No woman is an island

...but if you're the only woman on a volcanic island inhabited by Japanese soldiers who won't believe that World War II is over, you're certainly special. Above is Akemi Negishi in Josef von Sternberg's unusually unusual cinematic swan song, 1953's The Saga of Anatahan, newly available on a decent French disc. It's the subject of this week's Foreign Region DVD Report, at The Auteurs'.

Of course the big DVD news today is Criterion's release of Leo McCarey's magnificent Make Way For Tomorrow. My man David Hudson rounds up the reaction, again at The Auteurs', but of course it's Dave Kehr's New York Times piece that's the leader of the pack. Your humble servant gave his thoughts on the film back in 2008, looking at a French DVD release. The new Criterion is a highly superior version and absolutely essential. Today's a good day for the cinephiles who clamored for Tomorrow's revival and restoration to pat themselves on the back a bit.

Comments

[Jason M.]

This is great news. Been wanting to see 'Anatahan' for ages.

Actually, come to think of it, that goes for 'Make Way For Tomorrow' as well. The Dave Kehr piece is really wonderful, too.

[lipranzer]

Finally! We had a bad copy of the film at our store, and I'd urge people to see it even while warning them it was a bad copy (MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW, that is). The Criterion print of it is terrific, and I like the interviews with Bogdanovich and Gary Giddins (though I can't quite get behind the latter's defense of MY SON JOHN).

This really is one of the most heartbreaking films ever made, because everybody is portrayed in the film as having their reasons.

[John Svatek]

How's this for a misreading--I always saw the title as "The Saga of Akhnaten," thinking: story of Egyptian pharaoh filmed in Japan? what the?

Now that would be a "degree of stylization" that Dave Kehr felt would be impossible to imagine ;-}