This release can only be found in the following box set: The Only Son/There Was a Father: Two Films by Yasujiro Ozu
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Licensor Information
Shochiku
Directed by: Yasujiro Ozu
Yasujiro Ozu’s first talkie, the uncommonly poignant The Only Son is among the Japanese director’s greatest works. In its simple story about a good-natured mother who gives up everything to ensure her son’s education and future, Ozu touches on universal themes of sacrifice, family, love, and disappointment. Spanning many years, The Only Son is a family portrait in miniature, shot and edited with its maker’s customary exquisite control.
Streaming Options
Stream
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Disc:
DVD-9 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
1 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33:1
Audio Options:
Japanese Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Interview, Booklet
- New video interviews with film scholars Tadao Sato, David Bordwell, and Kristin Thompson
- A booklet featuring an essay by critic and historian Tony Rayns
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Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Kim Hendrickson
Artwork: Eric Skillman
Artwork: Adrian Tomine
Release Notes on Restoration
The Only Son
The Only Son is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. On widescreen televisions, black bars will appear on the left and right of the image to maintain the proper screen format. The picture has been slightly window-boxed to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors.
This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit HD Datacine from a 16mm fine-grain master positive that is the best surviving element made from the original 35mm nitrate materials, which no longer exist. The 16mm element shows every kind of imaginable wear and tear, including splices, chemical and mold stains, and minor instances of missing footage that could not be replaced. Despite significant efforts on the part of the Criterion Collection to repair the worst of the damage, using MTI’s DRS system, Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, and Digital Vision’s DVNR system, no amount of digital image restoration can ever return the film to its original condition.
The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the optical soundtrack of the 16mm master positive mentioned above. The soundtrack contained clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and other large abnormalities. Some of these were manually removed using Pro Tools HD, but other artifacts could not be eliminated. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.
This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit HD Datacine from a 16mm fine-grain master positive that is the best surviving element made from the original 35mm nitrate materials, which no longer exist. The 16mm element shows every kind of imaginable wear and tear, including splices, chemical and mold stains, and minor instances of missing footage that could not be replaced. Despite significant efforts on the part of the Criterion Collection to repair the worst of the damage, using MTI’s DRS system, Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, and Digital Vision’s DVNR system, no amount of digital image restoration can ever return the film to its original condition.
The monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the optical soundtrack of the 16mm master positive mentioned above. The soundtrack contained clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and other large abnormalities. Some of these were manually removed using Pro Tools HD, but other artifacts could not be eliminated. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.