The Magnificent Ambersons

[Dr. Snaut]

This film clearly does not appeal to the average lay person as much as it does to people on this forum. But considering how important this film is in relation to the history of cinema, it is appalling that Warners has held out as long as it has releasing this film. And the funniest thing about it is that they will probably screw up with at least one aspect of the dvd.

The only company I could trust with this title and its extras is Criterion. Sad but true.

[knives]

MoC

[domino harvey]

They're still waiting to secure the rights to that Robert Osbourne introduction from the VHS

[Tommaso]

The only company I could trust with this title and its extras is Criterion. Sad but true.

Apart from MoC: Filmmuseum; these guys would make a PhD-style effort of the extras I suppose, and they already have an "Unknown Orson Welles"-set in the pipeline for what feels like about five years or so... Hang on though... there's a shoddy "Ambersons" disc out in Germany already, so we better forget about that dream.

This only leaves the BFI as a reasonable alternative.

[jsteffe]

From what I remember based on various Home Theater Forum chats, Warner Home Video is very much aware of the importance of Ambersons. (Don't forget that the film historian George Feltenstein is one of their Senior Vice Presidents.) As they stated, they've been looking for the best print materials for a new transfer, and they'll need time to put together the kind of supplementary materials that the film's complicated history deserves. Its possible that the economics of the home video industry is also a factor, but I doubt that's the main factor.

I agree that it's frustrating that the film isn't on DVD yet, but I can't blame them for wanting to take the time to do it right. Many of us would be unhappy if we ended up with a quickly produced, less-than-stellar DVD along the lines of what's available in Germany. In the meantime, if you're eager to see the film again, it's showing on September 1 on Turner Classic Movies, and the old Criterion laserdisc still looks pretty good.

[Ovader]

Article from the January 2002 edition of Vanity Fair about the film's troubled history and the search for the 132 minute version in Brazil.

[atcolomb]

Speaking of troubled history...nothing yet on Warner's releasing the dvd on Ambersons. Maybe they are still putting together the extras for it?