Criterion Blu-ray Line-Up For March

[HGervais]

Bigger Than Life/Nicholas Ray
•New, restored high-definition digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
•Audio commentary featuring critic Geoff Andrew (The Films of Nicholas Ray)
•Profile of Nicholas Ray (1977), a half-hour television interview with the director
•New video appreciation of Bigger Than Life with author Jonathan Lethem (Chronic City)
•New video interview with Susan Ray, the director’s widow and editor of the book I Was Interrupted: Nicholas Ray on Making Movies
•Theatrical trailer
•PLUS: An essay by film writer B. Kite.

Days of HeavenTerrence Malick
•New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Terrence Malick, editor Billy Weber, and camera operator John Bailey
•New Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack
•Audio commentary featuring Weber, art director Jack Fisk, costume designer Patricia Norris, and casting director Dianne Crittenden
•New video interviews with cinematographers Haskell Wexler and Bailey
•PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critic Adrian Martin and director of photography Nestor Almendros.

Yojimbo/Akira Kurosawa
•All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
•Optional Dolby Digital 3.0 soundtrack, preserving the original Perspecta simulated-stereo effects
•Audio commentary by film historian and Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
•A 45-minute documentary on the making of Yojimbo, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
•Theatrical trailer and teaser
•Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos
•New and improved English subtitle translation
•PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Alexander Sesonske and notes from Kurosawa and his cast and crew

Sanjuro/Akira Kurosawa
•All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
•Optional Dolby Digital 3.0 soundtrack, preserving the original Perspecta simulated-stereo effects
•Audio commentary by film historian and Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
•A 35-minute documentary on the making of Sanjuro, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
•Theatrical trailer and teaser
•Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos
•New and improved English subtitle translation
•PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow and notes and statements from Kurosawa and his cast and crew.

[cdouglas]

Wow, great line-up. I've never seen Bigger Than Life, but I know I want the other three...

[HGervais]

Reserve your copy of Bigger Than Life. Amazing movie...maybe Ray's best film.

[J.M. Vargas]

Solid (gold)!

[Steve T Power]

Malik on Blu-Ray! And Sanjuro and Yojimbo!

Excitement!

Now if only we could get that full reconstruction of The Thin Red Line.

That'd be a choice Criterion Blu-Ray right there.

[hoytereden]

Days of Heaven is one of the most beautifully filmed movies I've ever seen and has been high on my wish list ever since Criterion announced they'd be going Blu. Can't wait.

[Future Man]

Can Seven Samurai be far behind?

[J.M. Vargas]

^^^ http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1330

As for other Kurosawa plans, we had hoped to celebrate the actual centenary, in March, with a Blu-ray edition of Seven Samurai, but weeks of additional restoration have turned into months—yes, it looks really amazing—and the release won’t be until later in 2010.

[Steve T Power]

At least it's coming.

[Dunnyman]

Can Seven Samurai be far behind?

While I'm looking forward to it, what about Ran? To me, it's his most beautiful film in terms of cinematography.

[Dan Mancini]

Can Seven Samurai be far behind?

While I'm looking forward to it, what about Ran? To me, it's his most beautiful film in terms of cinematography.

It comes out next month, courtesy of Lions Gate. Criterion no longer owns the rights...or never owned the rights for a BD release in the first place.

[Dunnyman]

Can Seven Samurai be far behind?

While I'm looking forward to it, what about Ran? To me, it's his most beautiful film in terms of cinematography.

It comes out next month, courtesy of Lions Gate. Criterion no longer owns the rights...or never owned the rights for a BD release in the first place.

Woo-hoo!! That's on the must-buy list now!! Thanks!

[Dan Mancini]

Can Seven Samurai be far behind?

While I'm looking forward to it, what about Ran? To me, it's his most beautiful film in terms of cinematography.

It comes out next month, courtesy of Lions Gate. Criterion no longer owns the rights...or never owned the rights for a BD release in the first place.

Woo-hoo!! That's on the must-buy list now!! Thanks!

Let's hope the transfer is top-notch.