Special Features

• SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
• New, restored high-definition digital transfer, with newly restored original four-track surround sound
• New audio commentary by Akira Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
• A 37-minute documentary on the making of High and Low, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
• Rare archival interview with Toshiro Mifune
• New video interview with actor Tsutomu Yamazaki, who plays the kidnapper
• Theatrical trailers from Japan and the U.S.
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien and a reprinted essay by Japanese film scholar Donald Richie
• More!

About the Transfer
High and Low is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from a 35 mm fine-grain master positive and a 35 mm interpositive. It was color corrected on a Specter Virtual Datacine. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. To maintain optimal image quality through the compression process, the picture on this dual-layer DVD-9 was encoded at the highest-possible bit rate for the quantity of material included.

The soundtracks were mastered at 24-bit from the original 4-track stems, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 4.0 signal will be directed to the left, center, right, and surround speakers on surround sound systems, and will automatically fold down to a stereo mix for viewers listening in stereo.