Japan
Also known as: JP
Type: Region
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Films where Japan is in a pick or an upcoming release.
Sources: film-foundation.org (opens in a new tab)
Japan IVC Blu-ray but not English-friendly
Film Foundation has 4k restoration https://www.film-foundation.org/world-cinema but no EN-friendly release yet
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
(second audio track, not included in the menu)
Japan 4K Blu-ray
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
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.
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.
Director: Nagisa Ōshima
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab) · diffchecker.com (opens in a new tab)
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.
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.
Criterion has a different translation to MoC, but both are solid and trade blows, see comparison.
Director: Henri Colpi
Japan Sergei Parajanov Boxset Blu-ray
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