Eclipse Series 7: Postwar Kurosawa

Holy crap, guys.

Check out the front page of http://www.thedigitalbits.com. This is great news…

“But here’s my favorite bit of news from Criterion today: They’re gearing up to release Eclipse Series 7: Postwar Kurosawa on 1/15 (SRP $69.95), which will be a 5-disc box set containing I Live in Fear, The Idiot, No Regrets for Our Youth, One Wonderful Sunday and Scandal! So many of Kurosawa’s older films have been unavailable in good quality on DVD here in the States, making this about the best news we’ve heard since Warner announced Blade Runner: The Final Cut. Let’s hope for another Eclipse box down the road with the remainder of the director’s older films (Sanshiro Sugata, The Most Beautiful, They Who Step on the Tiger’s Tail, Sanshiro Sugata, Part II and Those Who Make Tomorrow – we also believe Criterion is working on a regular collection release of Dodes Kaden for release in 2008, which would complete the release of the Kurosawa catalog on DVD in R1).”

I think they may be right on the money about a Wartime Kurosawa set – I mean… “Postwar” does seem to imply theres another set antagonistic to it. A “Those Who Make Tomorrow” DVD may be just a fanboy wet dream though… but WHAT a dream. Which film are you guys most looking forward to in a new pristine quality transfer? I think “No Regret for Our Youth” is fabulous. I love seeing an angry angry Kurosawa, and one of Setsuko Hara’s most illuminating departures from her usual style of acting. Can’t wait… gonna pop on the Mei-Ah disc tonight.

More information here:

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7061

Holy crap indeed 🙂

This upcoming eclipse set is fantastic, most of these films I havent seen completely, and some not at all.

The “post war” title does to me lead to the likelihood of a “Wartime” collection as well, in which case its extremely exciting. I was hoping for such a thing, I had a feeling Criterion’s idea of a Eclipse series of films would turn out to be one of their best accomplishments, in getting rather hard and rarely seen films widely available.

Thanks for the news Laurence.

BTW Dont forget Criterion’s upcoming fully worked over release of “Drunken Angel” in November

I literally jumped up out of my chair and started dancing when I saw this. This will be the first set from Eclipse that I buy. In general I do find the label a great idea, it is just I really can’t fork over the cash for somewhat uncharted ground like the Late Ozu or Fueller sets.

Although with Masters of Cineam in the UK releasing stand alone discs of Scandal and The Idiot and BFI with I Live in Fear, I can’t help but be a little disappointed that we on this side of the Atlantic aren’t getting full CC titles with restoration, because I certainly think I Live in Fear and The Idiot deserve it(because the R2 versions lack in the restoration department), but who am I to complain really? These are three films I have yet to see, so YIPEE!

Out of this bunch I have only seen No Regrets… on VHS back in 2002.

I certainly hope CC is gearing up for that rumored Dodesukaden release in 2008, and as you guys have mentioned the wartime box… Though I have also heard the possibility of a numbered full CC of Tiger’s Tail and I doubt we will ever see Those Who Make Tomorrow.

From what I understand of that film, it was a jointly directed anti-capitalist effort from the Communist wing of Toho, that Kurosawa was forced into.

Yeah I heard about the CC Tiger’s Tail – seems like a really random choice for a deluxe set. Do you think that the presence of Takashi Shimura has anything to do with it? Not that I’m complaining as long as we get good quality versions of all the early works at some point or other. And the Mei-Ah subtitles of Tiger’s Tail are completely incomprehensible… only Donald Richie’s synopsis actually got me through it.

A couple of days ago I e-mailed the bfi regarding their long delayed early Kurosawa releases and got this response…

“Whilst we do hope to release Kurosawa’s early films on DVD – rights permitting – we don’t at present have any firm release schedule set for them. We are in the process for finalising the release schedule for 2008 and at the moment these films don’t feature on that schedule. I am sorry that this is disappointing news and also that I’m not able to give you more concrete information regarding the release plans for these films at the moment.”

Not particularly encouraging, but its good to see that they at least haven’t completely binned the idea. Its also nice to see the bfi as reliable as ever in giving me a quick reply!

Well as long as they aren’t giving up with it.

Yes Tiger’s Tail is certainly an odd one. The film is only about an hour isn’t it?

I suppose it might be of some warrant because it was shelved just as the war was ending and then brought off by the American army film office or whomever, so perhaps Donald Richie will do a commentary and that enough warrants a disc outside of Eclipse.

neat

Hmm. I guess I should pay more attention to this forum. 🙂 I just posted about the release on the front page, not noticing that it’s old news for you guys.

I’ve been terribly busy for the past… forever, and apologise that I haven’t really had any time for the website. I am, however, still trying my best to keep up with things and update the site. Although I closed a few other websites that I run, simply because I don’t have the time for them, let me just make it known that I have no intention to do any such thing with akirakurosawa.info. It’s just that there’s only 24 hours in a day, and recently those 24 just haven’t been even nearly enough.

Hey no need to apologize, Vili.

Yeah don’t sweat about it!

Please don’t worry, posting it in the news section is appropriate. We’re just the hardcore here.

BTW, I cannot wait to throw away some of those Chinese versions I have.

I’m REALLY looking forward to seeing “One Wonderful Sunday” with proper subtitles, among other things.