A Story of Floating Weeds/Floating Weeds [2 Discs] [Criterion Collection] [DVD]

Two classic films from the master Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu are paired up for this DVD release from The Criterion Collection. Ukigusa Monogatari (aka A Story of Floating Weeds), Ozu's original 1934 silent film, and his 1959 sound remake, Ukigusa (aka Floating Weeds) have both been transferred to disc in their original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Ukigusa Monogatari features a newly commissioned score from composer Donald Sosin, which was recorded and mixed in Dolby Digital 5.0. The film also includes an audio commentary from Japanese film scholar Donald Richie, as well as new English translations of the original title cards and an essay from Richie which compares and contrasts the two films. Ukigusa, meanwhile, features its original Japanese soundtrack, mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, as well as optional English subtitles (newly translated by Richie). Film critic Roger Ebert also contributes an audio commentary on the film, and the original theatrical trailer is also included.