Seven Samurai (1954) (Blu-ray SteelBook) (Zavvi Exclusive) [UK]

[twiz6469]

Release date: October 21, 2013
Purchase link:: Zavvi
Price: £14.99
Notes: Includes debossed title treatment

Spoiler: Actual Images

 

[ASHGOON]

i know its a standard question - but is/are there any discount codes out there at the moment?

 

[Steelknight47]

I think this looks ugly. I'll pass for sure. The Criterion release is more than enough for me.

 

[Deleted member 9789]

Reminds me of Empire Of The Sun

 

[Pavers123]

I also preferred the black design. Plus the typeface of the title doesn't match the image, which is nice.
Also, why did they have to print the age rating on the spine? Looks like it's on the front as well, but not the back, so presuming it has a J-Card, why couldn't they put the ratings on there instead like most steelbooks do now.
Not owning the Criterion Collection version, I am debating getting this or not. I know Criterion had massive trouble restoring the film as they couldn't use the original negatives (I don't think they exist anymore) so if BFI manage to create a decent transfer, I MAY be tempted, but at the moment I'm not overly enthusiastic over this release.

 

[snooloui]

I also preferred the black design. Plus the typeface of the title doesn't match the image, which is nice.
Also, why did they have to print the age rating on the spine? Looks like it's on the front as well, but not the back, so presuming it has a J-Card, why couldn't they put the ratings on there instead like most steelbooks do now.
Not owning the Criterion Collection version, I am debating getting this or not. I know Criterion had massive trouble restoring the film as they couldn't use the original negatives (I don't think they exist anymore) so if BFI manage to create a decent transfer, I MAY be tempted, but at the moment I'm not overly enthusiastic over this release.

How do you know everything won't be on a J-card?

 

[lgans316]

Poor artwork. Back looks cheap. Cost cutting left right center.

 

[Weazle]

I like the artwork as it reminds me of The Raid steelbook where the silver of the steelbook is the background. Not sure about ordering it yet but that may change over the coming months lol

 

[jayce20]

Shame it's not with japanese title Shichi nin Samurai would be awesome and color of the font seems to be in a strange silver treatMent ...

Love the cover anyway easy buy for me

 

[Jango]

something like that would be my choice, just need adjustment colours.

Spoiler

 

[goufcustom]

I think from just the artwork it's pretty plain but as twiz6469 stated on the OP that it'd have emboss and deboss, I think it'd add the nice feel to it

 

[rapta]

How do you know everything won't be on a J-card?

Heard somewhere the rating on the front is a sticker but no confirmation about the spine... :S

 

[Real Steel]

Apart from the Criterion version has on the front cover 'Seven Samurai a film by Akira Kurosawa' in a stylised English font and 'BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO AND AUDIO' in a normal English font.

I'm a huge Kurosawa fan as well and have the Criterion blu-ray and wasn't going to get this but I've changed my mind.

The 'BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO AND AUDIO' is just a blue sticker on the seal.

Nice to know a fellow huge Kurosawa fan.

 

[movieknight]

Who is asking for all these steels. Getting sick of the constant Zavvi announcements. Rather than excitement, I am more annoyed now. I for sure cant name a single quality release thus far this yr. Probably another single disc release like all the other ones Arghhhhh.........

There are a number of quality Zavvi releases this year IMHO and my wallet will back me up but it is simply a case of not ordering those you do not want.

No personal interest in this, but cover looks pretty good...

In this case, +1...so I won't order, but for those who do want this particular Steelbook I am happy they have the option.

 

[Real Steel]

I also preferred the black design. Plus the typeface of the title doesn't match the image, which is nice.
Also, why did they have to print the age rating on the spine? Looks like it's on the front as well, but not the back, so presuming it has a J-Card, why couldn't they put the ratings on there instead like most steelbooks do now.
Not owning the Criterion Collection version, I am debating getting this or not. I know Criterion had massive trouble restoring the film as they couldn't use the original negatives (I don't think they exist anymore) so if BFI manage to create a decent transfer, I MAY be tempted, but at the moment I'm not overly enthusiastic over this release.

