I understand this, and indeed, the PQ on the Criterion is probably as good as it will ever be. But the sound is just abysmal, the result of post-processing that didn't need to happen. It's the audio equivalent of Children Of Paradise, and the insane part is that the only reviewer besides Chris to cover the audio in the review was another exceptional Doctor, who gave it a 4 out of 5.Michael Kerpan wrote:I've seen this screened several times since 2000. There is simply no way one is ever going to seen a truly adequate presentation -- absent discovery of time travel (which would allow one to find a non-ravaged film source).
That section on the audio is ridiculous, and it makes me wonder if Svet watched the Region B disc at all. The audio on the Shochiku (and Criterion) has been processed to hell and back. Another Criterion Forum user (Moshrom) did an excellent write-up on a blog of his. He also made an excellent comparison between the two blu-rays that illustrates the issue perfectly.[i]Dr.[/i] Svet Atanasov wrote: There are sizeable improvements in the audio department as well. For example, it immediately becomes obvious that serious work has been done to remove the background hiss that is present on the previous release. The cracks and pops have also been eliminated. It appears that specific stability enhancements have been performed as well because the mid/high registers are now better balanced. This being said, in the upper register there are still some light distortions, but they are managed in such a way that impact on clarity is minimal at best. (You should be able to hear the source limitations during the ceremony around 02.22.19, where the music and crowd noise bring them forward). The dialog is easy to follow.
The point is, the review annoyed me because the reviewer thought that there wasn't enough restoration done, when there actually was so much excessive work done that it shot a new, otherwise superior restoration in the foot.
The comparison in question: https://vimeo.com/181992834