Red Beard [Criterion Collection]

Finally available on DVD is Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard as part of the elite Criterion Collection. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen in black-and-white, the image quality on Red Beard is excellent. Aside of a small amount of grain and dirt in a few scenes, this picture features solid black, gray, and white levels. Overall, Criterion has done a fantastic job of making sure this reproduction looks great. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 4.0 Surround in Japanese and is also top-notch. While directional effects are generally kept to a minimum, overall the soundtrack is free and clear of most all hiss and distortion. Also included on this disc are English subtitles. The extra features on Red Beard are small but substantial. A commentary track by director by Kurosawa and film scholar Stephen Prince provide a wealth of information on the making of the film and what it took to bring it to the screen. Also included on this disc is a non-anamorphic widescreen theatrical trailer for the film.