agnamaracs wrote:Upon re-reading the list of features, I was surprised to see that this DVD doesn't have an installment of "It Is Wonderful To Create." (This probably doesn't even exist; the series is a Toho production and Rashomon is probably still owned by Daiei.)
This was a little before Criterion started including It Is Wonderful To Create on their Kurosawa discs, which I think started with Ikiru (the episode included on the Seven Samurai disc was only included when the DVD was updated. Only the Michael Jeck commentary was initially present. The same applies to High and Low, Yojimbo and Sanjuro etc).
Though you are most likely correct in noting that Rashomon will probably not have an episode even if reissued due to being a Daiei film rather than a Toho.
The Japanese DVD was released after the region 1, and had different extras, including a Japanese audio commentary, a documentary on the making of, but not part of the "Wonderful to Create" series, interviews, a deleted scene, trailer, and still galleries.
I would love it if the two short stories (from the booklet) would be included in a hypothetical new version. I hope what I hear about Criterion moving away from paper-based extras is not true.
My recent film "God's Ears" is one of 12 films screening at The Skip City International D-Cinema Film Festival in Japan in July. I am completely stoked to be a part of the festival but also just noticed they are doing a 4K screening of Rashomon as well:
New image captured from criterion site, although no information about re-release.
Also found an entry (though no picture) for Kurosawa: AK 100, 25 films by Kurosawa
I went to Japan and saw the 4K screening of this. If you go to http://grizzlypeakfilms.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you can read a little about it down the blog page and see a screen cap of the restoration video and poster on display.
The umpteenth time to see this film, and today watched the 2008 restoration version on the big screen in Tokyo. Not a scratch or a piece of dust in sight, and the sound was crisp clean. The only thing bothersome was the guy in front of me who kept looking at his cellphone, so the guy next to him tapped him on the shoulder, took his backpack, and threw it into the aisleway, and told him to leave. Which the guy did.... haha.
I really wonder when Criterion will get around to announcing a BD upgrade with this resto. Or better yet, the long awaited release of Madadayo on BD....
manicsounds wrote: The only thing bothersome was the guy in front of me who kept looking at his cellphone, so the guy next to him tapped him on the shoulder, took his backpack, and threw it into the aisleway, and told him to leave. Which the guy did....
I'm not sure I believe you - let's hear their two versions of the event, plus another from a witness...
Watch Rashomon live with other fans! Monte Hellman, director of Two Lane Blacktop is hosting a special live online screening of Rashomon. Join him and other fans for a conversation on Kurosawa and this classic film.
What a nice treat! Maybe I have not been reading all the speculation very thoroughly, But this was not anticipated was it? I was afraid there would be no Kurosawa for a while, what with all the attention japanese cinema has been getting recently from criterion, and with them wanting to balance their releases and everything. Just the same, I wont find inner peace until Red Beard is in high def, and in my clutches. Also the cover, good cover, but its a little worrisome this trend of criterion's to just use poster art. It was a nice for rosemary... but with this AND heavens gate? Rashomon wears it well anyways.
This release has been anticipated since the theatrical re-release three years ago. We've known it was coming, it's just taken so long that most everyone forgot it was coming. The cover art (which we should be discussing in the cover art thread) is designed around the specially-comissioned painting by Kent Williams from the poster for that re-release, not from any original theatrical release, so it's expected that it would be the cover for this disc. Some people don't like it. They are in error.
Does anyone know why they were not able to include a segment from "Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create" for this feature? Was there not a segment about this film or is there a rights issue or something? Thanks.
Watched the Blu Ray over the weekend, and while looking back on the DVD showed me it wasn't as rough or bad as I remembered, the Blu Ray is a significant improvement. There is definitely more information in the frame (noticeable from the opening shot "RASHOMOON" where you can see more of the sign). There is certainly less "haziness" I would say and the image is superb. There are instances where the frame shakes around a little bit (perhaps more noticeable now that everything is so clear) but it isn't constant or anything.
The most impressive jump may be the audio, however, which is totally clear and devoid of any hisses or clicks or anything. Listening to the DVD you can clearly hear the background hiss, and it has all but disappeared from the blu ray.
Haven't sampled the new extras yet, but wanted to chime in to highly recommend the blu ray, as if there was any doubt!
Love the BD release from CC, with a very clean transfer and informative extras. What puts the cherry on top of the cake is the inclusion of an English dub which I think CC should do more often in their foreign language films. Im not asking for some super-dupper restored English track, a normal plain Dolby track would be fine.
