High and Low 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

Criterion’s 4K Ultra HD presents a new native 4K restoration of High and Low from the original 35 mm camera negative, completed in Tokyo by Toho’s archival facilities. The UHD is SDR-only—no HDR or Dolby Vision—an intentional and appropriate choice for this black-and-white title with extensive low-light material. Framed at the original 2.39:1 TohoScope ratio, the film was photographed on 35 mm B&W with Mitchell cameras and Kowa anamorphic lenses, with a brief color insert retained. The UHD disc is a 100 GB encode with data rates averaging ~80 Mbps. The 4K restoration is exclusive to the UHD; the included Blu-ray reprises the 2011 HD presentation. The 4K UHD disc is Region-Free; the Blu-ray is Region A locked.

Image performance is a substantial step up: darker scenes show markedly improved delineation, clarity, and depth, with strengthened grayscale rendering. Black crush is eliminated, mid-tones open up, and highlight control remains stable, yielding a broader, healthier range of grays and excellent density. Fine detail and grain resolve with a consistent, organic texture, free of intrusive digital tinkering or edge enhancement. Stability and cleanliness are excellent, with no notable artifacts; the high-bitrate SDR encode supports nuanced gradations without banding or posterization. The brief color segment is clean and properly timed. Overall, this SDR-graded 4K presentation delivers a refined, film-true image that meaningfully corrects prior limitations and leaves little room for further video-side improvement.

The 4K UHD presents the film’s original Japanese 4‑track stereo in a DTS‑HD Master Audio 5.1 container. Packaging notes 4.0, but the 4K disc flags as 5.1 (the accompanying Blu‑ray reads 4.0). As expected for the vintage, there are essentially no discrete surround effects; instead, the presentation preserves a front‑heavy layout with solid channel separation. Kurosawa’s stereo staging—particularly in train sequences and urban exteriors—plays with convincing lateral movement, and the overall soundstage is modestly wider and imaging a touch cleaner than on the earlier Blu‑ray. Optional English subtitles are included and render within the image frame.

Dialogue reproduction is crisp and stable, with commendable dynamic range for spoken exchanges and effects. Masaru Sato’s tense score is delivered with excellent fidelity, retaining texture and presence without harshness. Some unevenness appears in certain outdoor passages—minor fluctuations and age‑related artifacts that reflect archival limitations rather than mastering faults—but these moments have been mitigated as far as practicable. The mix remains coherent and engaging, offering clear prioritization of dialogue over score and ambience, with no intrusive noise or distortion. The English translation is strong, supporting a seamless experience for non‑Japanese listeners.

A well-judged extras suite spans both discs, led by an authoritative 2008 archival commentary by Stephen Prince on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Context, craft, and performance are thoroughly covered, with Japanese materials subtitled in English (optional where noted). Notable are a crew-rich Toho Masterworks doc, a rare 1981 Mifune interview, historically significant trailers, and a robust booklet.

Extras included in this disc:

• Commentary: 2008 archival track by Stephen Prince on both discs.
• Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create: Toho Masterworks doc; Kurosawa + cast/crew; JP w/ EN subs; 38 min.
• Toshiro Mifune: 1981 TV interview (Tetsuko no heya); JP w/ optional EN subs; 31 min.
• Tsutomu Yamazaki: 2008 interview (Tokyo); JP w/ optional EN subs; 20 min.
• Trailers: Japanese trailer (only footage of cut ending), Japanese teaser, U.S. trailer (music only).
• Booklet: 30-page illustrated; essays by Geoffrey O’Brien and Donald Richie; credits.

Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low (1963), also known as Heaven and Hell and inspired by Ed McBain’s King’s Ransom, fuses corporate intrigue with a moral crucible. Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), a commanding executive at National Shoes, rejects a profit-first coup and stakes everything on an ethical takeover—only to face a ransom demand for what he believes is his son. The twist—his chauffeur’s child is the victim—forces a stark calculus between personal ruin and public perception, sharpening Kurosawa’s critique of class hierarchies. The first half charts Gondo’s shifting resolve under media scrutiny; the second pivots to a meticulous police pursuit (led by Tatsuya Nakadai) where the kidnapper’s identity matters less than the social abyss he inhabits.

Kurosawa orchestrates the transition with a single, indelible flourish of pink smoke—a rare color accent in an otherwise refined black-and-white design—before plunging into slums and industrial blight. Movement, blocking, and chiaroscuro lighting engineer a relentless rhythm, rendering even the most unsettling passages unnervingly elegant. Technically, the film marked Kurosawa’s first use of stereophonic sound; its urban nightscapes were realized with a miniature studded with roughly 7,000 bulbs. Masaru Sato’s spare score—jazz inflections threaded with abrasive electronic textures—deepens the noir tension. Performances from Mifune and Tsutomu Yamazaki add tensile precision. The film earned a Golden Lion nomination and later won Best Film and Best Screenplay at the Mainichi Film Concours.

A taut, morally complex thriller that bridges film noir and political drama, High and Low remains among Akira Kurosawa’s most accessible achievements and a centerpiece of his collaborations with Toshiro Mifune. Its influence spans generations of filmmakers, and its contemporary relevance is underscored by a recent reimagining titled Higher and Lower. The 4K restoration showcases the film’s precision and tonal control, reinforcing its stature while preserving the intensity and clarity that have long defined its reputation.

Criterion’s 4K UHD presents a significant image upgrade over prior Blu-ray editions, sourced from Toho’s 4K restoration, with appreciably refined detail and contrast that honor the film’s black-and-white aesthetics. The absence of a standard Blu-ray derived from this restoration is a missed opportunity for non-4K collectors, but for equipped viewers this disc is essential. The release also strengthens anticipation for further 4K upgrades of Kurosawa’s catalog—Ikiru, Stray Dog, The Hidden Fortress, Throne of Blood, Rashomon, and Red Beard among them—now restored in 4K by Toho. For cinephiles and Kurosawa enthusiasts, this UHD is recommended without reservation.