High and Low 4K UHD (1963) (Criterion Collection)

[bootsy]

Oh sh*t

[ASLAN]

Will criterion bundle the old bluray with this or a remastered version?

[Watershipdownisgood]

Originally Posted by RevolverOcelScott

Definitely top 3. I go back and forth with Seven Samurai and this as being my favorite.

Now we just need Bad Sleep Well, Stray Dog, Red Beard (and obviously others) to get out of DVD hell.

I already have Stray Dog on Blu-Ray from BFI, but yeah I'm still waiting on Red Beard, Drunken Angel, The Bad Sleep Well, and Snow Trail to get upgraded from Criterion. These titles better be next, and before Criterion puts out Throne of Blood, and The Hidden Fortress in 4K.

Anyways, I'm definitely double dipping on this one as it's my second favorite Kurosawa film of all time with Ikiru being number 1. Plus that 2011 Blu-Ray is ancient as heck.

[sherlockjr]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Since Criterion note it as being a "New 4K digital restoration"

Does this mean it isn't from a 4K scan of the negative?
or do they use that terminology sometimes to confuse.

Criterion will do additional restoration on scans they receive if necessary. Dirt and scratch cleanup, for example. As well as their own grading, depending on the original source.

They did that on SEVEN SAMURAI, YOJIMBO, SANJURO, for example. I am guessing they're doing the same on this 62 year old film, after starting with Toho's 4K scan.

Not sure why why would want or need to "confuse".

[JackyJacquard]

The BFI releases seem to have plenty of extras (they’re all in my unwatched pile lol) but I’m kinda jealous the US buyers will get an interview with Mifune on there

[shimmy]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

I don’t know if it’s an odd opinion, but I think this is Kurosawa’s finest film. It’s absolutely incredible. I will buy this day one.

For me its Throne of Blood but High and Low is a very close second.

[Hellboy]

One of Kurosawa’s best as far as I’m concerned. Glad I held off on the BFI release I was so tempted by earlier this year.

[ReVision]

Damn-it I already bought the BFI blu-ray last month. Now I'll have to get this one too haha

[SGFfilmfan]

The Japanese 4K disc looks beautiful! I hope this one will, too.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

In the BFI’s case, it’s possible that “High and Low”, historically, wasn’t a popular sell on home video in the UK compared to his samurai films.

Their 4K upgrades have largely been from the Samurai Collection boxset.

Originally Posted by Watershipdownisgood

I already have Stray Dog on Blu-Ray from BFI

Stray Dog also has a 4K remaster screening in the US.

https://www.indiewire.com/news/festi...rk-1235130885/

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

One good thing to come out of the remake.

Cannes reviews are polarising but nothing wrong with a Spike Lee joint

[BluProofie]

It’s easily my favorite Kurosawa so I’m excited to finally get it in 4K.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SGFfilmfan

The Japanese 4K disc looks beautiful! I hope this one will, too.

From the samples added at Criterion's site it should be:

https://www.criterion.com/films/543-high-and-low

I posted this last night in the Criterion thread, but it's going to be a huge night and day difference from Criterion's Blu-ray too. Here's one shot from the same scene. Blu-ray screenshot sourced from caps-a-holic with black bars removed to match Criterion's sample.

Criterion Blu-ray (top) / Criterion website screenshot (bottom)

[moviemaker]

Kurosawa's neo-noir crime films really captivate me. My all-time favorite is The Bad Sleep Well — it's just perfection. High and Low comes in at a solid second place, and Stray Dog rounds out my top three as a very close third. There's something about how Kurosawa blends crime, psychology, and that noir atmosphere that just hits different.

[gigan72]

This should teach me to stop buying Blus of titles with 4K scans already, I've yet to even view my BFI Blu-ray. Now let's hope they also make me regret grabbing the BFI Ikiru and Stray Dog Blu too.

[Dr. Humbert]

I just bought the BFI BD, so of course they're releasing it lol. This is my favorite movie, so I will absolutely buy the 4K, but the BFI disc will tide me over until I find the Criterion at a decent price during a sale.

[Member-810559]

Someone on r/boutiquebluray claims that apparently BFI said the quality of the master didn’t warrant a 4K UHD.

Are they both the same master?
If so, I wonder how much of an improvement the Criterion 4K will actually be.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by mannie002

Someone on r/boutiquebluray claims that apparently BFI said the quality of the master didn’t warrant a 4K UHD.

Are they both the same master?
If so, I wonder how much of an improvement the Criterion 4K will actually be.

I'm not sure what BFI were looking at as the 4K restoration of High and Low is excellent.

Just read nicwood's impressions of the JP disc:

Originally Posted by nicwood

Finally got High and Low today.

My goodness, even the screenshots here couldn’t possibly prepare me for how sensational this disc looks. Easily the best of the Toho Kurosawa’s I’ve seen so far, slightly ahead of Yojimbo.

Unbelievable clarity in all levels of detail - mid-ranges and blacks even for SDR and very solid highlights. The encode is great, thank God. HDR could have done a little more overall but no criticism for something that isn’t there.

Yet honestly what’s even stronger here than the visual upgrade (unbelievable to say this) is the audio. First things first, I’m no audio expert and don’t have proper equipment (only a Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar compared to a full-equipped speaker system) but that audio sounds phenomenal. 4-track stereo (PCM) with a healthy bitrate of around 5 Mbps. Sure, the bitrate isn’t everything but Toho has most definitely restored the audio. Amazing detail, surprising highlights and a richness you just don’t get from Criterion and their awful, awful filtering.

I just know it’s better here even though I’ve last seen the film two years ago on the Criterion BD because that thing is garbage compared to this presentation.

I can only hope that Western distributors are able to license these restorations as it would be seriously disappointing if not more people could literally have whole new experiences with Kurosawa’s masterworks.

Kagemusha should be with me in a couple of days. Waiting for Seven Samurai will be hard now

You can also see how great the restoration is from BFI's own Blu-ray release

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-...ow_blu-ray.htm

[BarrioMan]

Caps-a-holic has a comparison between the Japanese 4K and the Criterion Blu-ray... https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18318&d2=18317&c=6683

I really want to get this day one!

[BorisKarloffice]

Originally Posted by trip66

I've read people saying this is one of his weaker films, but its always been my personal favorite of his.

Who has ever said that? It's his second highest rated film on IMDb and it has a 96% RT score, same as Yojimbo, The Hidden Fortress, Ran, and Throne of Blood.

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by gigan72

This should teach me to stop buying Blus of titles with 4K scans already, I've yet to even view my BFI Blu-ray. Now let's hope they also make me regret grabbing the BFI Ikiru and Stray Dog Blu too.

It's still a shot in the dark much of the time. Still so many 4K-scanned (and above) Blu-rays of movies that aren't that popular, making you wonder if they would get UHDs.