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Licensor Information
Shochiku
Directed by: Yasujiro Ozu
Featuring: Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima, Kuniko Miyake, Ichiro Sagai, Chieko Higashiyama, Haruko Sugimura, Hiroshi Nihonyanagi
The Mamiya family is seeking a husband for their daughter, Noriko, but she has ideas of her own. Played by the extraordinary Setsuko Hara, Noriko impulsively chooses her childhood friend, at once fulfilling her family’s desires while tearing them apart. A seemingly simple story, Early Summer is one of Yasujiro Ozu’s most complex works—a nuanced examination of life’s changes across three generations. The Criterion Collection is proud to present one of the director’s most enduring classics.
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32572.
+26699
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Disc:
DVD-9 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
1 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33:1
Audio Options:
Japanese Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Audio Commentary, Interview, Theatrical Trailer, Insert
- Audio commentary by Japanese-film expert Donald Richie, author of Ozu and A Hundred Years of Japanese Film
- Ozu’s Films from Behind-the-Scenes, a conversation about Ozu and his working methods between child-actor and sound technician Kojiro Suematsu, assistant cameraman Takashi Kawamata, and Ozu producer Shizuo Yamanouchi
- Original theatrical trailer
- An insert featuring a new essay by film scholar David Bordwell, author of Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema, and an essay about Ozu by filmmaker Jim Jarmusch
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Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Kim Hendrickson
Artwork: Michael Boland
Release Notes on Restoration
Early Summer
Early Summer is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. On widescreen televisions, black bars will appear on the left and right of the screen to maintain the proper screen format. This new high-definition digital transfer was created from a 35mm fine-grain master positive from a restored negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using MTI's Digital Restoration System. The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from a 35mm optical print track, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for wider dispersal of the mono sound.