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Early Summer (1951)
Early Summer (1951) poster
Letterboxd

4.2

Best English-Friendly Release

Japan Shochiku Blu-ray

Best Video Release

4k resto available in France Carlotta boxset or Japan Blu-ray

Best Audio Release

Tartan/Shochiku DVD

Format

1080p Blu-ray

TSPDT

2026: #513
2025: #515
2024: #503
2023: #502
2022: #502

Length

135 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release

Japan Shochiku Blu-ray

Best Video Release

4k resto available in France Carlotta boxset or Japan Blu-ray

Best Audio Release

Tartan/Shochiku DVD

Format
1080p Blu-ray
TSPDT
2026: #513
2025: #515
2024: #503
2023: #502
2022: #502
Length
135 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 months ago
Contributors

More from Yasujirō Ozu

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Good Morning poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta and Criterion have new resto, Carlotta slightly better encode

Best Audio:

2009 Australia Madman DVD (Tartan/Raro/Shochiku probably the same)

Good Morning poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta and Criterion have new resto, Carlotta slightly better encode

Best Audio:

2009 Australia Madman DVD (Tartan/Raro/Shochiku probably the same)

The End of Summer poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2013 Criterion Hulu+ Streaming

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2013 Criterion Hulu+ Streaming

An Autumn Afternoon poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray slightly better encoding than Criterion

Best Audio:

Shochiku DVD

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray slightly better encoding than Criterion

Best Audio:

Shochiku DVD

Tokyo Story poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2020 BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 BFI Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2005 Raro DVD

Tokyo Story poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2020 BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 BFI Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2005 Raro DVD

Late Spring poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Hong Kong/Japan Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta Blu-ray has best encoding of France/Hong Kong/Japan. Criterion/BFI are older master

Best Audio:

2004 Tartan DVD (Raro/Madman/Shochiku DVDs probably similar)

Late Spring poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Hong Kong/Japan Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta Blu-ray has best encoding of France/Hong Kong/Japan. Criterion/BFI are older master

Best Audio:

2004 Tartan DVD (Raro/Madman/Shochiku DVDs probably similar)

I Was Born, But... poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2024 BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

2024 BFI Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

Best English-Friendly:

2024 BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

2024 BFI Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

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Jazz on a Summer's Day poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

FRA Carlotta Blu-ray: FiM encode. At least slightly better than the Kino.

Additional Info:

Carlotta ports over all special features from the Kino release, except the booklet essay. All specials are in English.

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

FRA Carlotta Blu-ray: FiM encode. At least slightly better than the Kino.

Additional Info:

Carlotta ports over all special features from the Kino release, except the booklet essay. All specials are in English.

Ichi the Killer poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Well Go US Blu-ray / Tokyo Shock US Blu-ray (see video/audio notes)

Best Video:

4K Remaster: Carlotta FR 4K Blu-ray
Original digital master: Tokyo Shock US Blu-ray

The original master is of poor quality, blurry with some damage and bad levels, which the 4K remaster improves upon, with better detail in compression. Unfortunately, the 4K master has significant issues with color posterization, making it look like poor quality digital video rather than 16mm film. Comparison between masters, Carlotta/Tokyo Shock clip

Best Audio:

Original Japanese: Carlotta FR 4K Blu-ray
English dub: Tokyo Shock US Blu-ray

Well Go does not include the dub.

Best English-Friendly:

Well Go US Blu-ray / Tokyo Shock US Blu-ray (see video/audio notes)

Best Video:

4K Remaster: Carlotta FR 4K Blu-ray
Original digital master: Tokyo Shock US Blu-ray

The original master is of poor quality, blurry with some damage and bad levels, which the 4K remaster improves upon, with better detail in compression. Unfortunately, the 4K master has significant issues with color posterization, making it look like poor quality digital video rather than 16mm film. Comparison between masters, Carlotta/Tokyo Shock clip

Best Audio:

Original Japanese: Carlotta FR 4K Blu-ray
English dub: Tokyo Shock US Blu-ray

Well Go does not include the dub.

