Tartan's Ozu Volume 1: The Noriko Trilogy - "Late Spring", "Early Summer" and "Tokyo Story"
DVD Review: Tartan Video - Region 2 - PAL
DVD Purchase Link | |
All 3 Tartan Ozu Boxsets | |
Distribution |
Tartan Video Region 0 - PAL |
Runtime | Show all three editions are from unconverted NTSC transfers! |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: for all 3 films is about 7.00 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
Audio | 2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese |
Subtitles | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Tartan Video (UK) Aspect Ratio: Edition Details: • Excellent liner notes by
Nick Wrigley Chapters 16, 24, 22 (respectively) |
Comments: |
Due to the great interest of this release we have placed it under the microscope to expand upon our three comparisons - "Late Spring", "Early Summer" and "Tokyo Story". Initial thoughts were not too damning, although we were disappointed by the improper conversion to DVD. We would like to expand upon our judgment that it is a flawed product. As Tartan were given the NTSC transfers from Shochiku they, perhaps through laziness, but more likely through economic viability, did not convert to PAL for their own DVDs. We have seen it many times before - and we don't like the results - 'ghosting' in motion sequences, prevalent artifacts and most damning - lack of detail in the image quality. It is most troubling. Like the Criterion release of "Tokyo Story" - the Tartan DVDs all suffer from fluctuating contrast levels. It is quite noticeable and disturbing. Another point is the damage that is consistent through "Late Spring" and "Tokyo Story" and shows , if even to a lesser degree, in "Early Summer". Another huge faux-pas in these discs are the statement on the packaging box that there are "commentaries from some of UK's leading film critics". Well there are none and I am quite surprised that they did not correct the box, or delay the release and get some commentaries - the films certainly warrant them. So everything that could have gone wrong with these releases appears to have transpired - weak transfers - no worthy extra features and misleading statements on the packaging.
The one ray of decency, aside from
the handsome physical packaging, are the the 6 page liner notes by Nick
Wrigley of
OzuYasujiro.com. In a recent poll on
the DVDBeaver ListServ , I rated this as the most disappointing release
of the year which I bought almost solely for the
"Late
Spring"
DVD. I realize my expectations were too high - although I honestly
didn't see them having the potential to be superior to their Criterion
counterparts - I did expect some valued extras. My assumption was that it would be superior to the Panorama Region
3 DVD, which it is - but only barely so. So what do I suggest? Buy the
Criterion editions of both
"Tokyo Story"
and
"Early Summer"
and then either wait for the Criterion
"Late
Spring"
(a year?) or buy the Panorama as a temporary fix. DVDBeaver does not
endorse this Tartan Box.
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Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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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 |
by Yasujiro Ozu, Kogo Noda, Donald Richie, Eric Klestadt |
Ozu by Donald Richie |
A Hundred Years of Japanese Film by Donald Richie |
Check out more in "The Library"
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Screen Captures
Late Spring
Excellent shot shows clarity and deep black levels. The trouble is that it is not consistent!
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Minor ghosting can be seen in Noriko's (Setsuko Hara) motioning hand.
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Contrast fluctuations appear in waves through most of the film (see darkened damage cloud on right side)
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Early Summer
A decent, if not pristine shot.
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Again, motion sequences show extreme blurriness.
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All 3 Tartan Ozu Boxsets | |
Distribution |
Tartan Video Region 0 - PAL |