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Tokyo Story (1953)
Tokyo Story (1953) poster
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4.4

Tokyo Story (1953)

東京物語

Drama • 2h 14m

Overview

The elderly Shukishi and his wife, Tomi, take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children in Tokyo. Their elder son, Koichi, a doctor, and their daughter, Shige, a hairdresser, don't have much time to spend with their aged parents, and so it falls to Noriko, the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, to keep her in-laws company.

Director: Yasujirō Ozu

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Best Audio Release

2005 Raro DVD

Format

1080p Blu-ray

TSPDT

2026: #4
2025: #4
2024: #4
2023: #4
2022: #4

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 8, Audio: 5, Extras: 9

Length

134 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

7 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Best Audio Release

2005 Raro DVD

Format
1080p Blu-ray
Featured Lists
TSPDT
2026: #4
2025: #4
2024: #4
2023: #4
2022: #4
Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 8, Audio: 5, Extras: 9

Length
134 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
7 months ago
Contributors

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc [ML102699], but still a bit overly noise-managed.

1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS maybe better?

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc [ML102699], but still a bit overly noise-managed.

1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS maybe better?

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

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WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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The Shining poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Video:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1999 WB DVD

Additional Info:

No Blu-ray or DVD release has presented the movie in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 for the US cut or 1.66:1 for the International cut.

The packaging on the back of the 4K Blu-ray incorrectly states it as 1.85:1 when the movie is actually 1.78:1 as is the original Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Video:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1999 WB DVD

Additional Info:

No Blu-ray or DVD release has presented the movie in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 for the US cut or 1.66:1 for the International cut.

The packaging on the back of the 4K Blu-ray incorrectly states it as 1.85:1 when the movie is actually 1.78:1 as is the original Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Final Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray (Caveat: No Dolby Vision from Streaming)

Other Cuts: WB Blu-ray

Workprint: WB 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Set for a better AVC encode

Best Video:

Final Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray (Caveat: No Dolby Vision from Streaming)

Other Cuts: WB Blu-ray

Workprint: WB 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Set for a better AVC encode

Best Audio:

1982 Theatrical Mix: Embassy Video releases, HD-DVD for the 70mm 6-track mix

International Cut Dolby Stereo: Criterion Collection LaserDisc, HD-DVD for the 70mm 6-track mix

1992 Director's Cut Dolby Stereo: WB CAV LaserDisc 2.0 PCM-best fidelity of any mix, HD-DVD for the 70mm 6-track mix

Workprint: WB 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Set DTS-HD MA 5.1

2007 Final Cut remix: Blu-ray Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Additional Info:

WB 4K Blu-ray only has Final Cut and contains a bad Atmos remix with new sound effects. Original Final Cut mix was removed.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Final Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray (Caveat: No Dolby Vision from Streaming)

Other Cuts: WB Blu-ray

Workprint: WB 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Set for a better AVC encode

Best Video:

Final Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray (Caveat: No Dolby Vision from Streaming)

Other Cuts: WB Blu-ray

Workprint: WB 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Set for a better AVC encode

Best Audio:

1982 Theatrical Mix: Embassy Video releases, HD-DVD for the 70mm 6-track mix

International Cut Dolby Stereo: Criterion Collection LaserDisc, HD-DVD for the 70mm 6-track mix

1992 Director's Cut Dolby Stereo: WB CAV LaserDisc 2.0 PCM-best fidelity of any mix, HD-DVD for the 70mm 6-track mix

Workprint: WB 30th Anniversary Blu-ray Set DTS-HD MA 5.1

2007 Final Cut remix: Blu-ray Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Additional Info:

WB 4K Blu-ray only has Final Cut and contains a bad Atmos remix with new sound effects. Original Final Cut mix was removed.

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Radiance Blu-ray

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Radiance Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

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BFI 4K Blu-ray

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BFI 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS, crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas

The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.

Additional Info:

Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS, crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas

The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.

Additional Info:

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That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNRhttps://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kadokawa Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

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Kadokawa Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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Curzon 4K Blu-ray

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Best English-Friendly:

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Japan Shochiku Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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1080p Blu-ray
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Best English-Friendly:

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Additional Info:

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Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray has better detail. Severin 4K Blu-ray has HDR but poor encode.

Best Video:

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Additional Info:

Severin 4K Blu-ray has very good extras that are more relevant to the film

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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1080p Blu-ray
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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Best Audio:

TBD: BFI Blu-ray’s mono sounds clean. No hiss but not noticeably muffled/filtered either. No known comparisons against older releases.

Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI Blu-ray: strong VDMS encode of a 4K scan.

No comparisons available against France Potemkine or Japan IVC. They are presumably from the same master, but do not feature English subs.

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TBD: BFI Blu-ray’s mono sounds clean. No hiss but not noticeably muffled/filtered either. No known comparisons against older releases.

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Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray

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BFI 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Video:

Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray see caps

Additional Info:

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DVD
Best English-Friendly:

BFI DVD or Apple TV HD Streaming

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BFI DVD or Apple TV HD Streaming no comparison available 

Additional Info:

New 4K restoration is going to world premiere on TIFF

Best English-Friendly:

BFI DVD or Apple TV HD Streaming

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Additional Info:

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Additional Info:

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