Corihor1

I recently received a the 4 DVD Box from an order I had placed through Amazon. I already owned the Original 1st Printing of the Seven Samurai (203 Minute Runtime) and this box set included the same 1st Printing.

However, looking at the two DVDs, then the disc art on one of them is opaque and one is metallic. The numbers along the ring are completely different as well.

Were there two versions of the first printing, ie two different types of cover art with different numbers on the ring? Or am I looking at a very good bootleg of the 4-Disc set as I am positive that the original I owned would not be a bootleg.

Thanks

djtoell

Did you actually check the content of the disc from the boxset to see if it contains the restoration featurette?

DJ

Corihor1

Yes, that was the first thing that I did. Both have the restoration featurette on the Title Menu.

eau

What was the 4 DVD Box that you ordered from Amazon? I thought the 1st printing was OOP.

littlefuzzy

Did you order from Amazon, or from the Amazon Marketplace? Also, do both copies have the large UPC at the bottom right of the back cover (first printing,) or does either one have the very small UPC at the top right of the back cover?

I have a copy of the first printing which I got at a used store, so I am not 100% sure it is legit (although I am fairly certain it is.)

My copy has a gold background on the top quarter of the disc, with Seven Samurai in a dark red. The letters appear to stand out just a bit from the background. The rest of the disc has black and "white" art on it, with the white portions being clear, showing through to the disc (that might be considered metallic.) The disc is gold, and has Seven Samurai L1 UU2022601 on the outer ring, and Seven Samurai L0 UU2022501 on the inner ring. Both rings have a barcode, and the outer ring also has something like FPI LR76 in very tiny letters.

Cameron

i would double check that...the box set was released long after the first pressing was OOP.

Corihor1

I was aware that the Box Set was released much later than the 1st Printing which is why I posed the question.

I purchased the set Used on Amazon, but the seller seemed legit. Additionally the box art and other discs seem to be authentic.

The Cover Art of the case from the Box set does not have the barcode.

If both copies that I have are legitimate, the only thing I could guess is that at some point the OOP Disc was switched with the later version of the box set disc.

My post was simply in regards to the disc art itself (opaque vs. metallic) and the difference in numbers. This could be a very good bootleg, or just a weird circumstance.

Again, both discs when put in the player have the restoration feature on the Title Screen.

Lemdog

Dude that is weird

eedoon

There's a good chance that the boxset is a very good bootleg. I never saw metallic disc art on The Seven Samurai before. About numbers on the disc, can you see barcode and some other logo on both of the disc? I know some Criterion disc used to have a WAMO logo on near those number.

codecomplete

Have you emailed Criterion? I'm sure that they can answer this question more definatively. As others have indicated, the 1st printing was long OOP before the boxset was released. I think that the 2nd printing may have been out for a while as well before the boxset was release. It's possible Criterion had extras of the 1st printing and decided to pack them in the boxset and so only they can say if that's the case or not.

littlefuzzy

Which version matches my description?

Cameron

thats out...reason the feature isn't on later pressing are rights issues...they could only sell them to a certain date, and all had to be recalled. Also note, many people on this site (including myself) own the box set, and this has never happened before.

Something tells me its a boot...or your a lucky bastard...odds are in favor of a boot.

OldBoy

1st: How could you get a bootleg from Amazon? and
2nd: How could you get a DVD that is long OOP?

Something isn't adding up on your part...do you have scans?

Cameron

he said it was used from a seller...

it could have happened, my only thought is someone had a first pressing and then bought the box set...some strange occurence got the wrong disc and case in the box

at the same time....it would take a real idiot to send out their OOP copy without double checking it before being mailed...again I say bootleg

Fok

would be interested in seeing some shots of the packaging

Corihor1

1. You can get a bootleg from Amazon because Z-Shop sellers aren't always legit.

2. It could be a long OOP DVD the same reason that you can get other long OOP DVDs from Amazon as well.

I will post pics of the DVD set when I get a chance.

Corihor1

After a little bit of research and talking to a few friends, I finally decided to email the original sender of the item.

He told me that he had actually lost the Seven Samurai from the box set and that he had purchased another one at a local used DVD store some time ago. This would explain both being the OOP versions and why it would come in the box set.

I had tried to post pictures a week ago, but the interface for my digital camera was screwy and the program was shooting blanks.

Needless to say case solved and thanks to everyone for the info.

bboisvert

But would not explain the lack of a barcode on the case.

William Fuld

That doesn't explain the metallic disc art though, does it?

ZackR

I have the original out of print version and can post some shots of it tonight when I get off work if you want...

Corihor1

Could be that only the Disc was lost and the Seller placed the replacement disc in the same case.

Does anyone know 100% if the original OOP Version only contains the opaque artwork on the disc, or if versions exist of the 1st Printing with Opaque artwork and Metallic artwork?

My original 1st Printing (Prior to the Box Set) has metallic artwork. Anyone else with the 1st Printing?

My gut feeling with this is that it is a weird circumstance and not a bootleg, but who knows. Boots are starting to look a lot more professional lately.

littlefuzzy

Does anyone know if this is the legit OOP version?

DavidK

I've got copies of both the original pressing and the revised version without the restoration demo. I'm sure they're legit - I bought both of them sealed from brick&mortar stores well before anyone was trying to bootleg Criterions. On both of them, the side with the image matches the description above, although the first pressing (with restoration demo) has a much less pronounced raising of the red letters in the title. On the gold data side, the first pressing has two rings in the inner area adjacent to the data area - the outer ring (closest to the data) has no writing on it, while the inner ring has: Seven Samurai L0 UU2022501, then IFPI LB80 090204, then a very tiny bar code, all about equidistant from each other. For the more recent printing, without the restoration demo, both rings have writing on them - the outer ring has: SEVEN SAMURAI LAYER 1, then IFPI LB76 012803, then a bar code (much larger than on the first pressing). The inner ring has SEVEN SAMURAI LAYER 0, then IFPI LB76 012806, then a bar code (also larger).

Not sure if this clears anything up, but there you go.....!

Cameron

well i went to blockbuster...not a place I frequent...picked up their copy of seven samurai, and the box read first pressing....i had an instore credit so i took it home...don't see the restoration feature....dang

i assume it would be on the title menu.

if anyone has a screen shot of both menus, it might be good to have in this thread

FRwL

On the topic of Seven Samurai, what's the whole deal with some sort of re-release?? Should i hold off buying the current criterion?