I'm Happy after buyingThis Samurai Trilogy Criterion Collection Blu ray
I just got Samurai Trilogy a day early because I pre-ordered it. I have to agree with Rider's review. This is a great blu ray transfer considering the movie is almost 60 years old. For those who bought the Criterion DVD collection, the contrast is like night and day. The dvd collection was junk and the price they were asking was robbery. You will be more than satisfied with this Bluray copy of Samurai Trilogy. t is a tremendous improvement over the last Criterion copy. Great job Criterion you finally got this one right.
I won't talk about the story, because you all probably know it, if you are considering buying it. Remember this bluray isn't going to be a 2012 bluray, with vivid color and crystal sharp textures. A vast improvement from what you have seen. You can't argue with a Toshiro Mifune movie, you can see the maturation of his acting skills, from a young actor to the veteran actor in some of Kurosawa's best movies. He is the John Wayne of Japanese samurai cinema, they both set the mark.
maddog
i must disagree when people say the print quality is poor. the quality may not be what some people are used to, but if you look at the restoration footage of the seven samurai, you can see that not all films stand the test of time well. the performances are magnificent and this third installment in the trilogy completes the story nicely. toshiro mifune has, for me, always been the definitive samurai. with a lesser emphasis on action and a greater emphasis on mental and emotional development, this film portrays his final arrival on becoming a samurai. it should not be missed.
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ReplyDeleteI just got Samurai Trilogy a day early because I pre-ordered it. I have to agree with Rider's review. This is a great blu ray transfer considering the movie is almost 60 years old. For those who bought the Criterion DVD collection, the contrast is like night and day. The dvd collection was junk and the price they were asking was robbery. You will be more than satisfied with this Bluray copy of Samurai Trilogy. t is a tremendous improvement over the last Criterion copy. Great job Criterion you finally got this one right.
ReplyDeleteI won't talk about the story, because you all probably know it, if you are considering buying it. Remember this bluray isn't going to be a 2012 bluray, with vivid color and crystal sharp textures. A vast improvement from what you have seen. You can't argue with a Toshiro Mifune movie, you can see the maturation of his acting skills, from a young actor to the veteran actor in some of Kurosawa's best movies. He is the John Wayne of Japanese samurai cinema, they both set the mark.
maddog
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
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ReplyDelete5.0 out of 5 stars
ReplyDeleteThe content has been summarized by others. For the person who has not seen these films, the summary cannot convey the content of these 3 films.
ReplyDeleteIn short, the story of perhaps the greatest master of Japanese sword skill ever, a historical/almost mythical figure from 1600 feudal Japan.
The 3 movies tell of his evolution from a young hot head with exceptional ability, to a master of both his martial art and of life from a Japanese Shinto perspective.
These films are full of Japanese culture and mentality.
The actors are spell binding.
The fight sceens are believable and of the highest standard. (No, the actors cannot walk up walls!!! and fly through the air!!!).
The story for me, was and is deeply moving.
Do not misunderstand, my insight and identification does not parallel that of the main character, but it is a story which has become part of me.
I do not know if this will appeal to every one.
It is in Japanese with subtitles.
Some parts of the film become slow.
Nonetheless, for me, this is a masterpiece and one of my all time favorites.
It is timeless.
ReplyDeleteThis trilogy is the finest ever made. It is a must see. It is the story of development of a man from raging, meanspirited and selfish beast to sainthood. Musashi starts out as the most immature and insufferable of brutes. But, through education and help from a priest who sees something special in him, Musashi obtains polish and humility. He goes on through life, learning earthshaking lessons about the treachery and the beauty of man along the way. In the course of polishing and refining his swordsmanship, Musashi also polishes and refines his soul. In the final scene, which is the most beautiful ever filmed, Musashi faces his nemesis, the gifted Sasaki Kojiro, in a battle royale. Shot with haunting effect on the beach at dawn before a blood red rising sun, both warriors reach absolute spiritual perfection at the same instant thanks to the supreme quality of their opponent. This movie is a guidebook on how a man should live his life on earth with honor and dignity and self-sacrifice. Watching this movie in proper sequence (I to III), I was greatly affected. I learned that the biggest indicators of greatness in this life are education, polish and humility. I never saw a better trilogy than this one.
ReplyDeleteEach movie alone seems to be missing that truly epic feel, but seen together they match up to be one of the greatest dramatic stories in film. Highly recommended.
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ReplyDeleteBlu-ray picture is simply amazing, especially considering this film is almost 60 yrs old. Many scenes are so crystal-clear and detailed you truly feel like you're actually there as an observer instead of watching a film. Detail is razor-sharp; you can see intricate fabric textures and very fine face details in closeup shots. In carefully-lit interior scenes, color is rich but not over-saturated; outdoor scenes are good but not quite as vibrant. Insert says "These new high-definition digital transfers were created on a Spirit Datacine from 35mm low-contrast prints struck from the original camera negatives." Also color fluctuations, scratches, splices, jitter, flicker, etc. were corrected.
ReplyDeleteHighly recommended - definitely a big step up from the DVD version.
I do not wish to compare these films to the works of Kurosawa as others have done (of course they aren't as modern or innovative) but to assess their impact as a trilogy and as a great realized vision of a historical figures' spiritual development. Their are not too many trilogies that hold together this well - maybe 'Star Wars' gives us this sort of vision as well. Toshiro Mifune, of course steals the show, and is very convincing in this kind of role. The cinematography is quite nice (especially in the first and last film) and we get to see a lot of beautiful natural images throughout the film - I am reminded of the Japanese love for nature that has been written so much about (read D.T. Suzuki's 'Zen and Japanese Culture' as another fine example). Overall, I am satisfied with this purchase. I think it has the power to inspire.
ReplyDeleteMastering The Sword As Soul, May 22, 2001
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