I have been told many times to keep the VHS tapes of important films, and Ikiru is definately one to keep in tape format. This DVD flickers and has large white lines down the center of the picture. Check out the scene where Wantanabe is in a restuarant with his new-found friend, and offers to spend 50,000 Yen on a good time. You can hardly see the two men; the film flickers and whiteness enters the scene covering the entire picture, continuing for a long time, reaching into other scenes that follow.The sound is very scratchy, and the subtitles many many tikmes unreadable because of the whiteness and the constant flicker.Then there are the sharp white lines down the center... an unforgiveable transfer. I have the VHS tape..great shape. Hang on to this or buy this tape fast before it goes out of print, and you are stuck with yet another bad Criterion transfer.Be warned..this is the worst yet I have ever seen on DVD.