This is the BIG ONE cinema fans... the one many have been hoping would be released. This is the 5 1/2 Hour version of Abel Gance's 1927 silent film masterpiece, painstakingly assembled and restored by silent-film historian Kevin Brownlow. It was scored by Carl Davis. (A previous 4 Hour version was released on DVD and had musical accompaniment by Carmine Coppola). It has been posted to the CC's Pinterest Board of New Releases. For more information, follow the link and then click twice on the Blu-Ray image. https://au.pinterest.com/TheCinemaCafe/new-releases-on-blu-ray-and-dvd/
If there's any reason for a U.S. resident to get a multi-region Blu-ray player... THIS IS IT! There is no word at the present time on a Region A (North America) release.
A release in America *may* be a problem due to a prior copyright dispute between Zoetrope Studios/Francis Ford Coppola and BFI/Kevin Brownlow/Carl Davis.
I wish I could remember the running time of the version I saw in 1965 (without triptych) at the National Film Theatre. I'm sure it was over 4 hours and included one, or maybe two, long intervals. I assume it was the same print shown at the Cinematheque Francaise that same year.
That's great news. There are still so many unreleased silent films that Carl Davis scored that should be made available like The Wind or Old Heidelberg.
I will be watching the film in a live performance with the Royal Philharmonic conducted by Mr. Davis on November 6th at London's Royal Festival Hall. Anyone else attending?
This will be my third silent film presentation with Davis conducting. Both previous performances (The Wind and The Thief of Bagdad) were absolutely sensational. So I highly recommend this concert. And it's the rare opportunity to see the triptych scenes with the screen really widening. For the bluray release they will probably have to reduce the picture height in order to fit the TV screen.
