Criterion Collection: High & Low [Blu-ray] [1963] [US Import]

Scoured through the whole page on Amazon and see absolutely nothing about this being region locked, other than this being an imported from the US. Got this as an early secret Santa Christmas present and tried playing it to find it won’t work at all. Had never run into this problem before just to learn about it today. As a result of this ridiculous ploy for more money I now can’t watch one of my favourite movies in great criterion quality and can’t find a single physical blu ray copy in any other way.

この作品は黒澤が頂点にあった時期の傑作の１本であり、 前半の長廻し多様の舞台劇調から一変してのこだま特急の臨場感あたりが 何度見てもスリリングでたまらない訳ですが、 今回クライテリオン版を満を持して購入。 「隠し砦」「蜘蛛の巣城」「用心棒」「三十郎」とたて続けにクライテリオン版を購入していますが いやぁ画面のコントラストの妙にはもぅ脱帽。 この作品は特に後半の暗部が多い場面での黒の沈み具合が絶妙に良くて 東宝版は観てないので比較出来ませんが非常に観やすく 伊勢佐木町や黄金町のシーンあたりは細部までクッキリしてセットの凄さがわかります。 横浜に住む私は舞台のあたりに馴染みが深く 江の島や腰越あたりなどもよく知っているので 現在の現地へ行ってこの辺りがあのシーンだな、なんてやってました。 しかし今回の特典映像で伊勢佐木町の街角のシーンがセットとはじめて知りました。 特典映像も満載で、徹子の部屋の三船のインタビューなんているのかいらないのか でも有難い（三船の話が分かりづらいけど）ものまで入っている。 そしてジャケット。よく見ると木目なのだ。裏面や内側も木目になっててカッコいい。 最高です。「七人の侍」も現在持ってる東宝版からクライテリオンに買い替えるべきか 悩みましたが字幕ないと聞きづらい作品なのでこのままでいいかな。

While I generally view Kurosawa's original Stray Dog as another in long line of his genre setting triumphs, High And Low is his masterpiece of the crime genre. High and Low was made in the middle of his career before Kurosawa's decline when his failure with Dodeskaden and getting kicked off of Tora, Tora, Tora caused him to go on hiatus for nearly ten years and drove him to attempt suicide. Thankfully Russia came along with a chance to adapt Dersu Uzala a film I wish was given the respectable double dip that Criterion is doing with their earlier releases. I discovered High and Low early in my exploration of Kurosawa mainly overlooking it because it wasn't a samurai period film something I thought He had excelled in and only that. It happened by chance that I borrowed the orginal Criterion disc from a friend at work and quickly became engorged in any film made by the master. This film has the earmarks of Kurosawa film with social commentary, great characters, amazing black and white photography (the liner for the dvd makes mentions of lighting on the killers mirrored sunglasses during the finale), and scenes that are almost acted without any dialogue. Plus its just a great damn thriller. High and Low was adapted from a 87th precinct novel from the late Ed McBain (Evan Hunter). It transplants the story from America to Yokohama in the middle of the summer. As the film begins shoe maker executive Gondo is having a meeting with subordinates where he outlines his plans to take over the company. The others are flummoxed as they want to create flimmsier shoes at cheaper prices and plan ..ping Gondo. Things come to a head when Gondo gets a phone call from a man who says He's kidnapped his son who was recently playing with the chauffers son around the house. Unfortunately his son comes in and as it turns out the chauffers son has been the one kidnapped. The Kidnapper discovers this also but won't budge on the ransom demand so Gondo is set up with a moral choice. He calls the cops despite the danger it poses but trys whatever He can to figure out a way not to pay the ransom.The cops arrive and then begins the first half of the film as a plan is devised to get back both the boy and the money. The second half of the film involves the police investigation trying to find out who the kidnapper is ending with a chase through the city in the night through back alleys and bars filled with foreigners all with as little dialogue as possible depending mainly on the emotions of the actors to sell the intensity. While the first half is more character driven the last half of the film is more procedural which of course is what appealed to me more. Being the fan that I am the only way to describe High and Low would be to use the word impeccable. Its not the most loved Kurosawa film (something I'd disagree with) but it has the hallmarks of greatness in my opinion. While I love the procedural half of the film, the first set only in the Gondo house is intense thanks to the acting and directing talent. One of the great things that I've always loved about Kurosawa is his use of long takes and this helps build the intensity of the scenes as the camera flows around the living room watching the characters. On the acting side you have the two of Kurosawa's main group. Toshiro Mifune is always able to play intensity with bravado and flair but as the film progresses you can see him begining to falter in his plans not to pay the ransom demand. At the end He's given up everything He gained, all his riches gone until He's back to mowing his own lawn in one of the famous images of the film like He's trying to hold back the inevitable. The second actor is Tatsuya Nakadai as Chief Detective Tokoda. Nakadai worked on the last of Kurosawa's masterpieces (being Kagemusha and Ran) and this was a great almost simple performance. Tokoda heading up the investigation isn't a renegade cop character mostly simply dressed and handsome. But Nakadai has a commanding presence that demands you to watch him. I can't really describe what makes Nakadai Mifune's perfect accomplice in the film. In the end its a perfect film in my mind, one of the few I wouldn't hesitate to brand it as such. I was speaking on my original experience with the film which was Criterions orignal release. Around the time Criterion double dipped Seven Samurai and gave it the treatment it deserved I hoped they'd do the same for High and Low as the picture on the original disc was slightly cropped at the sides. On this set they've thankfully corrected that issue while adding some great features like a commentary from Stephen Prince and more of the It Is Wonderful to Create series that they've included on almost all of their Kurosawa releases. Its strange that original Criterion is still listed for sale as this is the only set worth buying in my opinion.

I know you would pay everything to save your own child. But what about someone else's? A highly entertaining film. Everything, from directing to acting to set design, prove what a great work this is! An unusual one, too - the first part of the movie is confined to one set, which helps to drive the suspense into high gear. From a technical perspective, this section of the movie is a series of perfect compositions made with common elements, but it never becomes too technical to enjoy. There is a heart to this movie, and that is what drives the action. That, and the thoroughly excellent performances from everyone involved. The strange music choices, too - O Sole Mio and Schubert's Die Forelle - underscore important moments in unexpected ways. And then - what an ending! Oh, what an ending! Just watch it. You will not regret it.

I find detective films can be stupid and redundant but not the case with this one from samurai master Akira Kurosawa. It felt like watching 2 movies in one the moral story and the detective story. Both Mifune and Nakadai accord themselves really in this drama. There is not enough good things to say about this movie.

A very fine transfer of Kurosawa's most approachable of his non-period works. The surround sound works to its benefit.