View Larger Image

Kurosawa DVD Collection (Individually Numbered Limited Edition) (Amazon.com Exclusive) Directors: Ishirô Honda, Akira Kurosawa Number of Items: 3 Picture Format: Letterbox Format: Box set Studio: Wellspring Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2002-09-23 Buy from Amazon

From Amazon.com Befitting a filmmaker of Akira Kurosawa's masterly stature, this sumptuous limited-edition DVD set pays tribute to Kurosawa's cinematic legacy and Japanese heritage. Like Japanese architecture, the packaging is simple yet elegant, with Ran--Kurosawa's epic reworking of King Lear in feudal Japan--at the center of attention. Kurosawa's 1985 masterpiece was remastered for this set, a clear improvement over the notoriously disappointing Fox Lorber DVD. The transfer is now vividly colorful and crisply detailed, presented in anamorphic widescreen with optional yellow subtitles that are easier to read (though the earlier release probably wasn't as bad as the "old" image used in the restoration demo). The 5.1-channel sound option allows deeper immersion into Kurosawa's painstakingly crafted soundtrack, and film historian Stephen Price's superlative, feature-length commentary track provides engaging and scholarly perspective on Kurosawa's development of theme through composition, camera placement, editing, and highly stylized direction of actors. Another comparatively sparse commentary track by Japanese cultural expert Peter Grilli is worthwhile for its insider's view of Kurosawa's personality and methods. Ran--a tragic, awe-inspiring study of human folly--remains timelessly magnificent, marking the first step in Kurosawa's gradual move from the confines of conventional narrative. The gatefold packaging includes four glossy, postcard-quality reproductions of Kurosawa's personal storyboard paintings for Ran and Madadayo, as well as a beautiful miniature fold-out shoji screen paying tribute to Ran. (A commemorative Ran miniposter is also included.) While the DVDs of Kurosawa and Madadayo don't differ from their previous releases, their inclusion is fitting: Kurosawa (coproduced by Grilli) serves as a comprehensive study of the director's life and films, and Madadayo--Kurosawa's last and perhaps most personal film--is an evocative expression of the moral themes and unconventional storytelling that emerged in the final years of Kurosawa's legendary career. In honoring the sensei's lifetime of peerless creativity, this boxed set is guaranteed to please. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 22 Average rating: 3.5 "I wanted this set - but not if the DVDs are floating around" What a shame that like the recent E.T. debacle, bad packaging is ruining customer enjoyment of what should have been a great title. Many of us would not have minded paying the extra to get an early copy of the new remastering of "Ran." (That disc is set to be released on its own next year). But hearing the sad stories of how discs were broken out of their spindles and damaged in shipping from so many folks, changed my mind. It is the same problem I've seen on many CD's, DVDs and DVD Audio discs. "Please Clarify..." it said that this box is an "amazon exclusive". well i have seen this box (and purchased it) with everything that it has in it at stores that sell it for $50. so i dont see whats so great about this supposed amazon exclusive. the set is fun to have, nothing special, but something that a Kurosawa fan would enjoy. and for those looking for Ran on its lonesome, there was a Ran masterworks edition put out in 2003 by Wellspring. Its easily found for $25 and it is a very good transfer. "Great movies, lousy presentation." My review here is more about the presentation of the set, and not the movies themselves. The movies are great and the documentary is also good. One of the main problems is that the packaging is terrible. The discs fit loosely in the packaging and as a result moved around a great deal in shipping. In the first set I received the documentary disc was covered in scratches and glue and was completely unplayable (the glue was from the poorly made cardboard case). The Ran disc was also scratched badly. Amazon was good about getting another set out but even in that one the documentary disc was scratched, although it plays for the most part. The "extra" items are cheaply made and not worth the money either. Also, I must agree with another reviewer that complained about the RAN transfer. This is not much of an improvement over the Fox Lorber transfer, and there is a lot of noise at the edges of the "letterboxing". If you already own a copy of Ran or Madadayo don't bother with this set. If you must own a newer transfer of Ran this one is coming out as a single DVD in 2003. This set is just not worth the money, unless you just have to have that cheesy cardboard "miniature shoji screen" or the "mini" Ran poster. "A great look..." ...into a fabulous piece of cinema. This collection really assembles the best of all the tools for understanding Japanese cinema in general, and Akira Kurasawa in particular, good, comprehensible subs, expert commentary, and other extras. RAN is my second favorite Kurasawa film, and the presentation here really enriched my viewing of the film. I read Prince's book, THE WARRIOR'S CAMERA, but his commentary really opened up new windows into the film and its brilliant director. Granted, greater care could have been taken to protect the discs. Mine did arrive a little worse for the wear. "Ran around Sue" I was not a big fan of Kurosawa too high brow I thought. Lone Wolf & Zatoichi were it. Until I experinced living a little more.His choices are as brillant as a sword in Zatoichi's hands! He is a Master! Five stars would be the order...And the transfer and menus could be better. having said that It's a very good collection of films and a very good 'Effort' dispite the criticism. Glad I waited to purchase Ran