Rating: 
Summary: If you don't already have them...
Review: Nothing new in this set, merely the existing Kurosawa period flicks packaged together in a flimsy box. It is a convenient way to pick up these four fantastic movies. Each one is an absolute jewel.Criterion treats Kurosawa right, and they have been improving with each DVD release. Seven Samurai, Sanjuro and Yojimbo are so of the earliest releases, so they do not benefit from increased experience. I believe Seven Samurai is actually number 2 in the Criterion Collection. The DVDs are fairly bare boned, with little or no extras. Seven Samurai has a great commentary, worth the listen. Hidden Fortress is a little better off, having an introduction by George Lucas. All in all, this is a great package. if you don't already own them, go for it! You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: If you don't already have them...
Review: Nothing new in this set, merely the existing Kurosawa period flicks packaged together in a flimsy box. It is a convenient way to pick up these four fantastic movies. Each one is an absolute jewel. Criterion treats Kurosawa right, and they have been improving with each DVD release. Seven Samurai, Sanjuro and Yojimbo are so of the earliest releases, so they do not benefit from increased experience. I believe Seven Samurai is actually number 2 in the Criterion Collection. The DVDs are fairly bare boned, with little or no extras. Seven Samurai has a great commentary, worth the listen. Hidden Fortress is a little better off, having an introduction by George Lucas. All in all, this is a great package. if you don't already own them, go for it! You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A great package for the uninitiated and the die-hard fans.
Review: Purchasing a Kurosawa movie released on DVD by Criterion Collection is always an easy decision, despite the price. This Box Set brings together four of Kurosawa's best Samurai movies, all featuring Toshiro Mifune, in one box and at a reduced price no less. Without a doubt, the jewel of this collection is "Seven Samurai", often cited as one of the best movies of all time. Blending action, comedy, and hard hitting drama, this movie is a pure masterpiece. This is the most complete Criterion release, with commentary and flawless restoration of both picture and sound. One disappointment, though. The running time of this version is listed as 203 minutes, while other prints from Criterion run at 207 minutes. The perfectionist in me always goes for the full version. Next up is the masterpiece "Hidden Fortress", one of the many inspirations for Star Wars (the two bumbling peasants are what influenced the characters C-3PO and R2D2). Having seen this film many times, and in many formats, this is by far the best. This version is completely restored, with a new and improved translation and better subtitles. Also included is a George Lucas interview, in which he discusses to what extent her was inflenced by Kurosawa. Also included for good measure is the two part Samurai saga "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro", in which Mifune plays a rogue Samurai who has a knack for getting mixed up with the wrong people while trying to do the right thing. Both are a pefect mix of action, comedy, and drama. Both DVDs are newly translated, with flawless subtitles and picture quality. The sound on Yojimbo does crackle a bit here and there, but it's barely noticeable. Both come with theatrical trailers, and "Sanjuro" comes with some behind the scenes footage which is interesting, but too short. Kurosawa movies are always a pleasure to watch, and I love how Criterion takes the time to produce top quality prints for movie lovers (like myself) to collect. This box set is a wise purchase for someone who is new to Kurosawa (you get his best movies, basically), as well as someone who is mroe than familiar with his work. But for someone who already owns these Criterion DVDs separately, it is not worth getting. Nothing special above and beyond the DVDs themselves is included, unless you count the box. But no movie collection is complete without ample Kurosawa.
