Among my Toho Records, this Akira Kurosawa lp has always stood out, both as a soundtrack album featuring dialogue and sound design as well as music, and as a lovely piece of art design. I've always loved this record label, consistantly great pressings, and they always have a booklet inside with loads of text and pictures (at least the soundtracks do - I never had too many non-movie-soundtrack Toho records).
Featured today, an interesting team-up lp with a side each devoted to two 1960's Kurosawa films: Red Beard and High and Low. Music for both composed by Masaru Sato. Red Beard (1965) is notable for being Kurosawa's last black and white film, his first mixed for stereo, and his last (of 16 films) with Toshiro Mifune (also featured in High and Low). A LOT could be written about these men and their films, but I'll let the links tell most of the detailed story.
Another reason for presenting this album is the terrific sound - I suspect that even the audio tracks of dvd edtions of these films are not as pristine and sharp as the transfers made for this record, obviously struck from the original magnetic 35mm tracks. So, on with the show - here are both sides of this fabulous slab of vinyl.
Side One track one track two track three track four
Side Two track five track six track seven track eight track nine track ten
Comments