Gonza the Spearman poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Channel Streaming

Best Video:

2024 Carlotta FR Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2009 Shochiku JP NTSC DVD

The audio track on the new 4K restoration sounds flat and lifeless, both its low and high frequencies were significantly attentuated.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Channel Streaming

Best Video:

2024 Carlotta FR Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2009 Shochiku JP NTSC DVD

The audio track on the new 4K restoration sounds flat and lifeless, both its low and high frequencies were significantly attentuated.

3:10 to Yuma poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Additional Info:

All audio tracks originate from the same DVD-era master, no real audible differences between them, but Carlotta is least filtered out of all

3:10 to Yuma poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Additional Info:

All audio tracks originate from the same DVD-era master, no real audible differences between them, but Carlotta is least filtered out of all

The Parallax View poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray a little better than Criterion. Imprint is worse. See caps

Best Audio:

iTunes/Amazon WEB-DL. All discs are worse.

Best English-Friendly:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Best Video:

Carlotta Blu-ray a little better than Criterion. Imprint is worse. See caps

Best Audio:

iTunes/Amazon WEB-DL. All discs are worse.

Yi Yi poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta 4K Blu-ray is FiM encoded and superior to Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps but the Carlotta release is not English friendly

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray

Additional Info:

A user writes: 'the 5.0 mix does not closely resemble the matrixed stereo track included on all prior releases (save for a 2003 French DVD which had 5.1). There is significant dialogue emphasis in the 5.0 mix while the older stereo mix has ambient sounds and dialogue mixed at nearly the same loudness. Additionally, the 5.0 mix has minor limiting in select loud sequences and a strange distorted quality on occasion (one notable example is the sound of a plane taking off which plays during a static shot of clouds in the sky). The stereo mix included on the FRA UHD/BD is a downmix of the 5.0 track.'

Yi Yi poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta 4K Blu-ray is FiM encoded and superior to Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps but the Carlotta release is not English friendly

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray

Additional Info:

A user writes: 'the 5.0 mix does not closely resemble the matrixed stereo track included on all prior releases (save for a 2003 French DVD which had 5.1). There is significant dialogue emphasis in the 5.0 mix while the older stereo mix has ambient sounds and dialogue mixed at nearly the same loudness. Additionally, the 5.0 mix has minor limiting in select loud sequences and a strange distorted quality on occasion (one notable example is the sound of a plane taking off which plays during a static shot of clouds in the sky). The stereo mix included on the FRA UHD/BD is a downmix of the 5.0 track.'

Lola Montès poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

French version: Criterion Blu-ray (Carlotta has no English subtitles)

German version: Filmmuseum DVD

Best Video:

French version: 2020 Carlotta Blu-ray

German version: Filmmuseum DVD

Additional Info:

Carlotta Films corrects the mistakes of Criterion due to the compression on dark scenes and gives the gorgeous transfer of the restoration a better encode/compression and more bitrate.

The German cut, titled Lola Montez, is considered by Ophüls scholars such as Jonathan Rosenbaum, Dan Sallitt and Tag Gallagher to be superior to the French cut. It has only been reissued on the Filmmuseum DVD.

Lola Montès poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

French version: Criterion Blu-ray (Carlotta has no English subtitles)

German version: Filmmuseum DVD

Best Video:

French version: 2020 Carlotta Blu-ray

German version: Filmmuseum DVD

Additional Info:

Carlotta Films corrects the mistakes of Criterion due to the compression on dark scenes and gives the gorgeous transfer of the restoration a better encode/compression and more bitrate.

The German cut, titled Lola Montez, is considered by Ophüls scholars such as Jonathan Rosenbaum, Dan Sallitt and Tag Gallagher to be superior to the French cut. It has only been reissued on the Filmmuseum DVD.

