Abel Gance’s Napoleon to get Blu-ray release

[jacksonwalker]

(Sorry, even though I did a search, I just saw this referred to in one of the sticky threads)

Abel Gance’s Napoleon to get UK-wide theatrical, online and Blu-ray/DVD release:

The BFI today announces a new chapter in the epic history of one of the world’s greatest films: Abel Gance’s Napoleon (1927). In the culmination of a 50-year project, Academy Award-winning film historian Kevin Brownlow and the BFI National Archive have completed a new digitally restored version of Abel Gance’s cinematic triumph. From Autumn 2016, for the first time ever, audiences across the UK will be able to experience this extraordinary cinematic masterpiece with Carl Davis’s magnificent score when the film goes on theatrical release in UK cinemas and is available on BFI DVD/Blu-ray and BFI Player.

This legendary 5½ hour film was first presented, partially restored, at the BFI London Film Festival in 1980. The latest digital restoration of Napoleon will have its premiere screening with a live performance by the Philharmonia Orchestra of Carl Davis’s score (the longest ever composed for a silent film) in early November 2016 at the Royal Festival Hall.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/n...ampaign=buffer

[Jaymole]

This great film, which is being released on November 21st in the UK, might get a few people to go region free (although I am hoping that a region 1 Blu-ray will be released by someone as well):

Napoleon (3 - Disc Blu-ray Set)
A film by Abel Gance

Marking a new chapter in the history of one of the world's greatest films, the release of Abel Gance's Napoleon is the culmination of a project spanning 50 years. Academy Award-winning film historian Kevin Brownlow and the BFI National Archive have completed a new digitally restored version of this cinematic triumph, and audiences will be able to experience this extraordinary film complete with Carl Davis's magnificent score when the released on DVD & Blu-ray in November.

Originally conceived by its director as the first of 6 films about Napoleon, this five and a half hour epic features full scale historical recreations of episodes from his personal and political life, from the French Revolution to the heroic arrival of French troops in Italy that marked the beginning of the First Italian campaign of 1976. Utilizing a number of groundbreaking camera and editing techniques, Abel Gance's Napoleon offers one of the most richly rewarding and thrilling experiences in the history of cinema, a brilliant pairing of music and film, comparable to grand opera in its intensity, offering dazzling scenes of unparalleled brilliance.

Special features

Abel Gance: Charm of Dynamite (Kevin Brownlow, 1968, 50 mins): Documentary on the life and work of Abel Gance, narrated by director Lindsay Anderson (If..., This Sporting Life)
Interview with composer Carl Davis on the recording of the score for Napoleon
60 page illustrated book including new essays on the film and music plus full film credits
Other extras TBC

France | 1927 | black & white, and tinted | 330 minutes | BD50 x 3 | Cert U | Region B

[gpn]

I saw this many years ago on AMC before they handed the classic movie baton to TCM, and it is truly an exceptional film. I'm region free, but I'll wait a while to see if there's a US release before I import.

[yellowcakeuf6]

Couldn't find anything about this on the forum, so I'll post these 2 month old links. Anyone have any other information?

https://bleedingcool.com/movies/napo...ema%20culture.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...on-of-napoleon

[ShellBeacher]

Missed this announcement. Interesting.

F.F. Coppola and Robert A. Harris were involved with the Cinematheque Francaise within the last ten years and apparently Coppola/Harris still owned U.S. rights. They were apparently working with them to restore...another version. It will be interesting to see if this is the same version, if Coppola is still involved, here... I would have assumed this would be the for the U.S. market...as BFI only just did their Brownlow version?? But we know Netflix is global in influence and market.

[yellowcakeuf6]

I've read this is pushed back to 2023.