Member razorclam Posted March 17, 2012 Member Share Posted March 17, 2012 Criterion announced Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy for blu ray release on June 26. It has a brand new HD remaster as well as new subtitles. Extra features are a little light (some interviews), but these movies needed a re-master bad. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yi-Long Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I've never seen these movies, but heard and read great things about them, plus Mifune is always awesome, so really excited about this trilogy hopefully getting a proper release... Oh, and hopefully it will be region-free or also coming to R2, or else I'll have to torrent it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 17, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 17, 2012 Unfortunately, Criterions are always region locked these days. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted March 17, 2012 Member Share Posted March 17, 2012 Damn, you beat me to the punch! I was just about to post about it. I've watched the first two. They were a little melodramatic. Light on the action too. I much rather prefer the 5 film Musashi film series Animeigo released a few years ago. But, it's ALWAYS good to get remastered Blu's of any samurai films! These were some of criterions early releases in the past decade. So they should look amazing! Sigh...I really shouldn't be buying any more DVD's now that obscure releases like these are getting a Blu treatment. There's no telling what will happen next. I wonder if this will herald a Blu release of their 60's sword play classics boxed set? That I will HAVE to purchase! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 17, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 17, 2012 Just wait about 3 weeks after it's released, and get at Barnes & Nobles 50% off Criterion sale. B&N does this sale for 2-3 weeks every July and November. It's the SRP price, but $35.00 is way better than any other deal for that set. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yi-Long Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Unfortunately, Criterions are always region locked these days. James Thanks Gawd I hate region-locking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted March 19, 2012 Member Share Posted March 19, 2012 Damn, you beat me to the punch! I was just about to post about it. I've watched the first two. They were a little melodramatic. Light on the action too. I much rather prefer the 5 film Musashi film series Animeigo released a few years ago. But, it's ALWAYS good to get remastered Blu's of any samurai films! These were some of criterions early releases in the past decade. So they should look amazing! Sigh...I really shouldn't be buying any more DVD's now that obscure releases like these are getting a Blu treatment. There's no telling what will happen next. I wonder if this will herald a Blu release of their 60's sword play classics boxed set? That I will HAVE to purchase! A BD issue of Kiru and Samurai Rebellion would be awesome (and the other ones like Samurai Spy would be good too). I'm so-so on this Inaki set with the reasons you state, but I have to imagine it will look a whole lot better than the existing version which is among the worst looking of the Criterion DVDs (I believe the three movies were just ported from their laserdisc release). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted March 21, 2012 Member Share Posted March 21, 2012 Yeah, they're not my favorite samurai films. But, I'd hate for Criterion to stop releasing more if these don't sell! I think I'll pick them up when I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted March 22, 2012 Member Share Posted March 22, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TheDenizen Posted March 23, 2012 Member Share Posted March 23, 2012 I already own the original Criterion discs of this trilogy....can't really afford a double dip for Bluray right now, but this is good news... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted March 23, 2012 Member Share Posted March 23, 2012 I already own the original Criterion discs of this trilogy....can't really afford a double dip for Bluray right now, but this is good news... I'm kind of in your boat. But since I'd hate for Criterion to not release more Samurai films, I'll probably have to pick this up when B&N has their big sale in June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 24, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 24, 2012 Anybody notice that Criterion has the rights to the Zatoichi films released by Image Entertainment (Hanzo The Razor films as well)? They are all being shown as Criterion films on Hulu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member John Posted March 24, 2012 Member Share Posted March 24, 2012 Somehow I don't see Hanzo the Razor hitting it big with the arthouse crowd... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member waywardsage Posted March 24, 2012 Member Share Posted March 24, 2012 Anybody notice that Criterion has the rights to the Zatoichi films released by Image Entertainment (Hanzo The Razor films as well)? They are all being shown as Criterion films on Hulu. I mentioned this on here in the past. It's a shame that Criterion won't admit to doing any Blu masters for a Zatoichi boxed set. I really wish they would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 24, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 24, 2012 I can't see them releasing all the Zatoichis on blu, but hopefully some will make it. They've been releasing some cheaper blu rays minus extras lately (ex: Three Outlaw Samurai). I agree, the Hanzo series might be a tough sell, but they do release Lars Von Trier's spew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member John Posted March 25, 2012 Member Share Posted March 25, 2012 Extra, extra: Criterion customers are suckers for extravagantly European names. Agreed about the first Zatoichi; Katsu is basically a smaller Godzilla, and the first one of those got released despite legal drama... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 25, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 25, 2012 Criterion has a very good track record with Toho. I'd like to see them release the first Zatoichi and Samaritan Zatoichi on blu ray ( if not everything). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Killer Meteor Posted March 25, 2012 Member Share Posted March 25, 2012 I can't see them releasing all the Zatoichis on blu, but hopefully some will make it. They've been releasing some cheaper blu rays minus extras lately (ex: Three Outlaw Samurai). I agree, the Hanzo series might be a tough sell, but they do release Lars Von Trier's spew. I keep wishing Criterion would tackle King Hu's films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 26, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 26, 2012 I've repeatedly, requested A Touch of Zen and Dragon Inn. A couple years ago the responded that they would love for King Hu to be in the collection (on Facebook). I'm assuming the rights are the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Sambojits Posted March 26, 2012 Member Share Posted March 26, 2012 Criterion has a very good track record with Toho. I'd like to see them release the first Zatoichi and Samaritan Zatoichi on blu ray ( if not everything). The films Criteron own are Daiei/Kadokawa. The ones Animeigo own are Toho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted March 26, 2012 Member Share Posted March 26, 2012 The films Criteron own are Daiei/Kadokawa. The ones Animeigo own are Toho. A lot of the R1 Janus releases of Zatoichi are OOP. If you find them used, pick them up (also make sure they have the insert and hopefully the mini-poster though I have no idea if all of those came with it, I have the mini-poster for the 11th and 13th). I have no idea when they will go in print again. But they are available for free on hulu. RE: King Hu, I've also bugged Criterion a bunch of times to put out more Hong Kong, Mainland or Taiwan films. Usually they ignore me (though they never ignore any technical issues I have ). I tend to purchase most of Criterion's films, a little behind on the BDs though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member razorclam Posted March 27, 2012 Author Member Share Posted March 27, 2012 When I said Criterion had a good relationship with Toho, I was thinking of their AK releases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member bamboo spear Posted April 4, 2012 Member Share Posted April 4, 2012 I paid a pretty penny to get the DVD boxset at Barnes & Noble a few years ago (before I realized how ridiculously overpriced they are), but it's worth it. These are probably my favorite non-Sonny Chiba samurai movies. I remember reading the huge Eiji Yoshikawa novel in junior college lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.