Spartacus (1960) (Restored Edition)

[Akijama]

Spartacus Blu-ray

Spartacus, the genre-defining epic from director Stanley Kubrick, is the legendary tale of a bold gladiator (Kirk Douglas) who led a triumphant Roman slave revolt. Newly restored from large format 35MM original film elements, the action-packed spectacle won four Academy Awards including Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction. Featuring a cast of screen legends such as Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons, John Gavin and Tony Curtis, this uncut and fully restored masterpiece is an inspirational true account of man’s eternal struggle for freedom.

Extras:

Digital Copy of Spartacus (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
I Am Spartacus: A Conversation with Kirk Douglas
Restoring Spartacus
Deleted Scenes
Archival Interviews
Behind-The-Scenes Footage
Vintage Newsreels
Image Gallery
Theatrical Trailer

Spartacus Official Trailer #1 - Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier Movie (1960) HD - YouTube

Source:

[Show spoiler]Confirmed by The Digital Bits.

Finally, here’s something even more awesome: You may recall that a new restoration of Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus was due to be screened at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood this weekend (see our original post on this here at The Bits from 2/11), but was then pulled with this note on the festival’s website: “Due to unforeseen circumstances we regret this film will not be presented as previously announced.” While it’s true that the screening has been cancelled, we’ve confirmed through our industry sources that a new restoration of Spartacus has been completed and that Universal Studios Home Entertainment is planning to release it on Blu-ray later in 2015. More information will follow in the weeks and months ahead as the studio firms up the details and makes an official announcement. But we thought you Kubrick fans would appreciate the early heads-up.

http://thedigitalbits.com/columns/my...ts/032515_1415

Update (3/27):

Robert Harris is involved in the restoration.

Since last summer Universal Home Video has been working with restoration guru Robert Harris on a digital high-def restoration of Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus (’60). This new version will, I’m told, look more detailed and more Super Technirama 70-ish than the somewhat derided “shiny” Spartacus Bluray that came out in 2010. The new version, which is both a restoration and a reconstruction, was going to be screened this weekend at the TCM Classic Film Festival but Universal yanked it at the last minute because it couldn’t be finished in time. It’s now expected to pop on Bluray sometime next fall.

“The bottom line is that the new Spartacus is going to be gorgeous,” Harris told me earlier today. “The work has been underway since last July, and it’s been a huge, huge project. I’ve been consulting with them, and Universal is taking this very seriously. They’re doing everything that I asked for, and in 4K. You’re going to see detail and color than you haven’t seen since the restored 70mm version screened 24 years ago.”

[Geoff D]

Yesssssssss!

[tama]

[stuartalex]

Let's hope anyone involved with the previous "restoration" got nowhere near this one

[Dylan34]

Man, I was hoping Criterion would get the rights again to do a proper remaster but it looks as if Universal is pulling it's head out of its butt and finally doing some 4k remasters!! This is a great film and needed it badly!!! Can't wait to see the final result!

[Jobla]

I only have the Criterion DVD edition, so I'd be up for a Blu-ray restoration of this film.

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by stuartalex

Let's hope anyone involved with the previous "restoration" got nowhere near this one

The previous restoration was done photochemically on film in 1991 by Robert Harris and was/is a thing of beauty. Don't mistake the outdated, shoddy HD video transfer of that restoration which was used for the original Blu-ray with the quality of the restoration itself.

Chris

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Dylan34

Man, I was hoping Criterion would get the rights again to do a proper remaster but it looks as if Universal is pulling it's head out of its butt and finally doing some 4k remasters!! This is a great film and needed it badly!!! Can't wait to see the final result!

Yeah, was hoping for a Criterion release too

[stuartalex]

Originally Posted by Jobla

I only have the Criterion DVD edition, so I'd be up for a Blu-ray restoration of this film.

The Criterion dvd is better than the Universal Blu

[stuartalex]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

The previous restoration was done photochemically on film in 1991 by Robert Harris and was/is a thing of beauty. Don't mistake the outdated, shoddy HD video transfer of that restoration which was used for the original Blu-ray with the quality of the restoration itself.

Chris

Yes I should have been more precise.
The dvd version is fine , its the Bluray that's crap although the point remains relevant that anyone who had a say in allowing the previous Blu to appear on sale should have been fired when it came out.
One hopes new people work at Universal quality control

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

The previous restoration was done photochemically on film in 1991 by Robert Harris and was/is a thing of beauty. Don't mistake the outdated, shoddy HD video transfer of that restoration which was used for the original Blu-ray with the quality of the restoration itself.

Chris

I was going to say similar but decided not to in the event I was mistaken. Especially since RAH stops by here on occasion.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Dylan34

Man, I was hoping Criterion would get the rights again to do a proper remaster but it looks as if Universal is pulling it's head out of its butt and finally doing some 4k remasters!! This is a great film and needed it badly!!! Can't wait to see the final result!

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Yeah, was hoping for a Criterion release too

Happily, with Universal, there is a strong precedent for co-existing Criterion editions, so I'd say this has a good chance of coming as a Criterion BD down the line.

[Retroj23]

Could this be true? Universal finally turning a new leaf with how it handles BD transfers? It only took them 8 years but if this means seeing our favorite classic films in the best possible presentation (at the moment) then this is great news indeed.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Happily, with Universal, there is a strong precedent for co-existing Criterion editions, so I'd say this has a good chance of coming as a Criterion BD down the line.

I wonder if Universal will put the Criterion extras on there to begin with? That would certainly reduce the chances of Criterion revisiting it unless they can come up with a stellar documentary, which is about the only thing that their DVD edition lacked.

I'm happy I'll be able to retire the HD DVD, in any case.

[filmmusic]

Universal??

[Bassaholic]

Finally.

[Nailwraps]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Universal??

Don't panic just yet, they did a good job with the 30th AE of The Breakfast Club.

PS, had a feeling this would happen!

[MechaGodzilla]

So there's a reason I've held off on this all these years.

Between this and The Breakfast Club, Universal have no excuse not to give Jurassic Park the same treatment now. Oh yeah, and The Thing.

[popeflick]

Terrific news and perhaps explains why Criterion hasn't done so.

[Akijama]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Universal??

Yes, the same Universal who did a stellar job on Double Indemnity,Touch of Evil, recent Spielberg's box, etc. I expect equally impressive results to be displayed here, as well. Universal is the one who financed this (expensive) restoration, so basically they did all the legwork and kudos to them for releasing it themselves ant not being lazy and apathetic and just hand it off to other company.

Sorry Criterion fanboys and fangirls.