Shogun Assassin Collector’s Edition — dvd movie review
I just received my Shogun Assassin Collector’s Edition DVD through AnimEigo’s amnesty program. The exchange was pretty darn quick – about two weeks between send off and receipt. Since I’ve already reviewed the film, I’ll just be reviewing the new disc.
First and foremost: the transfer. Since AnimEigo had previously restored Sword of Vengeance and Baby Cart at the River Styx, they decided to give Shogun Assassin a go. Taking a bootleg as blueprint, they reconstructed the film from the ground up using the restored portions of each film and the Shogun Assassin audio. The result is nothing short of astounding. Blues are blues, flesh tones are flesh tones, and blood is brilliant red. And the best part? The aspect ratio is fixed. No longer are Ogami and Daigoro squat little fellows doing battle with other obese shorties. The sound is everything you remember, love it or hate it, from the original dub.
As far as extras are concerned the disc includes some extensive production notes which cover the differences between Baby Cart, Vengeance and Shogun Assassin, and explanations of various historical and cultural items found in the film. Daigoro’s History lesson is exactly that, noting various items of interest during the Tokugawa era. The Restoration Gallery displays side by side comparisons of bootleg footage vs the newly restored footage. There are noticeable differences, mainly in color and clarity, but surprisingly the bootleg footage has had its aspect ratio corrected for the comparison. Lastly you have the standard AnimEigo trailer gallery, featuring original theatrical trailers for Shogun Assassin, Sword of Vengeance, Lady Snowblood (my personal fave), and Demon Spies.
All in all, a slick disk for the cult enthusiast. And, unlike the other super-cult release of the past 12 months, Cannibal Holocaust, it’s one that will find some definite replay in your collection. I know it’s the only way I’ll watch Shogun Assassin from here on out.
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