Blu-ray, DVD Release: The Inland Sea

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Aug. 13, 2019
Price: DVD $13.99, Blu-ray $22.99
Studio: Criterion

In 1971, author and film scholar Donald Richie published a poetic travelogue about his explorations of the islands of Japan’s Inland Sea, recording his search for traces of a traditional way of life as well as his own journey of self-discovery. Twenty years later, filmmaker Lucille Carra undertook a parallel trip inspired by Richie’s by-then-classic book, capturing images of hushed beauty and meeting people who still carried on the fading customs that Richie had observed. The result was 1991’s The Inland Sea.

Interspersed with surprising detours-a visit to a Frank Sinatra-loving monk, a leper colony, an ersatz temple of plywood and plaster-and woven together by Richie’s narration as well as a score by celebrated composer Toru Takemitsu, The Inland Sea is an eye-opening voyage and a profound meditation on what it means to be a foreigner.

Criterion’s director-approved special editions of the hour-long film include the following:

* New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by cinematographer Hiro Narita, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray
* New interview with director Lucille Carra
* New conversation between filmmaker Paul Schrader and cultural critic Ian Buruma on author Donald Richie
* Interview with Richie from 1991
* New English subtitle translation
* An essay by scholar Arturo Silva