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Street of Shame (1956)
Street of Shame (1956) poster
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4.1

Street of Shame (1956)

赤線地帯

Drama • 1h 27m

Overview

The lives of five prostitutes employed at a Japanese brothel while the nation is debating the passage of an anti-prostitution law.

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Eureka MoC Blu-ray, see caps

MoC is sourced from an earlier scan, but still looks more detailed than the later 4K restoration released by Kadokawa in Japan, which has some black crush and DNR. French Capricci disc is sourced from the same scan as MoC but with much worse encoding and wrong levels.

Best Audio Release

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Format

1080p Blu-ray

TSPDT

2026: #849
2025: #837
2024: #825
2023: #800
2022: #800

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 5, Audio: 4, Extras: 1

Length

87 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

18 days ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release

Eureka MoC Blu-ray, see caps

MoC is sourced from an earlier scan, but still looks more detailed than the later 4K restoration released by Kadokawa in Japan, which has some black crush and DNR. French Capricci disc is sourced from the same scan as MoC but with much worse encoding and wrong levels.

Best Audio Release

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Format
1080p Blu-ray
TSPDT
2026: #849
2025: #837
2024: #825
2023: #800
2022: #800
Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 5, Audio: 4, Extras: 1

Length
87 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
18 days ago
Contributors

More from Kenji Mizoguchi

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The Crucified Lovers poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray (caps)

Kadokawa JP Blu-ray has incorrect levels and looks slightly washed out. Criterion has slightly worse encoding, but both are solid in that regard.

Best Audio:

Eureka MoC DVD

Additional Info:

MoC has a different translation from Criterion.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray (caps)

Kadokawa JP Blu-ray has incorrect levels and looks slightly washed out. Criterion has slightly worse encoding, but both are solid in that regard.

Best Audio:

Eureka MoC DVD

Additional Info:

MoC has a different translation from Criterion.

Ugetsu poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Ugetsu poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

The Life of Oharu poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 Toho Blu-ray is new 4K restoration. No English subs.

Best Audio:

R5 Triumph Video DVD

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 Toho Blu-ray is new 4K restoration. No English subs.

Best Audio:

R5 Triumph Video DVD

Sansho the Bailiff poster
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

Best Video:

Kadokawa Blu-ray is new 4K restoration

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer. Shochiku Blu-ray is similar

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer. Shochiku Blu-ray is similar

More from Masters of Cinema

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

OOP Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC slightly better than Kino Lorber http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/anatahan_blu-ray.htm

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

OOP Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC slightly better than Kino Lorber http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/anatahan_blu-ray.htm

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

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

1984 Giorgio Moroder restoration: MoC Blu-ray or Kino Lorber Blu-ray

2001 Murnau restoration: MoC 2-disc DVD set > Kino Lorber 1-disc Restored Authorized Edition DVD

2010 Murnau complete restoration: MoC Blu-ray > Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

1984 Giorgio Moroder restoration: MoC Blu-ray or Kino Lorber Blu-ray

2001 Murnau restoration: MoC 2-disc DVD set > Kino Lorber 1-disc Restored Authorized Edition DVD

2010 Murnau complete restoration: MoC Blu-ray > Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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

MoC and BFI differing restorations and scores

Best Video:

2006 Restoration: Eureka Blu-ray
1995 photochemical restoration: BFI Blu-ray that some may prefer

Best Audio:

Eureka with Murnau institute restoration featuring score based on original score, BFI uses Photoplay restoration with James Bernard score

Additional Info:

Both Eureka and BFI BDs are worthy of owning. Each restoration has unique positives and extras. The James Bernard score on the BFI is outstanding and the image tinting is different to how the Murnau institute official restoration was done. The Eureka MoC BD is stuffed with extras and remains one of the best-made BDs of all time. Whatever you do: AVOID THE Kino Lorber BD!!! It uses the same Murnau institute restoration but drops frames for the whole feature - thus it loses a significant portion of the film! This was never acknowledged or addressed. The Kino Lorber BD remains one of the worst BDs of all time for this reason.

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

MoC and BFI differing restorations and scores

Best Video:

2006 Restoration: Eureka Blu-ray
1995 photochemical restoration: BFI Blu-ray that some may prefer

Best Audio:

Eureka with Murnau institute restoration featuring score based on original score, BFI uses Photoplay restoration with James Bernard score

Additional Info:

Both Eureka and BFI BDs are worthy of owning. Each restoration has unique positives and extras. The James Bernard score on the BFI is outstanding and the image tinting is different to how the Murnau institute official restoration was done. The Eureka MoC BD is stuffed with extras and remains one of the best-made BDs of all time. Whatever you do: AVOID THE Kino Lorber BD!!! It uses the same Murnau institute restoration but drops frames for the whole feature - thus it loses a significant portion of the film! This was never acknowledged or addressed. The Kino Lorber BD remains one of the worst BDs of all time for this reason.

