A few days ago, I asked Mondo Vision where things are at with LA NOTE BLEUE (THE BLUE NOTE) and it turns out it just arrived back from manufacturing, and as you'd expect for an MV title, they've put it in gorgeous packaging. The release date supposedly is set for February 13, 2017, and assuming that doesn't change, it should be available to pre-order on Mondo Vision's web site in the next few days.
This is a personal one for me, because it was a long journey to get it onto BD. Originally, Mondo Vision were supplied with a PAL telecine that was covered in noise reduction (it's been released on DVD in numerous countries). I advised them against releasing it even on DVD and for trying for something better, which was not a popular decision at the time (although Mondo Vision agreed). If we released it, we'd be putting out a watchable but not exactly great version of the film. But by not releasing it at all, we'd be nixing the first ever English-friendly version of the film.
Ultimately, I got the rightsholder to agree to do a new scan under the condition that I'd handle all the restoration and grading work on my own, which they'd also have access to. The only way to get it done really was to give them an offer that was too good to refuse. Fortunately they agreed and we ended up with a gorgeous new scan from the negative to work from.
It took a long time to finish the work because of all my other industry commitments in both BD and the CE industry, but it was in a near-finished state by the end of last year. Andrzej was able to see it before he died, and Andrzej Jaroszewicz was able to point out all the parts I'd graded incorrectly when he visited New York in early 2016 (during the American COSMOS premiere). Quite an experience having a legendary DoP sit in your apartment to check the work. I then did final adjustments to correct the grade to its intended look (I'd graded it too hot, and he explained that the look is supposed to be similar to a Baroque painting).
The release also has what is probably the last video interview with Marie-France Pisier, where she discusses working with Zulawski, among other things. It was shot for the cancelled Mondo Vision DVD version in February 2011, and has been archived ever since. I'm glad this entire thing is finally on its way to people's hands.