WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Chushingura (The Loyal 47 Samurai)
Genre:Classic

Reviewed In Issue 14 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Koshiro Matsumoto, Yuzo Kayama, Tatsuya Mihashi, Takashi Shimura, Keiju Kobayashi, Ryo Ikebe, Setsuko Hara, Yoko Tsukasa, Hisaya Morishige & Toshiro Mifune

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 2.5
Sound Rating: 2
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Image Entertainment
(Catalog Number): ID2811EW
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $$69.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 207
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1962
(LD Release Date): 3/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Tiroshi Inagaki
(Screenplay/Written By): Toshio Yasumi
(Story): NA
(Music): Akira Ifukube
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Kisaku Ito
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): NA
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Sanezumi Fukjimoto, Tomoyuki Tanaka & Hiroshi Inagaki

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.25:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Mono Sound
(Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): No
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Chushingura (The Loyal 47 Samurai), is an eighteenth century Japanese morality tale. Lord Kira is the Grand Master of Ceremonies for a planed reception of Imperial representatives. When the honorable Lord Asano refuses to bribe Kira, he is repeatedly demeaned until he loses control, whips out his sword, and wounds Kira. For this dishonorable act he is forced to commit hara-kiri. His faithful vessels swear to avenge this injustice and much blood flows. The complex political maneuvering and swordplay is compelling, although at times difficult to follow. The subtitles are below the letterbox.

LaserDisc Picture:
The Tohoscope frame has been recomposed at 2.25:1. The picture quality is wanting and appears to be from a print element. The picture is inconsistent looking overall and exhibits slight grain and noise, varying fleshtones, and varying quality in color fidelity. Detail and sharpness are wanting and there are artifacts in the picture. The cinematography is, however, grandiose in many scenes and contributes to the epic quality of the film.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is the too familiar undistinguished mono.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): No
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): No
(Aggressive Split Surround): No
(Center Back Surround Imaging): No
(Directionalized Dialogue): No
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: