High and Low

Akira Kurosawa's contemporary thriller stars Toshiro Mifune as an industrialist kingpin whose ambition collides with his morality when kidnappers target his son but inadvertently grab the son of his chauffeur -- and make the same ransom demands of him anyway. Kurosawa uses the detective thriller and police procedural (the story is adapted from Ed McBain's detective novel "King's Ransom") to create a social drama and a portrait of contemporary Japanese culture. Criterion previously released this film early on in its DVD offerings. This two-disc version features a new transfer and all-new supplements, including commentary by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince, a 37-minute documentary on the making of "High and Low" from the Toho Masterworks series "Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create," an archival TV interview with Mifune, and a new video interview with actor Tsutomu Yamazaki. Also features a booklet with a new essay by critic Geoffrey O' Brien and a reprinted essay by scholar Donald Richie.