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Directors
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Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa

17 Films

Akira Kurosawa

17 Included Films

Akira Kurosawa photo

IMDB

Letterboxd


Too be added:

  • Drunken Angels

  • the Idiot

  • the Bad Sleep Well

Films not on BD:

  • Tiger's Tail

  • One Wonderful Sunday

  • Scandal

  • I live in Fear

  • the Lower depths

More info needed.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, caps

As with other Kurosawa 4K's, Criterion has a less processed master than Toho and BFI.

Best Audio:

Criterion NTSC DVD overall. The 4K restoration's track is denoised and sounds muffled, but has a few of moments where it edges out in detail

Audio analysis between the Criterion 4K Blu-ray, BFI Blu-ray and Toho 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, caps

As with other Kurosawa 4K's, Criterion has a less processed master than Toho and BFI.

Best Audio:

Criterion NTSC DVD overall. The 4K restoration's track is denoised and sounds muffled, but has a few of moments where it edges out in detail

Audio analysis between the Criterion 4K Blu-ray, BFI Blu-ray and Toho 4K Blu-ray

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

2015 BFI Blu-ray

Additional Info:

(A 4K restoration was shown 2019-2021-2025, but no signs of a home video release so far)

Rashomon poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

2015 BFI Blu-ray

Additional Info:

(A 4K restoration was shown 2019-2021-2025, but no signs of a home video release so far)

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

Japan 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

BFI Blu-ray (second audio track, not included in the menu)

Ikiru poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

Japan 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

BFI Blu-ray (second audio track, not included in the menu)

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray or BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

No clear winner, Criterion SDR 4K Blu-ray has better defined grain and is cleaned-up more thoroughly. But looks grayer and flatter in daytime scenes. BFI 4K Blu-ray's HDR/DV is better in contrast but the grading can be debatable.

Best Audio:

BFI Streaming

Additional Info:

The subtitles of Criterion  and BFI are translated differently. See BR forum.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray or BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

No clear winner, Criterion SDR 4K Blu-ray has better defined grain and is cleaned-up more thoroughly. But looks grayer and flatter in daytime scenes. BFI 4K Blu-ray's HDR/DV is better in contrast but the grading can be debatable.

Best Audio:

BFI Streaming

Additional Info:

The subtitles of Criterion  and BFI are translated differently. See BR forum.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray for video or Criterion Blu-ray for subtitles

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray, see detailed review However Criterion has better subtitles

Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray for video or Criterion Blu-ray for subtitles

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray, see detailed review However Criterion has better subtitles

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR

Best Audio:

Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray

BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.

Additional Info:

The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.

Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.

Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR

Best Audio:

Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray

BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.

Additional Info:

The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.

Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2015 Star Media Blu-ray/2019 BFI Player WEB-DL

Yojimbo poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2015 Star Media Blu-ray/2019 BFI Player WEB-DL

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray

Sanjuro poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray: intact grain compared to Toho/BFI UHDs' DNR'd master

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is good, derived from the 1995 Criterion LaserDisc (which would be minimally better due to its lack of filtering) see blah-ray

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta > Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps: https://slow.pics/c/s7AfL3XW

Grain is sharper/clearer on the new Carlotta/Criterion 4K; BFI's grain resolves slightly worse and more so in motion, being a standard Blu-ray; The Toho 4K's grain is softer, probably DNR'd.

Best Audio:

Toho 1993 LaserDisc

BFI Player used to have the same mastering available to stream in 2019.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta > Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps: https://slow.pics/c/s7AfL3XW

Grain is sharper/clearer on the new Carlotta/Criterion 4K; BFI's grain resolves slightly worse and more so in motion, being a standard Blu-ray; The Toho 4K's grain is softer, probably DNR'd.

Best Audio:

Toho 1993 LaserDisc

BFI Player used to have the same mastering available to stream in 2019.

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Upcoming Release:

BFI Blu-ray, 2K restoration from Toho street date Nov 2026

Best Video:

Spain/Japan has Blu-ray

Red Beard poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Upcoming Release:

BFI Blu-ray, 2K restoration from Toho street date Nov 2026

Best Video:

Spain/Japan has Blu-ray

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Best Video:

Japan and France have Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Best Video:

Japan and France have Blu-ray

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Best Video:

Imprint Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray for surround Russian and English audio/Spain A Contracorriente for monaural Russian audio

Additional Info:

The Spain Blu-ray has the lossless mono mix (the main feature is not English-friendly however), alongside an exclusive conversation in English (with optional Spain subtitles)

The Japan DVD has a "It Is Wonderful to Create" documentary (though the disc is not English-friendly)

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Best Video:

Imprint Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray for surround Russian and English audio/Spain A Contracorriente for monaural Russian audio

Additional Info:

The Spain Blu-ray has the lossless mono mix (the main feature is not English-friendly however), alongside an exclusive conversation in English (with optional Spain subtitles)

The Japan DVD has a "It Is Wonderful to Create" documentary (though the disc is not English-friendly)

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

179 min cut: Criterion Blu-ray

159 min cut: Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

179 min cut: Toho 4K Blu-ray

159 min cut: Fox Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan Toho 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

179 min cut: Criterion Blu-ray

159 min cut: Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

179 min cut: Toho 4K Blu-ray

159 min cut: Fox Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan Toho 4K Blu-ray

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal/Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Italy Eagle Pictures 4K Blu-ray >StudioCanal UK (slightly better encoding on Eagle?)

Best Audio:

Japan 4K Restoration Blu-ray has original 4.0

Additional Info:

The US Criterion DVD has some unique supplements with 2.0 surround audio - this release contains Japan end titles.

The Japan 4K Restoration Blu-ray has some exclusive features with 4.0 audio (though the release is not English-friendly)- this release contains Japan end titles.

The StudioCanal releases contain France end titles - while their 4K Blu-ray releases contain identical features.

Ran poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal/Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Italy Eagle Pictures 4K Blu-ray >StudioCanal UK (slightly better encoding on Eagle?)

Best Audio:

Japan 4K Restoration Blu-ray has original 4.0

Additional Info:

The US Criterion DVD has some unique supplements with 2.0 surround audio - this release contains Japan end titles.

The Japan 4K Restoration Blu-ray has some exclusive features with 4.0 audio (though the release is not English-friendly)- this release contains Japan end titles.

The StudioCanal releases contain France end titles - while their 4K Blu-ray releases contain identical features.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Dreams poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

DVD
Best English-Friendly:

MGM DVD

Best English-Friendly:

MGM DVD

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox Lorber DVD

Madadayo poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox Lorber DVD

17 films

Made with ❤️ 📀 by vanshady