New Criterion Edition of "Seven Samurai", Happy birthday to me! Options

[jonerik]

Got this from my folks for my birthday following smcd's raves. Very nice. The original single-disc version was pretty jam-packed with extras, so Criterion spread the movie out over two discs, "Godfather" style, to concentrate on the picture quality and commentaries, and put an expanded program of extras on the third disc. The result is that the movie has never looked better, and the extras do a very nice job of explaining the movie's background and history. Well worth picking up if you're a fan of the movie.

A 2-disc remastered "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro" is coming out next week.

[Jennifer Poundcake]

Toshiro Mifune.

[jonerik]

I was just doing some reading on the cast. Only a few primary members of the cast are still alive; none of them the seven samurai. Yoshio Tsuchiya (Rikichi - the young farmer who is most in favor of fighting) is still alive, as are Yukiko Shimazaki (Rikichi's young unnamed wife who dies in the fire at the bandits' camp), and Keiko Tsushima (Shino - the love interest of the youngest samurai, Katsushiro).

Ironically, though Minoru Chiaki's amiable Heihachi was the first of the seven to die in the film, in real life he was the last; passing away in 1999. Even stranger, the three left alive at the end of the film were the first of the seven to die in real life.

[Kier]

I'm in love with this movie and the cartoon series. I have one more dvd to finish in order to complete the whole animated series.

[smcd]

Best movie ever made.



Another nice thing is the new commentary they included, replacing the commentary from the original Criterion disc. Not that the original commentary was bad.

[Arz]

I love this movie, but I'm content with the original Criterion Collection release.

[Mal]

eeeeehhhhhhh....

[jonerik]

I'm in love with this movie and the cartoon series. I have one more dvd to finish in order to complete the whole animated series.

I'm slowly working on it through Netflix rentals, but it's a little hard to get into. I mean, they have a 10-foot-tall robot in the Mifune role. You have to admit, it takes some getting used to.

[smcd]

I love this movie, but I'm content with the original Criterion Collection release.

There are several scenes in the Criterion collection DVD that are erratic in film quality - shifts in picture contrast, etc., that have been cleaned up in the new version. But if it doesn't bother you, then there's no sense in spending the $35 on the new release. It's the same movie.

[Arz]

There are several scenes in the Criterion collection DVD that are erratic in film quality - shifts in picture contrast, etc., that have been cleaned up in the new version. But if it doesn't bother you, then there's no sense in spending the $35 on the new release. It's the same movie.

Dude, I listen to records. What do I care about audio or visual quality?

[Maximum Tor]

I knew there was a reason I didn't buy the older disc

Of course I still haven't bought the double discer for M yet either

My DVD collection flat out sucks.

[smcd]

Dude, I listen to records. What do I care about audio or visual quality?

But.... that's what I thought all you record guys are all about - "The higher, purer, warmer sound quality you can ONLY get on vinyl, mannnnnnnnn....."

[Arz]

But.... that's what I thought all you record guys are all about - "The higher, purer, warmer sound quality you can ONLY get on vinyl, mannnnnnnnn....."

Whatever, busted ass motorcycle man.

[Brad Radkins]

SCORE

Thank you so much for mentioning the Yojimbo and Sanjuro reissues as well.

[jonerik]

SCORE

Thank you so much for mentioning the Yojimbo and Sanjuro reissues as well.

I love "Yojimbo" so much that I not only have the original Criterion DVD, but the earlier Criterion laserdisc as well.

[kogar the swingin ape]

don't forget about RAN, which criterion put out sometime in the last 6 months or so...this edition blows the shit out of the other 2 RAN dvd's....

another kurosawa masterpiece...one of my favorite movies of all time...