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Licensor Information
20th Century Fox
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
In his late, color masterpiece Kagemusha, Akira Kurosawa returned to the samurai film and to a primary theme of his career-the play between illusion and reality. Sumptuously reconstructing the splendor of feudal Japan and the pageantry of war, Kurosawa creates a historical epic that is also a meditation on the nature of power. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Kagemusha for the first time in its full-length version in the United States.
Streaming Options
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Discs:
DVD-9 (2 Discs)
Total: 2 Discs
Regions:
1 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85:1
Audio Options:
Japanese Dolby Digital Surround 4.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Audio Commentary, Documentary, Video Essay, Advertising, Gallery, Theatrical Trailer, Booklet
- Audio commentary by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
- Lucas, Coppola, and Kurosawa, a 19-minute interview piece in which directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola discuss Kurosawa and Kagemusha
- A 41-minute documentary on the making of the film
- Image: Kurosawa’s Continuity, a 44-minute video piece reconstructing Kagemusha through Kurosawa’s paintings and sketches
- Suntory Whiskey commercials made on the set of Kagemusha
- Gallery of storyboards painted by Kurosawa and images of their realization on-screen
- Theatrical trailers and teasers
- A booklet featuring a new essay by scholar Peter Grilli, and an interview with Akira Kurosawa by renowned critic Tony Rayns, and biographical sketches by Japanese film historian Donald Richie
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Film
Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Artwork: Akira Kurosawa
Producer: Kim Hendrickson
Artwork: Sarah Habibi
Release Notes on Restoration
Kagemusha
Kagemusha is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit DataCine from a 35mm low-contrast print made from the original negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. To maintain optimal image quality through the compression process, the picture on this dual-layer DVD-9 has been encoded at the highest-possible bit rate for the quantity of materials included.
The new sound mix was mastered at 24-bit from the original 4-track magnetic master and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, thumps, hiss, and crackle.
The new sound mix was mastered at 24-bit from the original 4-track magnetic master and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, thumps, hiss, and crackle.