Stray Dog 4K 1949 Ultra HD 2160p

The postwar years. Police officer Goro Murakami has his gun stolen on a bus. In his search for the missing weapon, he is forced to travel through many parts of Tokyo, visiting secret hideouts, slums, and vacant lots. Meanwhile, several murders are committed using the stolen gun.

This gripping film details the efforts of young police detective Murakami to recover his gun, stolen on a crowded bus. Murakami is obsessed with finding the gun, taking responsibility for all the crimes committed with it—including murder. He follows his own criminal impulses, practically reliving the killer’s actions.

User Review

This is Kurosawa’s first clearly Western-oriented film. The director himself didn’t like it. There really isn’t much of a thriller here. In some places, it’s too drawn-out in an Eastern style; in others, it’s fast-paced in a Western style. The film turned out well; you can feel the skill of the entire team. But there’s little suspense. And the psychological element either breaks through and overwhelms everything else, or fades away.

The theme is simple. It’s a living theme; you can see the state of Japan at that time. A soldier has returned from the war. What should he do? Blame everyone, become a criminal, or try to be an honest man. Of course, that’s a huge oversimplification. But in places, this idea just bursts forth. It’s very close to the director’s heart, and in every film (certainly in the previous two) it’s presented from different perspectives.

I’m probably being very demanding of a 1949 film. Kurosawa was demanding too. He understood that he had created a very high-quality product, but not a masterpiece, not a breakthrough. So he continued with an even more demanding approach and made even more impressive films.

I think if you know what to expect from Kurosawa, you won’t regret the two hours you spend watching this. For its time, this film is a significant contribution to Japanese noir.

Info Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265 (94.0 Mb/s)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1

Info Audio

#Japanese: FLAC 1.0
#Japanese: FLAC 1.0
#English: Dolby Digital 1.0 (Commentary by Akira Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince)
#English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (Commentary by Japanese-Australian filmmaker Kenta McGrath)

Info Subtitles