1089 After Life

[Michael Kerpan]

I didn't think the Japanese release of Maborosi was interlaced either. Does anyone know for sure?

[kcota17]

Wait, there aren’t any comparisons so I’ve always been unaware but I thought the Criterion was from the same source as the BFI Of Flesh and Blood set that came out a few years ago but is the Criterion from a newer scan?

[DeprongMori]

I didn't think the Japanese release of Maborosi was interlaced either. Does anyone know for sure?

Milestone used the master the Japanese studio gave them, which was interlaced.

The only Japanese Blu-ray of Kore-eda I have is Distance, which I don’t believe is interlaced. I can double-check.

[ryannichols7]

Wait, there aren’t any comparisons so I’ve always been unaware but I thought the Criterion was from the same source as the BFI Of Flesh and Blood set that came out a few years ago but is the Criterion from a newer scan?

BFI:

The films presented in this release have been sourced from High Definition master materials created by Celluloid Dreams...

and it continues on about the soundtrack and such.

Criterion:

After Life is presented in it's original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. Approved by director Hirokazu Kore-eda, this new 2K digital restoration was created by TV Man Union. A new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on a DFT Scanity film scanner, from a 35mm duplicate negative made from the Super 16mm original camera negative, at IMAGICA Lab in Tokyo.

they aren't the same, probably the same original elements (since Criterion licensed from Celluloid Dreams) but the Criterion definitely has much more work done, between the new restoration and new scan. the shadow detail (of which there's a lot) and depth of field are night and day, Chris touches on this in his review for our site, though doesn't compare it to the BFI. either way, I think it's well worth the double dip to any fan of the film.

I will pick up the Japanese Maborosi sometimes as I'm that big a fan of Kore-eda and want all the Japanese BDs too, even if they're totally redundant to my collection. very curious if Maborosi and Nobody Knows have the same issues

[Michael Kerpan]

ryannichols7 -- deprongmori says those tow Maborosi releases are the same as to interlacing. I wonder whether one can actually see much (if any) difference between the interlaced and non-interlaced releases of a 50 inch plasma TV?

[artfilmfan]

I didn't think the Japanese release of Maborosi was interlaced either. Does anyone know for sure?

The “beaver” review site says it’s 1080p. The back cover says 1080p, then it also says something in Japanese with 1080i following it. If you can read Japanese, please take a look and let us know what it says. The 1080i might refer to the included documentary.

[Michael Kerpan]

artfilmfan -- as best I can tell, it is the 29 minute extra (about Makiko Esumi returning to the locations of Maborosi 10 or so years later) that is 1080i.

[artfilmfan]

Thanks for looking into it, Michael. Now I have no reason to think that the Japanese Blu-ray is interlaced.

[Michael Kerpan]

Looking at comparative screenshots of Maborosi, the Japanese BRD and the Milestone look like they are based on the same source -- so how did the Milestone release turn out to be in 1081i instead? Very mysterious. Oh well, I doubt I can tell the difference between the two when watching (I think I checked initially).

[artfilmfan]

Although they might have come from the same digital source, I think they did the encoding differently.

[knives]

What a beautiful film; undoubtedly one of Kore-eda’s best. I adore especially how willing to sacrifice drama he is for the conceit allowing a deep feeling to emerge for all the characters from the lack of narrative surprise.

[Michael Kerpan]

knives -- Glad you liked this. This really was a remarkable movie -- especially in that around half of the "clients" were non-actors telling their own stories and that is pretty much impossible to guess which story-tellers were professionals and which were not. Almost all felt "real".

[FrauBlucher]

Sorry for the lack of a better word. He’s the most humanistic filmmaker I’ve ever seen.

This is actually on my list for tomorrow’s sale. I wish Criterion would have more of his films in the Collection