Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) will release in 4k for the first time on Ultra HD Blu-ray on Nov. 12, 2024. The film arrives in the US from The Criterion Collection who has distributed both the DVD (480p) and Blu-ray (1080p) editions of Seven Samurai. As you might guess, the cover art is the same for all three formats.
The new presentation was derived from a 4k digital restoration and includes the original uncompressed monaural soundtrack and optional DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. On 4k Blu-ray, Seven Samurai (1954) is formatted in 3840 x 2160 resolution with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1.
The 3-disc edition includes one Ultra HD Blu-ray and two HD Blu-rays with the film and special features. Legacy bonus features include audio commentaries, the 2-hour conversation My Life in Cinema (1993) with director Akira Kurosawa and filmmaker Nagisa Oshima, the documentary Seven Samurai”: Origins and Influences, and more.
Seven Samurai (1954) 3-disc Special Edition carries an MSRP of $59.99. Buy on Amazon
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New 4K digital restoration, with the original uncompressed monaural soundtrack and an optional 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film (in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1) and two Blu-rays with the film (in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1) and special features
- Two audio commentaries, one featuring film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Prince, Tony Rayns, and Donald Richie, and the other Japanese-film expert Michael Jeck
- Making-of documentary, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
- My Life in Cinema (1993), a two-hour conversation between director Akira Kurosawa and filmmaker Nagisa Oshima
- “Seven Samurai”: Origins and Influences, a documentary looking at the samurai traditions and films that helped shape Kurosawa’s masterpiece
- Trailers and teaser
- Gallery of rare posters, behind-the-scenes photos, and production stills
- PLUS: Essays by Kenneth Turan, Peter Cowie, Philip Kemp, Peggy Chiao, Alain Silver, Stuart Galbraith IV, Arthur Penn, and Sidney Lumet, and an interview with actor Toshiro Mifune from 1993
Cover by Neil Kellerhouse
BFI Import
Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai is also releasing in a Limited Edition 4k Blu-ray 2-disc set from BFI (UK distribution). The edition arrives on Oct. 21, 2024 and includes the film on 4k Blu-ray and Blu-ray, along with a mini-poster, postcards, and perfect -bound book.
GALLERY
