Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The lives of a master sculptor and his young apprentice are changed forever when they meet an evil witch during a snow storm.
Starring: Shiho Fujimura, Akira Ishihama, Machiko Hasegawa, Taketoshi Naitô, Mizuho SuzukiHorror | 100% |
Film-Noir | 17% |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Japanese: LPCM 2.0 Mono
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of the Daiei Gothic: Japanese Ghost Stories set from Radiance Films.
Fans of what might be termed some of the "designer labels" of the home video market may know that there are some interesting tethers between
Arrow Video and Radiance Films, and either due to commingling or just shared interests, both labels are offering fans spooky collections of Japanese
fare as the Halloween season is getting underway. Arrow is out with
J-Horror Rising, a compendium of efforts that appeared in the wake of Ringu, and Radiance is offering this trio of somewhat earlier films that the label is touting as "three of Japan's most
famous ghost stories that have haunted people for centuries".
The Snow Woman is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Radiance's insert booklet lumps all three films in this set together in one relatively brief blurb about the transfers, as follows:
The Ghost of Yotsuya, The Snow Woman and The Bride from Hades were restored in 4K by Kadokawa Corporation. Each film is presented in its original aspect ratio with original mono audio.This is a pretty stunning looking transfer, and thankfully it has few of the odd color timing variances that can be spotted in The Ghost of Yotsuya. The palette is nicely suffused and the brightly lit outdoor material in particular pops with considerable authority. Even some of the effects shot both early in the film and then later that have Yuki (or whatever her witch name might be) in almost complete darkness with snowflakes flurrying around her offer surprisingly fulsome detail levels, though there may arguably be a few moments with fairly murky shadow definition. Fine detail on the period costumes and sets is typically excellent. Grain resolves naturally throughout.
The Snow Woman features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original Japanese. The track is rather vibrant sounding, and there are quite a few audio effects surrounding the witch's activities, including a ferocious storm early in the film that does reveal just a bit of thinness at the very upper frequency reaches. Otherwise, though, scoring and effects are offered with problem free fidelity and a reasonably full bodied sound. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
The supplement about author Lafcadio Hearn included on this disc mentions how he did not suffer "fools" who didn't believe in the supernatural gladly, and in fact those without some at least tolerance for unexplained phenomena may find this a rather strange film. The family dynamic in this film is rather beautifully developed and ends up giving this story a surprisingly powerful denouement. Technical merits are solid and the two main supplements worthwhile. Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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