The Criterion Collection`s DVD and Blu-ray cover art for THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI. Photos courtesy of The Criterion Collection. © 1964 Shochiku Co., Ltd.

Hideo Gosha`s Classic Chambara Film Streets in February Source: The Criterion Collection, Image Entertainment Official Site: criterion.com/three-outlaw-samurai Special Thanks to Jonathan Saba

Aya (Miyuki Kuwano) is held captive by peasants demanding a meeting with her corrupt magistrate father. © 1964 Shochiku Co., Ltd.

On February 14th, 2012, THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI (????, Sanbiki no Samurai, 1964) will be released in digitally restored DVD and Blu-ray editions by The Criterion Collection. This first film by the legendary Hideo Gosha (SWORD OF THE BEAST) is among the most canonized chambara (sword-fighting) films. An origin-story offshoot of a Japanese television series phenomenon of the same name, THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI is a classic in its own right. In it, a wandering, seen-it-all ronin (Tetsuro Tamba) becomes entangled in the dangerous business of two other samurai (Isamu Nagato and Mikijiro Hira), hired to execute a band of peasants who have kidnapped the daughter of a corrupt magistrate. With remarkable storytelling economy and thrilling action scenes, this is an expertly mounted tale of revenge and loyalty.

THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI

Director: Hideo Gosha Cast: Tetsuro Tamba, Isamu Nagato, Mikijiro Hira 1964 • 93 minutes • Black & White • PCM Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio (16x9 enhanced) Genres: Action/Adventure, Foreign, Asian Action, Japanese Cinema, Samurai Rating: Not Rated Number of Disc: 1 SPECIAL FEATURES: • High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition • Trailer • New English subtitle translation • Booklet featuring an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri BLU-RAY EDITION Catalog #: CC2108BD UPC: 715515091213 MSRP: $29.95 Release Date: 02/14/2012 DVD EDITION Catalog #: CC2109DDVD UPC: 715515091312 MSRP: $19.95 Release Date: 02/14/2012 SPINE #596

Ronin Sakon Shiba (Tetsuro Tamba) crosses swords with Kyojuro Sakura (Isamu Nagato) and Einosuke Kikyo (Mikijiro Hira). Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection. © 1964 Shochiku Co., Ltd.

About The Criterion Collection

Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its maker intended it to be seen. Criterion tracks down the best available film elements in the world, uses state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting our rigorous standards, then takes time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. Supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director’s cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts, and storyboards. To date, more than 150 filmmakers have made Criterion`s library of Director Approved DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and laserdiscs the most significant archive of contemporary filmmaking available to the home viewer.