Les bas-fonds
Subtitle: The lower depths
By: les films Alkam présentent ; une production Albatros ; un film de Jean Renoir ; scénario de E. Zamiatine et J. Companeez ; adaptation et dialogues de Jean Renoir et Charles Spark. Donzoko = The lower depths / Toho Company, Ltd. ; produced by Akira Kurosawa ; screenplay by Hideo Oguni and Akira Kurosawa ; directed by Akira Kurosawa
Contributors: Zami︠a︡tin, Evgeniĭ Ivanovich, 1884-1937, screenwriter; Companéez, J. (Jacques), screenwriter; Spaak, Charles, 1903-1975, adaptor, adapter; Bourgasoff, Fédote, 1890-1944, cinematographer; Laurent, Hugues, set designer; Lourié, Eugene, set designer; Wiéner, Jean, composer; Gabin, Jean, 1904-1976, actor; Prim, Suzy, 1896-1991, actor; Jouvet, Louis, actor; Holt, Jany, 1912-2005, actor; Astor, Junie, 1912-1967, actor; Sokoloff, Vladimir, 1889-1962, actor; Yamazaki, Kazuo, 1949- cinematographer; Muraki, Yoshirō, artistic director; Satō, Masaru, 1928-1999, composer; Samejima, Yoshiko, costume designer; Mifune, Toshirō, 1920-1997, actor; Yamada, Isuzu, 1917-2012, actor; Kagawa, Kyōko, actor; Nakamura, Ganjirō, 1902-1983, actor; Chiaki, Minoru, 1917-1999, actor; Richie, Donald, 1924-2013, commentator; Gorky, Maksim, 1868-1936; Films Albatros (Firm); Tōhō Kabushiki Kaisha; Criterion Collection (Firm)
Series: Criterion collection -- 239; Criterion collection -- 239.
Publisher: Criterion Collection
Published: 2004
Place of publication: [United States]
Language: fre
Format: [videorecording] =
Number of pages: 218
Subjects: Drama; Film adaptations; Thieves; Social status; Slums
Other titles: Lower depths; Donzoko.
Description: Les bas-fonds (93 min.): A Baron, forced by circumstances, gives up his life of luxury and to takes up residence in the slums of Paris. The Baron observes the frustrated romance between Wasska Pepel and Natacha, the thwarted dreams of an actor, and the oppressive cruelties of landlord Kostileff.

Donzoko (125 min.): Sutekichi, a vulgar, comical thief takes up residence in a slum flophouse inhabited by many eccentric, destitute people. Osugi, the cruel landlady, and her sister, Okayo, both desire him, and fight each other over him. Set in Edo-period Japan.
Notes: Based on the play: Na dne / by Maxim Gorky.

Les bas-fonds was originally released as a motion picture in 1936; Donzoko in 1957.

Special features, disc 1, Les Bas-fonds: new digital transfer with restored image and sound, introduction by Jean Renoir, new English subtitles, RSDL dual layer.

Special features, disc 2, Donzoko: new high definition, digital transfer with restored image and sound, optional audio commentary by Donald Richie, a 33 min. documentary about the film, new English subtitles, RSDL dual layer.

Les bas-fonds: director of photography, F. Bourgas [i.e. Fédote Bourgasoff] ; editor, Marguerite Renoir ; set decorators, Hugues Laurent, Eugène Lourié ; composer, Jean Wiener.

Donzoko: director of photography, Kazuo Yamasaki ; production designer, Yoshirō Muraki ; editor, Akira Kurosawa ; cinematographer, Kazuo Yamasaki ; composer, Masaru Sato ; costume designer, Yoshiko Samejima.

Les bas-fonds: Jean Gabin, Suzy Prim, Louis Jouvet, Jany Holt, Junie Astor, Vladimir Sokoloff.

Donzoko: Toshirō Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Kyōko Kagawa, Ganjirō Nakamura, Minoru Chiaki.

DVD, region 1; mono.

Les bas-fonds: in French with optional English subtitles. Donzoko: in Japanese with optional English subtitles.
Table of contents: title: [Disc 1.] Les bas-fonds; title: [disc 2.] Donzoko.