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Posted by G. M. Watson on 01/27/07 11:32
> From: "Goro" <evilninjax@yahoo.com>
> Organization: http://groups.google.com
> Newsgroups: alt.video.dvd,rec.arts.movies.past-films
> Date: 26 Jan 2007 22:08:59 -0800
> Subject: Criterion Coming soon : Ichikawa Kon!
>
> BURMESE HARP and FIRES ON THE PLAINS, two absolute masterpieces are due
> out in March!
>
> http://criterionco.com/asp/coming_soon.asp
>
> I've been waiting for years, ever since I sold my Laserdiscs... WIth
> Yojimbo and Sanjuro now remastered and Anamorphic, I'm in HEAVEN!
>
> -goro-
A friend of mine a long time ago used to refer to "The Harp of Burma"-- the
usual title given for the first film you mention-- as "The Burp of Harma",
which might be lame but sorta summed up how we both felt about the film. I
found it excruciatingly sentimental and heavy-handed, especially the scenes
of the choir vocalizing. I've never understood its "masterpiece" reputation
among Western film critics. Given the wealth of Japanese films that are
superior to HOB-- including a few Ichikawa titles-- and that have yet to
receive a North American DVD release, I guess one can assume that the only
reason Criterion has decided to foist this turkey on us once again was
because they'd already done it on LD and got tired of having the master
lying around the stockroom, getting in the way.
"Fires on the Plain" is a much, much better film and it will be good to have
it back in circulation.
GMW
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