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Details for Criterion’s Yojimbo and Sanjuro

Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo: Criterion release DVD cover

We have not yet properly managed to get over the brilliance of Criterion’s Seven Samurai, and now the company is putting out information about their upcoming Yojimbo and Sanjuro releases. Both are due for release in January (Region 1), and will be available as individual copies, or as a bundled collector’s set.

Here are the details:

Yojimbo

About the Transfer:

Yojimbo is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm fine-grain master positive, 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 was encoded at the highest-possible bit rate for the quantity of material included.

The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm optical soundtrack print, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The restored Perspecta Stereophonic sound was decoded through a Perspecta decoder and re-encoded as a Dolby 3.0 soundtrack. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on surround sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.

Special Features:
– All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
– Optional Dolby Digital 3.0 soundtrack, preserving the original Perspecta simulated-stereo effects
– Audio commentary by film historian and Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
– A 45-minute documentary on the making of Yojimbo, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
– Theatrical trailer and teaser
– Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos
– New and improved English subtitle translation

Release Information
Criterion Spine Number: 52
Catalog Number: CC1658D
ISBN: 1-934121-06-1
UPC: 7-15515-02082-4
SRP: $39.95

Sanjuro

About the transfer:

Sanjuro is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm fine-grain master positive, 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 was encoded at the highest-possible bit rate for the quantity of material included.

The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm optical soundtrack print, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The restored Perspecta Stereophonic sound was decoded through a Perspecta decoder and re-encoded as a Dolby 3.0 soundtrack. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on surround sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.

Special Features:
– All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
– Optional Dolby Digital 3.0 soundtrack, preserving the original Perspecta simulated-stereo effects
– Audio commentary by film historian and Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
– A 35-minute documentary on the making of Sanjuro, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
– Theatrical trailer and teaser
– Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos
– New and improved English subtitle translation
– PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow and notes and statements from Kurosawa and his cast and crew

Release Information:
Criterion Spine Number: 53
Catalog Number: CC1659D
ISBN: 1-934121-07-X
UPC: 7-15515-02092-3
SRP: $39.95

For pages on Criterion’s website about the two releases, click here for Yojimbo and here for Sanjuro.


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Jeremy

Its great that the Criterion is redoing these films, I wasnt very impressed with the “four samurai classic” box set. However the newest Seven Samurai is amazing, I can only hope they do a equal job on “Yojimbo” and “Sanjuro”

I’ll be sure to purchase off this site when you post the option

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vili

Thanks in advance, Jeremy. 🙂

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