Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, caps

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

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

Criterion Blu-ray

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

R5 Triumph Video DVD

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

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

Old BFI Blu-ray > Criterion Blu-ray > BFI 4K Blu-ray > Toho Blu-ray See DonaldMcDonald's post

BFI 4K Blu-ray

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.

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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

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

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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.

Toho 1993 LaserDisc

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

Criterion DVD

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

Spain/Japan has Blu-ray

Criterion Blu-ray

Japan Toho 4K Blu-ray

AIP Dub is only found on the 2011 Media Blasters Blu-ray along with other exclusive extras (NOT the 2014 reissue)

Eureka! Blu-ray

Eureka Blu-ray > Criterion Blu-ray (slightly)

2001 Toho DVD/2010 Eureka DVD see Blah-ray but the difference is not too big

179 min cut: Criterion Blu-ray

159 min cut: Fox Blu-ray

179 min cut: Toho 4K Blu-ray

159 min cut: Fox Blu-ray

Japan Toho 4K Blu-ray

Criterion Blu-ray

Criterion Blu-ray

Japan Toho Blu-ray

Toho Japan Blu-ray

Toho Blu-ray does not have a Title Menu, but there are English Subtitles available in the pop-up menu.

US Toho 4K Blu-ray

US Toho 4K Blu-ray > France 4K Blu-ray > Japan Toho 4K Blu-ray caps

BR members also compared subtitles and placement and the US contains the original burnt-in subs compared to the France and UK 4Ks.

Toho/GKIDS US 4K Blu-ray has a new English dub, different from the old Funi US Blu-ray

Toho 4K Blu-ray

Toho 4K Blu-ray