Japanese Films on DVD/Blu-ray

[Moshrom]

Did you check the audio track on the Shochiku Blu-ray of Late Spring to see whether the higher frequencies were cut off in a similar manner as on the Early Summer track? I went back to watch a couple early sequences in the film and now realized how poor it sounded.

I did, and they have been. The BFI sounds much, much better, unfortunately...

[kwippleton]

I'm assuming not, but does anyone know if the JP blu ray releases of BURST CITY and CRAZY THUNDER ROAD have subtitles? I've only seen the former and can see that subtitles aren't really even necessary it for it, but what about the latter?

[L.A.]

Regarding Isao Takahata's The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun, I understand Discotek Media had plans to release this on Blu-ray. Any word if this is still happening?

Finally.

[Calvin]

I believe it's the same master as the Japanese disc though, which looks terrible and in need of a new scan and restoration (like the other Toei Doga films).

[Michael Kerpan]

Doesn't seem all that different from the (now rather aged) DVD.

[Orlac]

Is the OAR 2.35:1? The discs are not that ratio.

[L.A.]

Anime Ltd is bringing Momotaro, Sacred Sailors + The Spider and the Tulip to the market on October 9th (hopefully). Their edition of Belladonna of Sadness came out in late June.

[htdm]

Other than the 120page book by Clements, I'm curious to see what is different from the Japanese and US editions.

[McCrutchy]

Shochiku will release three more films by Yasujirō Ozu on July 4th, 2018: The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952), Early Spring (1956) and Tokyo Twilight (1957).

All three films have been given 4K restorations, and will include both Japanese and English subtitles:

The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952) (Amazon)

Early Spring (1956) (Amazon)

Tokyo Twilight (1957) (Amazon)

[perkizitore]

Shochiku will release three more films by Yasujirō Ozu on July 4th, 2018: The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952), Early Spring (1956) and Tokyo Twilight (1957).

All three films have been given 4K restorations, and will include both Japanese and English subtitles:

The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952) (Amazon)

Early Spring (1956) (Amazon)

Tokyo Twilight (1957) (Amazon)

Anyone got these? Also, Kadokawa released a 4K remaster of Floating Weeds, but apparently this one doesn't have English subs. I only have the Japanese Early Summer and Late Spring, but I was hoping more color films might get Criterion releases (only Autumn Afternoon and Good Morning got the Criterion treatment so far).

[McCrutchy]

I have Early Spring and Tokyo Twilight, but I haven't watched them yet.

Unfortunately, thus far, only Shochiku have released any Japanese classics with English subtitles. Kadokawa never does.

[diamonds]

The detail on the Tokyo Twilight restoration is pretty stunning, but there's a significant amount of information loss on the bottom of the screen compared to the Eclipse DVD. The sound is also much more muffled, especially noticeable on the musical interludes. (This seems to be a troubling trend with restorations of films in this era).

[andyli]

Kon Ichikawa's The Wanderers is getting a domestic blu-ray release from King Records. Also, the same director's The Outcast is coming from Kadokawa.

[Michael Kerpan]

Kon Ichikawa's The Wanderers is getting a domestic blu-ray release from King Records. Also, the same director's The Outcast is coming from Kadokawa.

No subs, of course?

[andyli]

Probably no English subs. The only studio that care to include English subs in their blu-rays is Shochiku, I'm afraid.

[htdm]

None of the Kadokawa releases have Eng subs unfortunately.

[andyli]

As promised, Shochiku has given us news for a gigantic set containing all 49 Tora-san movies, fully restored in 4K and supplemented by two discs of bonus material. The individual pages seem to suggest there will be English subtitles at least for the main features. The price for the full gift set is 209,000 yen (about 1900 USD), still cheaper than a bitcoin though.

[yoshimori]

Matsumoto Toshio's Dogura Magura comes to BD with English subs in February.

In January, the assured debut film of now 23-year-old Okuyama Hiroshi, winner of best director at San Sebastian IFF, comes to BD. Though the Japanese title translates as "I Hate Mr. Jesus", in the West it's being called simply Jesus.