Criterion has done what blu-ray.com and blubeaver.ca consider to be the definitive transfer of this movie. The best price you can get is $25 when Amazon offers it at 50% off. If the Criterion transfer were to be used in a Steelbook, we would have to pay at least $40. I don't think any transfer can be decent that comes packaged in a Steelbook costing £15. Simply slapping on a Steelbook for movies of such stature won't do.

---------- Post added at 01:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 AM ----------

something like that would be my choice, just need adjustment colours.

Spoiler

Haha, thanks for the pics but I still prefer the red sun and silhouettes, though replace the English title with the Japanese title vertically down in bold black and overlapping one-third into the sun. Centre the title slightly off to the left and add in Kurosawa's name in smaller font in Japanese too on its right.

Then I will pay £15 for this steel and still use my Criterion disc.

 

[snooloui]

As if by magic, the front rating logo has vanished. The one on the spine is still there though

 

[manonfire]

That was quick. Now make half of the price vanish.

 

[Killian Faust]

And make it come out tomorrow...

kinda like that "like a good neighbor, State Farm is there" commercial.

 

[Pavers123]

Criterion has done what blu-ray.com and blubeaver.ca consider to be the definitive transfer of this movie. The best price you can get is $25 when Amazon offers it at 50% off. If the Criterion transfer were to be used in a Steelbook, we would have to pay at least $40. I don't think any transfer can be decent that comes packaged in a Steelbook costing £15. Simply slapping on a Steelbook for movies of such stature won't do.[.

I know Criterion did the best they could, and from the screenshots I've seen it does look exceptional, considering the circumstances. But that is sort of what I was hinting at with my last post, I don't think BFI will produce a transfer to the same degree as Criterion's, so I am not sure whether I will get it or not, but your mention of the price has made me even more skeptical about the transfer...

How do you know everything won't be on a J-card?

I don't, but it's just that all blu rays and dvds need the age ratings on the back covers, either printed on (as older releases did (eg; UK Psycho release) or on a J-Card. Since we have the back artwork already seemingly confirmed for this release and it is not a printed blurb, it would seem apparent that a J-Card will be needed, hence my confusion at why they would still need to print the age rating on the front (although when I first wrote my post, I was unaware it would be a sticker) and spine. But the front rating seems to have vanished now, but the spine one still intact, which is odd and quite irritating to me, personally.

 

[spankee spangler]

OOO I fancy that!

 

[rapta]

I know Criterion did the best they could, and from the screenshots I've seen it does look exceptional, considering the circumstances. But that is sort of what I was hinting at with my last post, I don't think BFI will produce a transfer to the same degree as Criterion's, so I am not sure whether I will get it or not, but your mention of the price has made me even more skeptical about the transfer...



I don't, but it's just that all blu rays and dvds need the age ratings on the back covers, either printed on (as older releases did (eg; UK Psycho release) or on a J-Card. Since we have the back artwork already seemingly confirmed for this release and it is not a printed blurb, it would seem apparent that a J-Card will be needed, hence my confusion at why they would still need to print the age rating on the front (although when I first wrote my post, I was unaware it would be a sticker) and spine. But the front rating seems to have vanished now, but the spine one still intact, which is odd and quite irritating to me, personally.

I think the pricing is fitting - too high and nobody would buy it, too low and people would wonder why it's so low. This is around the same price, if not a little bit cheaper, than the Eureka or Arrow steelbooks, so I expect a similar quality - fine for home viewing, just as I would expect. The BFI releases I own are fine - they treat Ozu well, and are constantly pestered about Kurosawa, so why would they not treat this in the same regard? Personally I expect this to be to the standard of their other releases and nothing more. And personally if I collected Criterion I wouldn't keep going on about it in threads about BFI releases. I'm just glad to see a respected institution from this country finally release something the people have been asking for. If you already have a Criterion copy, why buy a second copy of the same film anyway?