream being created. That's hardly proof in my book.
Personally I would get this or the R4 and not bother waiting for a DVD we have no real idea is even being created.
Even if the interview has no English subs it still looks much nicer to me than the Criterion but then again is it just packaging making it better? I'd prefer the R4 over the Criterion for the better AV.
Lastly the part about Criterion only ever owning their own material is a load of bollocks look at Armageddon and The Rock, both have Criterion extras but aren't Criterion DVDs.
Even if you were to say Miramax (Armageddon and The Rock) have a special deal what about Anchor Bay's Halloween SE which has the Criterion commentary and (I think) Making Of.
I'm not sure whether just the packaging makes it better?. Thats why I said I'd like to see a screenshot comparison with the Criterion. The packaging and extras make this one better IMO. Also I wonder what the subtitles are like? The subs on Mei Ah's Kurosawa DVDs for example are horrible.
Yes it is the same commentator as the Criterion, Michael Jeck.
SEVEN SAMURAI (1953, Kurosawa) - announced at AMMI talk (Nov 2004), new subtitles have been done.
So apparently it was announced along with a remastered "High and Low". Rumor has it that the movie will be split over two discs, which would really be excellent for a movie of its length.
Yeah thats' true, while Criterion did a fine conisdering the first release is an early DVD, the first release suffers being squeezed onto 1 disc.
It would be cool if Criterion really did release it.
Well nearly all the other Boots from Korea are not legal at all, but somehow can be sold I have been stung many times from cheap crap boots, they dont even have the screen shots on the back of the box from the right film silly buggers, but hey if its a great version then yes its worth it I guess, but if its just a port of the Criterion edition its not as the new version is coming thats for sure its Criterions Flagship film and a new dvd set will come, just may take time.
The thing is pirates isnt really the way to describe them, maybe legal in there country dodgy version is more apt
I havea few so called dodgy dvds from Big Korean websites for instance
Mimic 3 Korean release, and its a cracker, has screen shots from about 5 different films on the box but it was 3 quid, and is duel layered! and is a perfect copy really so cannot grumble much, just crap cover
What's the point of this Korean release? It has no original mono, just a DD5.1 remix.
Plus Criterion are supposed to bring a new edition before the end of the year.
In other news, Criterion are going to be releasing Ran. I don't see how it will top the excellent Studio Canal-sourced transfer on the R2 Warner SE/R4 Universal SE. The Criterion should have cracking good extras though.
I'll believe the Criterion when I see it, a new SE has surely been in the works for years. The only evidence we have is them supposedly working on a new translation for the film (but that was last year).
Probably an R2J port + Criterion extras. Which begs the question, are any other Korean releases ports? A LOAD more appeared on KoreanDVD's today, all with only Korean subs which hints at R2J ports some more (even the box designs). But they're from a different studio and some from that Studio have Eng subs so who knows. There are a great variety of Korean A.K releases from different companies.
Exactly Grim. It wasn't last year though it was at least 2 years ago. Personally I'd get the R4 as we know that was sourced from the Japanese master and going by caps looks the best yet. Better than the Criterion anyway.
As for Ran the R4 has DD5.1 instead of DD2.0 (R2, whichever you prefer) but has the Making of. in the correct AR of 1.66:1. Not that it really matters IMO.
As I generally prefer remixes I'm getting the R4 over the R2. The correct AR Making Of. is a bonus.
I tried the R4 7S a month or so ago. Just about better than the Criterion when interlaced, when not it's quite nasty like other EE releases. I'm going to invest in the R2J Kurosawa releases for the most part.
Got a link to some reviews or information on the "Ran" R4?
I play everything via my computer or add subs to a DVD so it's never a problem for me. Even if a disc has subs I use a script so I can adjust the font and positionings and fix problems etc.
The R4 comes from the new masters as I said in the EE topic. Criterion didn't get these and their release has some rather unpleasent and carelessly used filters. The Criterion is an early release, I'll give them that but they continue to pull crap like this today. Whenever any other company has a proper go at restoring or remastering they do so much better.
Okay back to 7S. It just has a better source really Of course EE did a crappy NTSC>PAL conversion which has a visual impact and they also put it on a single DVD (Japanese release spans two). But still, it does look better if you aren't affected by the worst effects of NTSC>PAl conversions. I didn't look a the subs on this EE release but I expect they're rather out of character for the film. I've rented the BFI disc and should have it tomorrow so I'll have a look at that one. BFI releases always have translation that are in keeping with the character of a film even if the AV is only average (although often as good or better than Criterion with MUCH less furor).
Lourdes wrote:I've rented the BFI disc and should have it tomorrow so I'll have a look at that one. BFI releases always have translation that are in keeping with the character of a film even if the AV is only average (although often as good or better than Criterion with MUCH less furor).
You'll find that the subtitles are burned in, as I believe they are for all BFI Kurosawa releases.
There are some more extras too. 
I have been stung many times from cheap crap boots, they dont even have the screen shots on the back of the box from the right film 
silly buggers, but hey if its a great version then yes its worth it I guess, but if its just a port of the Criterion edition its not as the new version is coming thats for sure its Criterions Flagship film and a new dvd set will come, just may take time.
Whats the general thoughts on it?
I have asked a few people who have it and they just cannot be arsed!