This is the only game in town if you want to see classic Japanese Bunraku short of a trip to Japan. This performance is abridged, and there are no long shots that allow you to take in the whole minimalist staging of singer, musician, and puppeteers, but the essence of the form is still engaging. The play by Chikamatsu is best presented in English by the Donald Keene translation and commentary (also avialable at AmazonThe Major Plays of Chikamatsu), and I recommend the book as a libretto for enhancing the viewing of the video. Keene does a very good job of clarifying the historical context of Chikamatsu's work in a way that reinforces the timeless nature of the Bunraku art, and he even makes a pretty good stab at translating Chikamatu's puns and clever Japanese language that is missed in the video sub-titles. (I have the VHS version of this, but I understand the DVD is made from the same Marty Gross film.)