The Old Dark House poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC 4K Blu-ray. Here are some screenshots that include the Cohen Blu-ray and the poor Germany 4K with terrible fake HDR. David’s DV grade is way more subtle and doesn’t blow out the highlights

Best Audio:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC 4K Blu-ray. Here are some screenshots that include the Cohen Blu-ray and the poor Germany 4K with terrible fake HDR. David’s DV grade is way more subtle and doesn’t blow out the highlights

Best Audio:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

A New Leaf poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray > MoC > Olive Films. From nicolas:

The master is good but it’s not that big an upgrade from the Olive Films disc and Vinegar Syndrome’ encode has some blocky highlights. A shame that they didn’t hire David Mackenzie here.

Best Audio:

Olive Films Blu-ray / Masters of Cinema Blu-ray

Cinématographe has unnecessary noise gating not present on the previous releases.

A New Leaf poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray > MoC > Olive Films. From nicolas:

The master is good but it’s not that big an upgrade from the Olive Films disc and Vinegar Syndrome’ encode has some blocky highlights. A shame that they didn’t hire David Mackenzie here.

Best Audio:

Olive Films Blu-ray / Masters of Cinema Blu-ray

Cinématographe has unnecessary noise gating not present on the previous releases.

Salvador poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Twilight Time Blu-ray or MGM NTSC DVD for the original mono mix

  • Shout! Factory 4K only has a stereo downmix (which sounds muffled, as do the surround tracks)

  • Twilight Time Blu-ray has the mono track with seemingly the best fidelity, but its dynamic range has been heavily compressed

  • MoC UK Blu-ray has a proper dynamics and good fidelity, but bizzarely, everything is repeated after a few miliseconds, rendering echoey and metallic

  • MGM NTSC DVD has been denoised and has had a strong EQ applied and sounds muffled as a result, but it retains proper dynamics

  • Koch Media DE BD had poor dynamics and wrong pitch

  • Analog 1986 US LaserDisc sounds poor

Perhaps the digital JP LD would be better.

Salvador poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Twilight Time Blu-ray or MGM NTSC DVD for the original mono mix

  • Shout! Factory 4K only has a stereo downmix (which sounds muffled, as do the surround tracks)

  • Twilight Time Blu-ray has the mono track with seemingly the best fidelity, but its dynamic range has been heavily compressed

  • MoC UK Blu-ray has a proper dynamics and good fidelity, but bizzarely, everything is repeated after a few miliseconds, rendering echoey and metallic

  • MGM NTSC DVD has been denoised and has had a strong EQ applied and sounds muffled as a result, but it retains proper dynamics

  • Koch Media DE BD had poor dynamics and wrong pitch

  • Analog 1986 US LaserDisc sounds poor

Perhaps the digital JP LD would be better.

Danger: Diabolik poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original Italian/English dubs: UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray
Export English dub: Paramount LaserDisc

MoC ported the export dub from LaserDisc, but used a low quality transfer, with poor lossy encoding.

Additional Info:

MST3K version: Vol XXXIX DVD / episode 1013: series finale of the original show.

Best English-Friendly:

UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original Italian/English dubs: UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray
Export English dub: Paramount LaserDisc

MoC ported the export dub from LaserDisc, but used a low quality transfer, with poor lossy encoding.

Additional Info:

MST3K version: Vol XXXIX DVD / episode 1013: series finale of the original show.

Rocco and His Brothers poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray is significantly better than older Blu-ray however the HDR grade is questionable as it introduces black crushes, see nic's review and caps

For Blu-rays, Germany StudioCanal Blu-ray > MoC Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

All disc sourced from the 4K restoration use the same solid audio track. Older DVD releases are from a higher generation source with less detail and more hiss.

Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray is significantly better than older Blu-ray however the HDR grade is questionable as it introduces black crushes, see nic's review and caps

For Blu-rays, Germany StudioCanal Blu-ray > MoC Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

All disc sourced from the 4K restoration use the same solid audio track. Older DVD releases are from a higher generation source with less detail and more hiss.

Cruel Story of Youth poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (caps)

Criterion is a very nice uptick in detail and resolution. The color grade is very similar, but leans more neutral, reducing the greenish/blueish hues seen on the MoC disc.

Best Audio:

Unrestored: Shochiku JP NTSC DVD
Restored: Masters of Cinema UK Blu-ray

The JP DVD track is unfiltered and sounds much more natural and detailed, but suffers from a strong CRT whine and an intermittent low-end hum. The track used on all later restorations is a bit muffled and has overemphasized bass.

Criterion applied additional EQ and roll-off to the restored track, but the audible difference is minimal.

Additional Info:

Criterion has a different translation to MoC, but both are solid and trade blows, see comparison.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (caps)

Criterion is a very nice uptick in detail and resolution. The color grade is very similar, but leans more neutral, reducing the greenish/blueish hues seen on the MoC disc.

