Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The Criterion Collection has added new 4K editions of two very different period pieces: an American production from the 1970s that takes us back to the Depression era, and an epic Japanese adventure set in the country’s feudal 16th century. New to the label is director Peter Bogdanovich’s Paper Moon, introducing us to recently orphaned nine-year-old Addie (Tatum O’Neal) who hits the road with a crooked Bible salesman (her real-life father, Ryan O’Neal) and takes to the grifter life almost instantly. It’s a very unusual, very special relationship, full of unexpected turns. Ryan O’Neal was on point at this phase of his career, and young Tatum’s often quiet, often furious performance remains a revelation in child acting.

The influence of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai cannot be overstated: it inspired not only the American Western adaptation The Magnificent Seven, but also that film’s sequels, a remake, and a TV spinoff, as well as looser copycats like A Bug’s Life and, more recently, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon saga. When bandits threaten a humble farming village, the locals struggle to secure the services of samurai—highly respected warriors for hire. This is a fairly radical idea. Soon, they assemble a septet of protectors. The drama of it all is archetypal, with the heroes butting heads with those they would defend while facing steep odds against the evil forces. All of the performances are impassioned, but Toshiro Mifune, who would deservedly go on to become an international star, stands out on another level.

Seven Samurai has appeared in every disc format ever offered by Criterion, and for its Ultra HD debut—in the absence of the original camera negative—the Collection has undertaken a new 4K restoration from a 35mm master positive, presented in standard dynamic range only. The quality of the 1.37:1 black-and-white image varies from shot to shot, with some fine nuance in the grain of wood, the grassy countryside, and the telltale edges of stage wigs and makeup. Many shots are not as flattering, with blacks typically appearing as dark gray and lacking real detail. Some distracting hairs remain in the gate.

The more recent Paper Moon, while not shot in an extremely sharp style, displays gorgeous monochromatic location photography, utilizing wide shots, long takes, and strong depth of field that Bogdanovich uses to weave clever visual narratives, all set against a pleasingly active grain layer.

Paper Moon’s original sound design is quite good, combining extensive dialogue, radios playing old songs, period car sound effects, and environmental audio (likely involving a good deal of re-recording). Although not reference-quality, it all comes together well. The disc’s uncompressed true mono is clean and enjoyable, though it lacks jaw-dropping dynamics. Quite simply, Seven Samurai’s LPCM 1.0 soundtrack is the more authentic way to watch, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 is more engaging, providing subtle effects that help draw the viewer in with its wider soundstage.

Bogdanovich’s 2003 commentary is the only extra on the 4K Paper Moon disc, and it is repeated on the included HD Blu-ray. On that Blu-ray, we also find a somewhat dated but still goodie-filled 1989 on-camera introduction, both new and old featurettes, plus a vintage Tonight Show clip with father, daughter, and director. I must also point out that this set is one of the most exquisitely themed physical packages I’ve seen in a long time.

The Ultra HD disc of Seven Samurai is a BD-100, but it displays a limited bitrate due to its nearly three-and-a-half-hour runtime (with intermission). This is why most of the bonus material is on Disc Three. The film carries two commentaries: a “Scholars’ Roundtable” of five learned individuals recorded separately in 2005 and ’06, discussing a variety of related topics; and another from expert Michael Jeck, recorded in 1988. Disc Two is an HD Blu-ray of the same content. The video supplements on the third platter—another HD Blu-ray—are all archival but possess considerable gravitas. They include a two-hour conversation with Kurosawa, an hour-long examination of the cultural significance of the samurai, and a “making of” documentary about the movie. These are presented alongside essays and tributes from esteemed admirers in the extensive booklet.

Add these two to your library, and give the wide color gamut of your 4K TV the night off.