The best DVD editions of foreign films, and with American films being added, are from the Criterion Collection: http://www.criterion.com/asp/
What makes these editions so special and worth their price range from $29 & up is the quality of the film and the extras you can't find elsewhere. Besides the glorious restoration of picture and sound, there's usually a scholarly audio commentary that enhances your knowledge and pleasure.I own several Criterions and recently purchased this one in Portsmouth NH's Barnes & Noble that has the largest collection of Criterions I've seen in any store. Japanese Director's Kenji Mizoguchi's Sansho the Bailiff from 1954 is a DVD I've wanted for a long time after seeing it years ago on TV. Its imagery and story still sticks in my mind so I decided to go for broke while we were on our recent mini-vacation. Here's links about the plot: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/sansho-the-bailiff/21892/synopsis and a trailer that doesn't explain the plot but shows the haunting photography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAQMXboXgmI
The story based on ancient oral traditions takes place in medieval Japan as a noble family is separated and suffers under the worst conditions (prostitution and slavery) but kept alive by their longing to be reunited. I watched the film and was again impressed by its simple but deceptive presentation. This is one movie that reveals more details each time you watch it, the qualification of a good movie. The next morning I listened to the audio commentary that analyzed the movie and compared it with the earlier stories used as its basis. That section alone was worth the cost and the extra documentaries featuring cast & crew were useful and entertaining. Sansho the Bailiff is considered one of the greatest works of international cinema. It's an emotional experience that will stick in your memory for a long time. You can find articles praising it better than me. My next purchase will be the director's Ugetsu, another Criterion and a ghost story.
What makes these editions so special and worth their price range from $29 & up is the quality of the film and the extras you can't find elsewhere. Besides the glorious restoration of picture and sound, there's usually a scholarly audio commentary that enhances your knowledge and pleasure.I own several Criterions and recently purchased this one in Portsmouth NH's Barnes & Noble that has the largest collection of Criterions I've seen in any store. Japanese Director's Kenji Mizoguchi's Sansho the Bailiff from 1954 is a DVD I've wanted for a long time after seeing it years ago on TV. Its imagery and story still sticks in my mind so I decided to go for broke while we were on our recent mini-vacation. Here's links about the plot: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/sansho-the-bailiff/21892/synopsis and a trailer that doesn't explain the plot but shows the haunting photography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAQMXboXgmI
The story based on ancient oral traditions takes place in medieval Japan as a noble family is separated and suffers under the worst conditions (prostitution and slavery) but kept alive by their longing to be reunited. I watched the film and was again impressed by its simple but deceptive presentation. This is one movie that reveals more details each time you watch it, the qualification of a good movie. The next morning I listened to the audio commentary that analyzed the movie and compared it with the earlier stories used as its basis. That section alone was worth the cost and the extra documentaries featuring cast & crew were useful and entertaining. Sansho the Bailiff is considered one of the greatest works of international cinema. It's an emotional experience that will stick in your memory for a long time. You can find articles praising it better than me. My next purchase will be the director's Ugetsu, another Criterion and a ghost story.
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