High and Low

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Synopsis
Based on an Ed McBain novel, High and Low is a gripping police thriller starring Toshiro Mifune.
Wealthy industrialist Kingo Gondo (Mifune) faces an agonising choice when a ruthless kidnapper, aiming to snatch his young son, takes the chauffeur’s boy by mistake – but still demands the ransom, leaving Gondo facing ruin if he pays up.
An anatomy of the inequalities in modern Japanese society, High and Low is a complex film noir, where the intense police hunt for the kidnapper is accompanied by penetrating insight into the kidnapper’s state of mind. Kurosawa’s virtuoso direction provides no easy answers, and in short, the police and the criminal as equally brutal, but nonetheless human.
Picture 8/10
BFI presents Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low on Blu-ray, featuring the film on a dual-layer disc in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The 1080p/24hz high-definition presentation is sourced from a new 4K restoration performed by Toho, taken from the 35mm original negative. The disc is locked to region B, so North American viewers will require a region-free player to view this release.
Similar to other recent Toho restorations, the results here are impressive, though there are one or two points worth noting. The new restoration has meticulously cleaned up the image, leaving behind only the faintest traces of damage, primarily as minor wear along the edges of the frame. The encode is also excellent, significantly improving over Criterion’s older high-definition presentation, which looks fairly rough now. Here, the finer details come through with greater clarity and no distracting noise or macroblocking, leading to a far more stable image overall.
The image also delivers a better film-like texture, with the grain rendered in a more natural manner. That said, it appears some light grain management has been applied, leading to moments with a slightly smoother look than expected. One of the bigger differences, though, lies in the contrast and dynamic range. Previous presentations pushed a higher contrast, but this restoration opts for a more even-handed grayscale that expands the range in the grays with smoother gradations, which is nice, but leads to something more monochromatic. Blacks are still fairly deep, though there is more depth evident in the shadows, and highlights no longer appear blown out, allowing textures like those of Gondo’s (Toshiro Mifune) sweater in the opening scenes to be more evident. Even the famous sequence featuring pink smoke looks a bit sharper.
While this new grading does admittedly look better compared to previous presentations, I’ll admit to missing the more intense whites they offered. I had assumed this high-contrast approach was an intentional stylistic choice of Kurosawa’s (especially after attending a screening of Yojimbo), but it’s possible this new grading is closer to the director’s original intentions (I can't say for sure, though).
Despite a few very minor quibbles, this is still a sharp-looking upgrade, and it is a bit disappointing BFI didn’t opt for a 4K release.








































Audio 7/10
BFI includes two audio options: the PCM stereo soundtrack and the 4-channel surround soundtrack, presented in a 5.1 DTS-HD MA configuration. Both are exceptionally done and proved to be pleasant surprises. The tracks are clean and incredibly sharp, boasting impressive range and fidelity. Each one delivers an nice mix, with audio seamlessly moving between the front speakers, and the 4-channel tracks throws some effects and music to the rears, though subtly. While I found myself favoring the surround soundtrack for its added depth (as slight as it may be), both options sound excellent.
Extras 6/10
The supplements on BFI’s edition fall a bit short, especially when compared to Criterion’s more robust offerings. For their release, BFI has recorded a new audio commentary featuring Jasper Sharp. While informative, the track falls short of Stephen Prince’s excellent commentary on Criterion’s disc or even Kenta McGrath’s on BFI’s Stray Dog Blu-ray (being released same day as this), which I had listened to just prior. Sharp touches on the film and its production but devotes much of the track to broader discussions about the Japanese film industry of the era, particularly the growing influence of television in the postwar period. While this context is interesting—particularly when he delves into Kurosawa’s relationship with Toho and other films of the time, such as Giants and Toys—I found the frequent diversions away from the film itself a little frustrating. That said, he does offer some insights into the source novel and its various adaptations, including Spike Lee’s upcoming remake (though this is only briefly mentioned). Despite some strengths the commentary ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed.
Thankfully, BFI includes one key feature from Criterion’s release: an episode from the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create. Running just under 37 minutes, this excellent documentary compiles interviews with cast and crew members, including Kurosawa himself. The feature examines specific sequences from the film, with the crew sharing fascinating details about Kurosawa’s techniques. There are also plenty of amusing anecdotes, such as Tatsuya Nakadai recalling how he had to shave his hairline for the role. Particularly intriguing is the mention of Kurosawa’s struggles with actor Kenjiro Ishiyama, who required multiple takes during the train sequence, as well as Kurosawa’s indecision over the film’s ending. An alternate ending was even shot but ultimately abandoned in favor of the one we know today. It's still an excellent piece on the film's production.
BFI rounds out the release with a booklet that offers a solid collection of written material. It begins with an essay by Alex Barrett, which explores the film's source novel and examines High and Low as one of Kurosawa's more underappreciated works. Following this is a brief piece by Philip Kemp on the film's structure, and then finally a reprint of David Wilson’s 1967 Sight & Sound review.
Though the material falls a little short overall, the booklet and documentary are solid additions.
Closing
Though its supplements can't match Criterion's, BFI's edition delivers a sharper and cleaner Blu-ray presentation.