Rating:
Summary: Some of the Greatest Japanese Films Ever Made
Review: That's right, these ARE some of the greatest Japanese films ever made and are especially wonderful samurai movies! By now you know abouth the movies that are included so let me make some technical reference to the DVDs. In terms of picture quality, Seven Samurai has been restored to present the best presentation of the film to date. Yojimbo features a fine 2.35:1 non-anamorphic transfer of the film. Don't get me wrong, it is quite good, especially for a film of its age, but you won't be writing home about it. Sanjuro (my favorite of the bunch) is presented in a non-anamorphic 2.35:1 aspect ratio and starts off poor. The film looks worn for the first few minutes and shapes up after that. Overall, a very good transfer. Hidden Fortress has the best picture of the bunch, having been mastered from a pristine interpositive to a high definition transfer! Sound on the disc is as follows: Seven Samurai features a restored mono track and is a improvement over the old video tape I used to watch! Yojimbo's sound isn't quite as good. There's a hiss throughout the Japanese 2.0 Mono track. To sum it up, it is fair. Sanjuro, happily, doesn't have the hiss present in the Yojimbo track. It is a pleasant Japanese 1.0 mono track. Hidden Fortress gives the viewer the choice of a 1.0 mono track or a 3.0 Dolby Digital track. Extras? Seven Samurai features audio commentary by Japanese film historian Michael Jeck which offers insights into Kurosawa's work, the film and Japanese culture which combine to make a highly engaging commentary. Also included is a theatrical trailer. Yojimbo is pretty much a bare bones disc, including only the trailer and liner notes. Sanjuro has the same features as Yojimbo. Theatrical trailer and liner notes. Hidden Fortress includes a theatrical trailer and an eight minute interview with George Lucas who discusses Kurosawa's influence on him as a filmmaker. In conclusion, these are excellent films with presentations that I'm sure are the best we will ever see for them. Don't hesitate to add these to your film library!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Set ... Disappointing for Widescreen TV-Owners
Review: This is a great set to own - 4 of Kurosawa's great films in one reasonably-priced box set. Criterion does a great job with the bonus stuff, and quality of film transfer. The sound on these is mono, so there's not much more tweaking that Criterion could have done in that department. My biggest qualm is that 2 of the 4 films are not Anamorphic. Those of you who have widescreen tvs will know what I'm talking about. YOJIMBO and SANJURO, both 2.35:1, are not presented with an Anamorphic (or "enhanced for widescreen TVs") option. HIDDEN FORTRESS is Anamorphic. SEVEN SAMURAI is 1.33:1 standard format, so it will appear "square" anyway. I was very disappointed to discover this after I bought the set. I understand that Criterion is now trying to release their titles in Anamorphic format. However, I wonder if they'll ever go back and re-release YOJIMBO and SANJURO this way?
Rating:
Summary: Great Set ... Disappointing for Widescreen TV-Owners
Review: This is a great set to own - 4 of Kurosawa's great films in one reasonably-priced box set. Criterion does a great job with the bonus stuff, and quality of film transfer. The sound on these is mono, so there's not much more tweaking that Criterion could have done in that department. My biggest qualm is that 2 of the 4 films are not Anamorphic. Those of you who have widescreen tvs will know what I'm talking about. YOJIMBO and SANJURO, both 2.35:1, are not presented with an Anamorphic (or "enhanced for widescreen TVs") option. HIDDEN FORTRESS is Anamorphic. SEVEN SAMURAI is 1.33:1 standard format, so it will appear "square" anyway. I was very disappointed to discover this after I bought the set. I understand that Criterion is now trying to release their titles in Anamorphic format. However, I wonder if they'll ever go back and re-release YOJIMBO and SANJURO this way?
Rating:
Summary: Timeless Stories from Kurosawa
Review: This is must buy for fans of Samurai cinema. Kurosawa was the master of his artform, and these classics prove that traditional action can hold its own against today's CGI fighting. NOT coincidentally, each one of these movies have been remade at least once, taking their basic stories and placing them in different times and places. One of them, Hidden Fortress, was even remade to tell the tale a long time ago, in a galaxy far away. There would be no Star Wars without these films, as Lucas lifted many a scene from these films.
Rating:
Summary: It's no newborn, but it's a bundle of joy!
Review: While I certainly can't fully recommend this set to those who already own most or all of the DVDs included within, I can recommend it to those who don't. And I do so, wholeheartedly. Not only does it look great sitting on a shelf, but the four DVDs inside are all absolute classics (all the DVDs are the exact ones released already, individually, by Criterion). Seven Samurai is, I believe, one of the greatest films ever made (perhaps THE greatest as my Listmania List suggests). Yojimbo is simply excellent as well. It's funny, phenomenally shot, terrifically acted, and contains a brilliant climax. Mifune is the ultimate screen bad @$$ in Yojimbo, and while Sanjuro isn't quite as good, it's a ton of fun just seeing Mifune reprise the role. Then there's The Hidden Fortress, the film that inspired R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars. The Hidden Fortress is a superior film to the original Star Wars with excellent cinematography, adventure, and a tremendous spear battle set piece. This is a wonderful set and well worth every cent, especially if you don't own any of the Criterion releases of these films already. I personally owned all four of them prior to getting this set, and that didn't stop me. Then again, I'm what you call a Kurosawa fanatic so...just pray for me as you buy this set. :-)
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