ADDITION: BFI Dual-format package - May 2011: The BFI has been doing a solid job on their Ozu Blu-ray transfers - see Late Spring + The Only Son, Tokyo Story, Early Summer, Good Morning and There Was a Father and coming out now we have An Autumn Afternoon and Late Autumn. This feature transfer fills most of the single-layered Blu-ray and although, presumably, from the same source as the Panorama - it improves in all the usual areas on hi-def over SD. In short the DVD looks like video compared to the 1080P which more closely resembles film.

BFI have again gone with the linear PCM audio track in stereo and there were no strong complaints of hiss or drop-out. It is clean and reasonably tight. Translation via the optional English subtitles is a notable improvement as the Panorama was ineffectual on that front (see Nick's comments below). The Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked.

There are no extras on the Blu-ray disc itself but the package includes a DVD of Late Autumn and Ozu's A Mother Should Be Loved is also available in SD. BFI have included another handsome, illustrated, booklet (20-pages) featuring essays and film notes by Alexander Jacoby and Ed Hughes.

The Panorama DVDs from almost a decade ago may have been a usable stop-gap at the time but viewing Ozu in hi-def is like seeing the film for the very first time. Film fans shouldn't hesitate owning Late Autumn (another Ozu masterpiece) via BFI's Blu-ray  package.

Gary W. Tooze 

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NOTE: ADDITION: We have been scrutinizing the DVD and the sub titles are quite weak. It appears they were much better done on the old VHS tape.