AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

Discuss releases in the Janus Contemporaries, Eclipse, and Essential Art House lines and the films on them.
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Tribe
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#151 Post by Tribe » Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:34 pm

aox wrote:I just realized, does this mean the The Seven Samurai has been recompressed onto 1 disc?
Ouch, that's right. So a purchaser of AK:100 won't even get the best transfer of Kurosawa's most iconic film. In any event, count me among another of those who won't be getting this box...I'll wait for the individual releases of the five movies I don't have. Sooner or later they'll get around to them under some guise.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#152 Post by Antares » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:44 pm

Tribe wrote:
aox wrote:I just realized, does this mean the The Seven Samurai has been recompressed onto 1 disc?
Ouch, that's right. So a purchaser of AK:100 won't even get the best transfer of Kurosawa's most iconic film. In any event, count me among another of those who won't be getting this box...I'll wait for the individual releases of the five movies I don't have. Sooner or later they'll get around to them under some guise.
Or maybe they put Sanshiro Sugata parts I & II on one disc.

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TheRanchHand
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#153 Post by TheRanchHand » Sat Oct 03, 2009 3:12 am

I am tempted to buy this because I love this man! But have to admit spending $300 for the thrill of a fat DVD box that no one could care less about if they walked into my house and the addition of about 7 titles I don't have is not making me too happy. Not that I want to wait four years until they all end up on blu ray either but I may wait awhile to see if the ones I don't have get separate releases.....

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#154 Post by A.v.R13 » Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:07 am

I'm tempted to buy this because I only own 2 Kurosawa movies, it would be nice to have almost all of them by 299, instead of having to buy them separately, and some eclipse boxests (some are only available through them)
I don't care too much about image quality, in some cases it adds "personality" to the movie, in my opinion (as long as the quality is not extremely bad, of course.)
Since I only own Ran and the quiet duel this would be perfect for me but the lack of extras bothers me, but the movie is what really matters though. I haven't seen about 17 movies of him, another reason to buy this. I guess that in my case it is pretty convenient.

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headacheboy
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#155 Post by headacheboy » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:36 pm

This is a fine set for those who haven't purchased many Kurosawa films, but for jokers like me who've bought everything that's been put out in the US (not to mention the two MOC releases) including the Fox Lorber Madadayo back in the day, I would certainly appreciate a Kurosawa: The First Films Eclipse box. But I'm not about to buy this set. The two Sanshiro Sugata films aren't worth $300 or even $200! (And yeah, I know this post is hardly revelatory, I'm just adding my piece should the secret Criterion staff members need another reason to consider another Kurosawa Eclipse box).

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#156 Post by psufootball07 » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:45 pm

=D> Damn straight, I own practically all the Kurosawa's in the collection. Do I really need to own them again, what is the difference in print quality, and what with these being 25 films they might not contain the same extras available in the incredible 3 Disc Seven Samurai, 2 disc Ikiru and possibly the re-release of High and Low (which was outstanding). I could see some people on here receiving this for X-Mas or Hanukkah either as gifts to themselves or from loved ones.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#157 Post by swo17 » Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:46 pm

From Facebook:
Criterion wrote:Seven Samurai is on one disc in the AK 100 set, and it looks great. It is the Criterion restored master, very carefully encoded, but because this edition includes no supplemental features, we had enough data space to fit it on one disc.
Also, here's some more fodder for the Kurosawa rumor mill:
Now that almost all the Kurosawa movies will be released in HD in Japan by February 2010 (Masterwork Trilogy) , how viable is a Criterion blu-ray boxset in 2 years time?
Criterion wrote:The Japanese releases don't really have an impact one way or another on us. We probably won't do a big Kurosawa Blu-ray box for sheer capacity reasons. To make good Blu-rays, we've found, we really need to go one at a time, which is what we'll probably do with the Kurosawas...

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zedz
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#158 Post by zedz » Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:29 pm

swo17 wrote:From Facebook:
Criterion wrote:The Japanese releases don't really have an impact one way or another on us. We probably won't do a big Kurosawa Blu-ray box for sheer capacity reasons. To make good Blu-rays, we've found, we really need to go one at a time, which is what we'll probably do with the Kurosawas...
This is an interesting tidbit in general, both about Criterion's HD standards vis-a-vis 'inherited' transfers and about the prospect of future BluRay box sets (and BD upgrades of existing box sets).

