NOTE: We have added 14 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Masters of Cinema use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese language. I can't distinguish any difference from the Criterion - notably in the score by Tôru Takemitsu (Rikyu, Shohei Imamura's Black Rain, Hiroshi Teshigahara's Antonio Gaudí, Kurosawa's Dodes'ka-den etc. etc.) - but though I detected some almost imperceptible sync issue, but it could have been my imagination. The uncompressed audio creates another very pleasing experience. Masters of Cinema offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

Masters of Cinema provide us with 24-minutes of Kim Newman discussing "Kwaidan" and the Greek-born author Lafcadio Hearn, whose collections of Japanese folk tales were the basis of the film. Newman talks about anthology horrors and ghost stories, including the Japanese variety, in general. He is always excellent. In the 35-minute Shadowings - a new video essay by David Cairns and Fiona Watson they individually discuss the comparisons to Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus and the film's incredible beauty and artistry. Cairns talks about Masaki Kobayashi. There is a lot here and I was very keen on it. Also included is a black and white and color Japanese Teaser plus the 4-minute Japanese trailer. The beautiful package contains a A 100-page 'Perfect Bound' illustrated collector's book featuring reprints of Lafcadio Hearn's original ghost stories; a survey of the life and career of Masaki Kobayashi by Linda Hoaglund; and a wide-ranging interview with the film maker the last he'd ever give.

Kwaidan is just... ravishing - the segments have become iconic; The Black Hair, The Woman of the Snow, Hoichi the Earless and In a Cup of Tea. It is one of the most unique and beautiful 'ghost' stories ever put to film. It was an ambitious undertaking for director Masaki Kobayashi and his film anthology has equal parts minimalist Japanese folklore, history and the chilling supernatural. The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray package is also brilliant and has our strongest recommendation!

***

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray September 15': This is cited as being a 'new 2K digital restoration of director Masaki Kobayashi’s original cut'. It is in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio and looks stunning in-motion. I can appreciate that it maintains the film's natural thickness and colors are all richer and deeper via the 1080P. There are so many color shifts and filters used in the film we must presume that this Blu-ray is the accurate representation. It looks exceptional at times... justice for such a beautiful film!

Criterion use a linear PCM (24-bit) in the original mono. There are effects - the natural elements - but the score by Tôru Takemitsu (Rikyu, Shohei Imamura's Black Rain, Hiroshi Teshigahara's Antonio Gaudí, Kurosawa's Dodes'ka-den etc. etc.) is a big part of the presentation. It sounds exquisite - even in the flat mono. Wonderful. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked disc.

There is a new audio commentary by film historian Stephen Prince - I have only sampled it trying to get the review out while the Criterion sale is still offered. He is one of the more professional commentators and he seems to fill the 3 hours with plenty of knowledge for what I skimmed through. We get a 15-minute interview with Kobayashi from 1993, conducted by filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda (in Japanese with Eng. subs) shot for the Director's Guild of Japan. They discuss the making of the film. There are new interviews - a 21-minute one with assistant director Kiyoshi Ogasawara where he reflects on working with director Masaki Kobayashi and the original 183-minute version of the film. There is a new 17-minute piece about author Lafcadio Hearn, on whose versions of Japanese folktales Kwaidan is based. he played a crucial role in popularizing Japanese folklore for Western audiences. Four of his tories provide the basis for Masaki Kobayashis Kwaidan. In this piece made by Criterion in 2015 English literature scholar Christopher Benfey, editor of Lafcadio Hearn: American writings profiles Hearn. There are trailer (a black and white one and two in color) and the package contains a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien.

Kwaidan is an unforgettable film experience. A must-own in 1080P.

***

ADDITION: AV Channel - Region 4 - PAL - May 2006: The Australian release looks very good - the colors are very much on par with the Eureka confirming our suspicions of how far the Criterion has been manipulated. Good news is that it is also the long version, but bad news are the (awful) yellow subtitles and it has PAL speedup for those who are sensitive to it. The AV Channel is slightly less vibrant - marginally paler and it may be minutely sharper than the Eureka but it is negligible and I would still go for the Masters of Cinema edition for the superior subtitles and extras (72-page liner notes).  

***

ADDITION: Eureka - MoC (April 06'): As well as being two different films with the addition of the missing 20 odd minutes from the Criterion - the new Eureka DVD's colors are dramatically different at times. Pictures will speak louder than words here and the Criterion has had manipulations marring the original colors to a totally unique state. On top of that the Criterion is severely cropped on all edges... and, as already stated, is the shorter version. Masters of Cinema have proven themselves again and there really is no contest here. This is a film I ALWAYS wanted in a sterling transfer, and the complete edition - and now thanks to Eureka I can have it.

***

This is not Criterions best disc by a long shot. The anamorphic image has a thick border (not maximizing the available horizontal resolution), there are many instances of scratches running down the screen, I found the subtitles uncharacteristically bloated and if I am not mistaken there was mention to me of another Kwaidan version (Japanese?) that looked quite stunning in comparison. This film, unfortunately, relies heavily upon its glorious and often haunting and dark imagery - and you want as detailed a picture with superb black levels as possible. Now by any other DVD production companies standards this is not that bad, and lets take into account the DVD was made way back in 2000. The extras are only a trailer and some interesting liner notes about the film's history. All-in-all I would have expected better from Criterion.  out of    

Gary W. Tooze