Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu)

[tenia]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

same for me. the japanese release looks a bit "softer"

Actually (even if it's only caps, and not the most reliable on Earth), the new Japanese shows more details and resolution, especially on clothes texture. It's particularly visible on the 3rd cap.

[MifuneFan]

The JP release looks more pleasing to my eyes. I think it has a more natural look, while the BFI release looks like it's contrast boosted and/or sharpened in comparison (which is typical of Criterion masters). I also prefer the color of the image, which I think is accurate of how it's supposed to look. With all the print damage that you don't see in these caps, I have to imagine the only way to truly see which is better is to see them both in motion. From the limited caps we do have though, I'd choose the JP release over BFI's.

[kristoffer]

I saw this yesterday and absolutely loved it! I agree that the BFI is rough looking with a lot of dirt and scratches.

[kristoffer]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

The JP release looks more pleasing to my eyes. I think it has a more natural look, while the BFI release looks like it's contrast boosted and/or sharpened in comparison (which is typical of Criterion masters). I also prefer the color of the image, which I think is accurate of how it's supposed to look. With all the print damage that you don't see in these caps, I have to imagine the only way to truly see which is better is to see them both in motion. From the limited caps we do have though, I'd choose the JP release over BFI's.

I have tried to find info regarding whether it had a sepia hue on release, but have been unable to find any confirmation.
I guess they must have restored it that way for a reason?

[CrockettandTubbs]

Details of the remastered version:



Remastered in 4K with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack

• An Introduction to Tokyo Story (2020, 26 mins): Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns provides an introduction to Ozu’s most acclaimed film
• Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family (1941, 105 mins): following the death of her husband, Mrs Toda realises she has been left with sizeable debts and an extended family reluctant to support her
• Talking with Ozu (1993, 40 mins): a tribute to the legendary director featuring filmmakers Lindsay Anderson, Claire Denis, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Aki Kaurismäki, Stanley Kwan, Paul Schrader and Wim Wenders
• Furnival and Son (1948, 19 mins): recounts the difficult choice a recently demobbed serviceman has to make between an unexpected job offer elsewhere, and resuming his pre-war position as his father’s right-hand man in their small cutlery firm, Furnival and Son
• Image gallery

***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Fully illustrated booklet including an essay by Professor Joan Mellen, archival writing by John Gillett and Lindsay Anderson and a biography of Yasujiro Ozu by Tony Rayns

(Was on the DVD disc of the older edition)

[Sinthetic]

I’m a little confused about this one, this is going to be better than the old BFI release (presumably), The criterion from 2013? The Japanese release from when?

[NovaNaut]

Sounds good but could this ever receive a 4K release?

[justwannaboogie]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

I’m a little confused about this one, this is going to be better than the old BFI release (presumably), The criterion from 2013? The Japanese release from when?

Seems pretty clear cut to me? It explicitly says it's a new 4K restoration, so one would assume the same master the Criterion uses and thus certainly better than the older BFI release.

[Areopagita]

Perhaps it's an even more recent 4K restoration than the Criterion one? I thought it would be the restoration used by Carlotta in their Ozu box set.

Originally Posted by NovaNaut

Sounds good but could this ever receive a 4K release?

Very unlikely.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by Areopagita

Very unlikely.

If "The Final Countdown" can get an UHD then anything is possible.

[CelestialAgent]

Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family is only in SD per Ben Stoddart. Still a good selection of extras. Furnival and Son is another eclectic archival inclusion:

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...on-1948-online

I'd still say the Criterion has the better selection though.

[qw0aszx]

Originally Posted by justwannaboogie

Seems pretty clear cut to me? It explicitly says it's a new 4K restoration, so one would assume the same master the Criterion uses and thus certainly better than the older BFI release.

Criterion used an old 2011 restoration, which was from a 4K scan but I remembered it's not mentioned whether was restored in 4K too (I believe it was 4K scan and then restored in 2K). The 4K restoration BFI using is the new one made in 2017, which used a better-shaped interpostive. This new restoration fixed many problems appeared in the 2011 one.

[andjar01]

The current BFI release of Tokyo Story is optically excellent ( probably the best out there) but it has one issue ,it seems that there was no image stabilisation done on that transfer. I personaly don't mind the sometimes shaky image as it almost feels like film projection to me.

[kristoffer]

The current BD has a lot of scratches and blemishes on the print though.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Will absolutely be importing this as I’ve done for a few titles now that Criterion are unlikely to update individually. I do think an Ozu box set utilizing all of the latest masters is inevitable, maybe even this year or next, but this film is just too good not to upgrade now.

[Areopagita]

The current BD is OK, I don't really mind the scratches, but the image seems too contrasty; the new master is definitely an improvement. This is generally the case when it comes to the B&W films, but I'm not so sure about the colour ones. You can compare the BFI and Carlotta releases here (the Carlottas are new remasters) and the latter look very reddish to me, which is not faithful to the original grading as far as I can tell.

[Jafar]

I was about to import the Criterion release and this was announced. Can't wait to own this version. So glad BFI added some extras too!

Is there a possibility that BFI would do an Ozu box set? Have they put out box sets before?

[Areopagita]

They do box sets, but I don't think it's likely this time, as they have done many individual releases of Ozu's films already and two new ones are getting released soon. If they were only releasing Tokyo Story, it could be a kind of teaser for a box set, similar to the Aguirre and Nosferatu steelbooks before the Herzog box, but there is also a much less famous film, The Taste of Green Tea Over Rice, getting an individual release, so it's not the case.

If you want to own the films by Ozu, just do yourself a favour and buy the old individual releases from BFI, they are cheap enough (10 pounds each from the BFI shop last time I checked) and the transfers, while old, are at least quite good.

[andjar01]

Originally Posted by Areopagita

The current BD is OK, I don't really mind the scratches, but the image seems too contrasty; the new master is definitely an improvement. This is generally the case when it comes to the B&W films, but I'm not so sure about the colour ones. You can compare the BFI and Carlotta releases here .

If that's the new master...thanks BFI,but no! I'm keeping the old BFI disc. I'm very happy with the scratches, shakiness and high contrast. For me personally it's superior. The new one might be cleaner,steadier but it's also softer,cropped and to my eyes it looks a bit underexposed. The old one has maybe a touch too much contrast but it's not like it's clearly burning highlights and crushing shadows.
http://www.dvdclassik.com/comparaison/voyage-a-tokyo-3

[Shingster]

Both the original BFI/Criterion and Shochiku masters look dated by today’s standards, So I’m crossing my fingers for this release utilising a more recent restoration.