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#159 Post by swo17 » Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:45 pm

Speaking of box sets, one thing I really hope doesn't start happening is that titles with multiple versions (The Leopard, Fanny & Alexander, Scenes from a Marriage, Brazil, [cough]Out 1[/cough]) get only one of the versions put out on Blu, leaving neither the DVD nor the BD as the definitive home video version. I know this already happened with Last Emperor but, um, fortunately for me, I...kind of don't care about that movie.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#160 Post by Highway 61 » Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:26 pm

I think you better be prepared for exactly that to happen. But at least with those films it will probably be the longer version that gets a Blu release, unlike The Last Emperor. From Criterion's recent comments about how taxing a single Blu disc can be, I just don't see them even bothering with stuff like the American version of The Leopard. That is, unless the Burt Lancaster completist market is just booming these days.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#161 Post by swo17 » Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:05 pm

Well, in situations like this, I would hope for the preferred cut of a film to be presented in HD and for the alternate cut to at least be included as an extra in SD, so that the Blu upgrade is at least as good as the existing SD version in nearly every category.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#162 Post by The Elegant Dandy Fop » Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:29 pm

Highway 61 wrote:I think you better be prepared for exactly that to happen. But at least with those films it will probably be the longer version that gets a Blu release, unlike The Last Emperor.
Isn't the one on the Blu-Ray the one Bertolucci prefers?

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#163 Post by knives » Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:33 pm


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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#164 Post by ccfixx » Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:11 pm

The Elegant Dandy Fop wrote:
Highway 61 wrote:I think you better be prepared for exactly that to happen. But at least with those films it will probably be the longer version that gets a Blu release, unlike The Last Emperor.
Isn't the one on the Blu-Ray the one Bertolucci prefers?
Exactly, it's the "Director's Cut" on the blu-ray... not the longer made-for-tv version that Bertolucci was in obligation to provide to the studios.

CC

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Highway 61
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#165 Post by Highway 61 » Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:23 pm

The Elegant Dandy Fop wrote:
Highway 61 wrote:I think you better be prepared for exactly that to happen. But at least with those films it will probably be the longer version that gets a Blu release, unlike The Last Emperor.
Isn't the one on the Blu-Ray the one Bertolucci prefers?
Indeed. I'm simply speculating that what had become something of a strong tradition for Criterion--releasing alternate or compromised cuts of a film alongside the director's preferred version--will not likely continue on Blu-ray, at least as long as the format remains as much of a drain on resources as Peter Becker said it is.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#166 Post by Dadapass » Sun Nov 29, 2009 2:59 pm


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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#167 Post by perkizitore » Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:23 pm

It seems i have to sell my Eclipse Kurosawa set.

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exte
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#168 Post by exte » Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:48 am

Is Criterion honoring a trade in program? I understand WB is doing that with those who want to upgrade to blu ray, for example. I have every Kurosawa title they've released. It seems terrible I would have to shell out all over again, just because they played around with picture boxing once... :oops:

hangman
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#169 Post by hangman » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:09 am

exte wrote:Is Criterion honoring a trade in program? I understand WB is doing that with those who want to upgrade to blu ray, for example. I have every Kurosawa title they've released. It seems terrible I would have to shell out all over again, just because they played around with picture boxing once... :oops:
Well you've got the extras that the releases have so you do have a bang for your buck there. Course the set has a few extra titles but at the end of the day you've seen most of the titles on that set, and have them already as well as some pretty informative extras and such, and chances are you've seen the films at least once or twice since you bought the DVDs before. Would you really be tempted for a roughly more barebones, though not picture-boxed on some, set of films. There is nothing too substantially new about this set, other than giving you other films you may not have but it doesn't necessarily wipe the floor of older releases by Criterion badly. Unless you've got a completionist impulse... Or like me you don't have ANY of those films in your collection :lol: , though I'm not tempted as alas I must save my cash for the January releases.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#170 Post by Napier » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:29 pm

I really hope Criterion does well with this set, it's obviously a labor of love. I'm going on the record as saying I've purchased 2 set's, for two very special people. (And believe me, I wish this sucker was out when the CC first found myself).
Like a little devil I've opened one. And ladies and gentleman,.......AK 100, is without a doubt, the most beautiful work of DVD love.... you'll ever see.(period)

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#171 Post by Senya » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:44 am

Three screenshots from the Toho R2 DVD of The Men who Tread... :

Image

Image

Image

cyan
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#172 Post by cyan » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:20 pm

Is this the only thread on the AK100 set? I saw no others when I searched.

Anyway...my set arrived damaged. Two corners of the box top are split apart.
Anyone else having this problem? I'm sending mine in for a replacement, and based on the way the item was packaged I suspect I am not the only one.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#173 Post by perkizitore » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:38 pm

Did you order it from Amazon? If you don't buy from Amazon, expect to have problems with nearly every boxset.

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HerrSchreck
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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#174 Post by HerrSchreck » Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:30 pm

The one thing I don't agree with Gary about is Maddadayao-- the CC looks a bit black boosted to me (and including as much info in the frame as possible-- rounded corners as gary calls neg edges-- is a good thing... I like to feel like I have the reels or neg in posession when I buy a DVD; you always have the opportunity, like a "projectionist worth his salt", to crop in a bit with zoom on your monitor or projector. A telecine operator is not a projectionist).

Not much matter, it's probably my least favorite AK film. I found it strangely embarassing when watching it yrs ago.

For anyone with little to no AK in their collection-- or for gift-targets of the same disposition-- this box is a no brainer.

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Re: AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

#175 Post by fiddlesticks » Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:13 pm

cyan wrote:Is this the only thread on the AK100 set? I saw no others when I searched.
How many threads do you need?

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