Farewell My Concubine poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta 4K > Criterion 4K

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Carlotta 4K > Criterion 4K

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

Bela Tarr Curzon Collection or Arbelos Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray August

Best Video:

Curzon Blu-ray ~= Arbelos Blu-ray

There's also a France Carlotta boxset release (no ENG subs) but screenshots not available.

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

Bela Tarr Curzon Collection or Arbelos Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray August

Best Video:

Curzon Blu-ray ~= Arbelos Blu-ray

There's also a France Carlotta boxset release (no ENG subs) but screenshots not available.

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

Arbelos Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray August

Best Video:

Carlotta France Blu-ray slightly better than Arbelos US Blu-ray, both are FiM-encodes with tradeoffs. Carlotta is best in dark scenes.

Curzon UK Blu-ray has squished AR
Bela Tarr Curzon Collection uses the same bad Curzon Blu-ray

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

Arbelos Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray August

Best Video:

Carlotta France Blu-ray slightly better than Arbelos US Blu-ray, both are FiM-encodes with tradeoffs. Carlotta is best in dark scenes.

Curzon UK Blu-ray has squished AR
Bela Tarr Curzon Collection uses the same bad Curzon Blu-ray

More Drama on Blu-ray

The Mothman Prophecies poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Upcoming Release:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray in October

Best Video:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Germany Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray is disappointing with AI upscaling

Best Audio:

Germany Concorde Blu-ray has lossless DTS-HD 5.1

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Upcoming Release:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray in October

Best Video:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Germany Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray is disappointing with AI upscaling

Best Audio:

Germany Concorde Blu-ray has lossless DTS-HD 5.1

100 METERS poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Netflix Streaming

Best Audio:

Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray for original 7.1 mix

Netflix Streaming for English dub

100 METERS poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Netflix Streaming

Best Audio:

Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray for original 7.1 mix

Netflix Streaming for English dub

Drive poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Second Sight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Atmos on the Sony 4K Blu-ray maybe better?

Regarding the "original theatrical audio" 5.1 mixes:

The Sony UHD and the BD DTS-HD 5.1 mixes are the same but the UHD has been pushed slightly harder and has a lot of clipping. The UHD is 16 bit vs the BD's 24 bits.

The Second Sight UHD DTS-HD 5.1 is a downmix of its respective Atmos track. Definitely different from the Sony UHD/BD mix plus a little less dynamic. Whether or not that's representative of the theatrical Dolby Digital mix is anyone's guess.

So, if you want the best version of the original 5.1, the 2012 BD is the winner.

Best English-Friendly:

Second Sight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Atmos on the Sony 4K Blu-ray maybe better?

Regarding the "original theatrical audio" 5.1 mixes:

The Sony UHD and the BD DTS-HD 5.1 mixes are the same but the UHD has been pushed slightly harder and has a lot of clipping. The UHD is 16 bit vs the BD's 24 bits.

The Second Sight UHD DTS-HD 5.1 is a downmix of its respective Atmos track. Definitely different from the Sony UHD/BD mix plus a little less dynamic. Whether or not that's representative of the theatrical Dolby Digital mix is anyone's guess.

So, if you want the best version of the original 5.1, the 2012 BD is the winner.

The Corruptor poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Toy Robot 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Corruptor poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Toy Robot 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Skeleton Key poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

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

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Video:

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

US LionsgateFrance Metropolitan, and Germany Blu-ray have a 7.1 track, Australia Imprint has stereo only.

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

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Video:

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

US LionsgateFrance Metropolitan, and Germany Blu-ray have a 7.1 track, Australia Imprint has stereo only.

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

Imprint AU Blu-ray

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

Imprint AU Blu-ray

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

Sony Blu-ray

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

Sony Blu-ray

The Bucket List poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Bucket List poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Shock and Awe poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Vertical Blu-ray

Shock and Awe poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Vertical Blu-ray

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Early Summer (1951) backdrop

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