"Early Summer" Panorama - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 0

(aka 'Early Summer' or "Bakushû ")

Japan 1951

The Mayima family is seeking a husband for their daughter, Noriko, but she has ideas of her own. Played by the extraordinary Setsuko Hara, Noriko impulsively chooses her childhood friend, at once fulfilling her family's desires while tearing them apart. A seemingly simple story, it is among the director’s most emotionally complex—a nuanced examination of life's changes across three generations. Another enduring Ozu classics.

Poster

Theatrical Release: October 3rd, 1951 - Japan

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DVD Comparison:

Panorama - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

(Panorama - Region 3 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Panorama Region 3 - NTSC	Criterion Collection Spine # 240 Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	2:04:36	2:04:48
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.49 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.13 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Fox
Bitrate: BFI
Audio	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, Traditional Chinese, and none	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Panorama (Hong Kong) Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Director's Bio • Filmography DVD Release Date: December 23rd, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Collection Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by Japanese-film expert Donald Richie, author of Ozu and A Hundred Years of Japanese Film • Ozu’s Films from Behind-the-Scenes, a conversation about Ozu and his working methods, featuring a number of his collaborators, such as child-actor and sound technician Kojiro Suematsu, assistant cameraman Takashi Kawamata, and Ozu producer Shizuo Yamanouchi • Original theatrical trailer • New and improved English subtitle translation • Plus: a new essay by film scholar David Bordwell, author Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema, and an essay about Ozu by filmmaker Jim Jarmusch DVD Release Date: July 20, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 28

Comments:

Looking at a comparison like this, it makes me express how grateful I am to Criterion for the work that they do. Many might feel this comparison is too obvious to bother doing - Criterion will easily be superior - which it is. But in the process of matching these captures and examining I never imagined both how bad the Panorama is and how good the Criterion is.

The Criterion does show some damage but far less than the Panorama which has a sepia haze to the overall picture. The Panorama is cropped on all sides especially the left edge. The Criterion extras are so wonderful for Ozu fans. The crackling audio of the Panorama is dwarfed by the Criterions clean sharper sound. This Criterion disc is not simply great, but the greatest this film will look or be presented for film fans... possibly ever. This is another gem of my collection that I feel honored to own. I patiently wait my favorite Ozu - "Late Spring" which I know Criterion holds the rights too. How wonderful for us. Thanks again Criterion!

- Gary W. Tooze

Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

The Japan Journals : 1947-2004,

by Donald Richie

The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film
by Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp

Kon Ichikawa (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs)

by James Quandt, Cinematheque Ontario

Shohei Imamura (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No. 1)
by James Quandt

Eros Plus Massacre: An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave Cinema (Midland Book, Mb 469)
by David Desser

The Films of Akira Kurosawa by Donald Ritchie

Tokyo Story

by Yasujiro Ozu, Kogo Noda, Donald Richie, Eric Klestadt

Ozu by Donald Ritchie

A Hundred Years of Japanese Film by Donald Richie

Check out more in "The Library"

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(Panorama - Region 3 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Subtitle Sample