Best Audio:

Unrestored: Shochiku JP NTSC DVD
Restored: Masters of Cinema UK Blu-ray

The JP DVD track is unfiltered and sounds much more natural and detailed, but suffers from a strong CRT whine and an intermittent low-end hum. The track used on all later restorations is a bit muffled and has overemphasized bass.

Criterion applied additional EQ and roll-off to the restored track, but the audible difference is minimal.

Additional Info:

Criterion has a different translation to MoC, but both are solid and trade blows, see comparison.

Steamboat Bill, Jr. poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC or Cohen Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC/Cohen > Kino Lorber

Best English-Friendly:

MoC or Cohen Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC/Cohen > Kino Lorber

More Drama on Blu-ray

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

BFI 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Video:

Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray see caps

Additional Info:

2019 BFI Blu-ray is the older master but better encode + extra footage than Criterion Blu-ray

Italy CG Entertainment Blu-ray is 4K resto, but horrible colours.

Best English-Friendly:

Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

BFI 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Video:

Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray see caps

Additional Info:

2019 BFI Blu-ray is the older master but better encode + extra footage than Criterion Blu-ray

Italy CG Entertainment Blu-ray is 4K resto, but horrible colours.

Dead Man's Shoes poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2026 Second Sight Blu-ray

Best Video:

2026 Second Sight Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

2026 Second Sight Blu-ray

Best Video:

2026 Second Sight Blu-ray

Flashdance poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Italy Paramount/Plaion 4K Blu-ray, better compression than other 4K Blu-rays

Flashdance poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Italy Paramount/Plaion 4K Blu-ray, better compression than other 4K Blu-rays

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

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal: Although Criterion is low-pass filtered, StudioCanal exhibits very clear and distracting macroblocking.

Best Audio:

TBD: UHDs sound muffled, but old YT clips sound clear. Need to look into DVDs and possibly VHS.

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

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal: Although Criterion is low-pass filtered, StudioCanal exhibits very clear and distracting macroblocking.

Best Audio:

TBD: UHDs sound muffled, but old YT clips sound clear. Need to look into DVDs and possibly VHS.

Breathless poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray/2020 remastered StudioCanal Blu-ray (preference)

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The HDR grading has messed up highlights, so some may prefer the 2020 remastered StudioCanal Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2000 Optimum DVD

Additional Info:

Criterion's subtitles seem to be better than StudioCanal's which omits too much IMO.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray/2020 remastered StudioCanal Blu-ray (preference)

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The HDR grading has messed up highlights, so some may prefer the 2020 remastered StudioCanal Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2000 Optimum DVD

Additional Info:

Criterion's subtitles seem to be better than StudioCanal's which omits too much IMO.

Michael poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray (similar encoding) - caps

Best Audio:

US Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Michael poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray (similar encoding) - caps

Best Audio:

US Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Italy Dynit Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan "4K Remastered" Disney Blu-ray has the original 6.1 mix

Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray for the DTS:X remix

Funimation US Blu-ray for the Bandai dub

Manga Entertainment UK Blu-ray for the Manga Entertainment dub

Additional Info:

Italy Dynit Blu-ray has the best picture quality but has no English subtitles or original theatrical 6.1 mix.

All "4K Remastered" and 4K Blu-ray releases (including from Disney) are taken from a 35mm filmout rather than the original digital source, and then heavily DNR'd, destroying original detail and making lines smearier than before. The Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray is the least bad presentation of the 4K remaster, being encoded with a very healthy bitrate and HDR10+ metadata, with the original 6.1 mix included on the pack-in "4K Remastered" Blu-ray.

The film has multiple English subtitle translations, and the Disney subtitles done by Linda Hoaglund and Judith Aley with Aura are often seen as the best translation, with these subtitles present on the Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray.

Best English-Friendly:

Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Italy Dynit Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan "4K Remastered" Disney Blu-ray has the original 6.1 mix

Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray for the DTS:X remix

Funimation US Blu-ray for the Bandai dub

Manga Entertainment UK Blu-ray for the Manga Entertainment dub

Additional Info:

Italy Dynit Blu-ray has the best picture quality but has no English subtitles or original theatrical 6.1 mix.

All "4K Remastered" and 4K Blu-ray releases (including from Disney) are taken from a 35mm filmout rather than the original digital source, and then heavily DNR'd, destroying original detail and making lines smearier than before. The Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray is the least bad presentation of the 4K remaster, being encoded with a very healthy bitrate and HDR10+ metadata, with the original 6.1 mix included on the pack-in "4K Remastered" Blu-ray.

The film has multiple English subtitle translations, and the Disney subtitles done by Linda Hoaglund and Judith Aley with Aura are often seen as the best translation, with these subtitles present on the Japan Disney 4K 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.

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Street of Shame (1956) backdrop

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