High and Low (Criterion Collection) (4K + Blu-ray) [USA]

[C.C. 95]

Release Date: September 9, 2025
Prices and Links:
Criterion- $39.96 (4K+Blu-ray) , $31.96 (Blu-ray only)
OrbitDVD- $33.99 (4K+Blu-ray)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Writers: Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Ryûzô Kikushima, Eijirô Hisaita, Evan Hunter
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyôko Kagawa, Tatsuya Mihashi, Isao Kimura

• Japan
• 1963
• 143 minutes
• Black and White/Color
• 2.39:1
• Japanese

Toshiro Mifune is unforgettable as Kingo Gondo, a wealthy industrialist whose family becomes the target of a cold-blooded kidnapper in High and Low, the highly influential domestic drama and police procedural from director Akira Kurosawa. Adapting Ed McBain’s detective novel King’s Ransom, Kurosawa moves effortlessly from compelling race-against-time thriller to exacting social commentary, creating a diabolical treatise on class and contemporary Japanese society.

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES​

• New 4K digital restoration, with 4.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Audio commentary featuring Akira Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
• Documentary on the making of High and Low, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
• Interviews with actors Toshiro Mifune and Tsutomu Yamazaki
• Trailers and teaser
• PLUS: An essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien and an on-set account by Japanese-film scholar Donald Richi

ORIGINAL THEATRICAL TRAILER:

 

[TheWildEye]

Interesting that the BFI ignored the 4k release for a remastered blu ray and Criterion have opted for both.

 

[C.C. 95]

Interesting that the BFI ignored the 4k release for a remastered blu ray and Criterion have opted for both.

Kind of a bummer. I think the BFI Kurosawa 4K's have much better encoding. (IMO)

 

[hatredhorror]

wish they released a complete 4k/bd collection.. they did so for a dvd release, so it must somehow be possible..