20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will release on Blu-ray two films by acclaimed director Woody Allen: Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), starring Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Carrie Fisher and Michael Caine, and Sleeper (1973), starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. Street date for both is January 15th.
Hannah and Her Sisters
The eldest daughter of show-biz parents, Hannah (Mia Farrow) is a devoted wife, loving mother and successful actress. A loyal supporter of her two aimless sisters Lee (Barbara Hershey) and Holly (Dianne Wiest), she's also the emotional backbone of a family that seems to resent her stability almost as much as they depend on it. But when Hannah's perfect world is quietly sabotaged by sibling rivalry, she finally begins to see that she's as lost as everyone else, and in order to find herself, she'll have to choose – between the independence her family can't live with…and the family she can't live without.
Special Features:
Theatrical Feature Blu-ray
Sleeper
When cryogenically preserved Miles Monroe (Allen) is awakened 200 years after a hospital mishap, he discovers the future's not so bright: all women are frigid, all men are impotent, and the world is ruled by an evil dictator…a disembodied nose! Pursued by the secret police and recruited by anti-government rebels with a plan to kidnap the dictator's snout before it can be cloned, Miles falls for the beautiful – but untalented – poet Luna (Keaton). But when Miles is captured and reprogrammed by the government – to believe he's Miss America! – it's up to Luna to save Miles, lead the rebels, and cut off the nose…just to spite its face.
So MGM are doing 2 new films in this 'Woody Allen Collection' every January it seems. Was hoping the second one to Hannah and her Sisters (which has been up for pre order for a while) would be Love and Death. Still, really want to see Sleeper, maybe we'll get LaD in Jan 2014!
I'll get virtually every Allen film there is...but for F Sake, get some damn bonus features! I know Woody won't get off his lazy ass and do a commentary or participate in a "making of" or whatever. But there were other crew/cast members who could chime in for a commentary or making of!
@glumpy_99 I'm with you! I Bought Manhattan, and have held off on Annie Hall for a while because the price hasn't been right... I own all 3 volumes of the DVD boxed sets. Why doesn't Fox just release those sets on Blu already! I'm sure after we've bought all the individual releases that's when they'll come out...
Pre-ordered several weeks ago. Price should get to 9.99 like last year. At this rate it'll be 10 years before MGM/FOX finishes releasing their Allen owned titles.
Sleeper's classic, but Hannah is just Woody's do-it-yourself fanfic version of Chekov--Try watching Criterion's 'Vanya on 42nd St." first to get the real thing.
@EricJ
"Hannah is just Woody's do-it-yourself fanfic version of Chekov"
Fanfic version of Anton Chekov? Watch 'Vanya' for the real thing? I hope you're joking, but if you're not... wow, buddy. Just... wow. Can you support that statement with any kind of intelligent analysis? I doubt it.
Anyways, great announcement. One of the few filmmakers I'm hands down excited about, even knowing there will be no extras. The screenplay to 'Hannah' is one of the finest I've read.
@se7endeadly - Well, I'm guessing David Mamet's translation of Chekov dialogue in Vanya is a -little- closer to the original than Woody's reconstituted "homage" imitation of Three Sisters (this was during his Bergman/Fellini "tribute" phase, and Doestevsky was next on the list after this), and the "buried secrets and unspoken passions" at least came from the direct source--This one didn't exactly have me walking on air.
Allen surely used "Three Sisters" as a basis of inspiration, but 'Hannah' is in Allen's voice and filled his observations and craft. He wasn't adapting (or re-imagining, as they say) Chekov, therefore the accuracy of the translation is rather moot.
Referring to it as an "homage" rather than "do-it-yourself fanfic" is much more respectful and appropriate.
These are both great films. "Sleeper" was Allen's first film to have really beautiful design and "Hannah.." has a fully realized story that's not exaggerated beyond belief. It also relies far less on Woody's shlub persona, which was originally funny but later became tedious as it was repeated so often.
I'd also love to see a big box, but in spite of the DVD box (wasn't that only released in Europe?) it would be difficult because he's worked for many different studios over the years. He's directed 43 films (amazing!!) and my opinion is that at least 18 of them are quite good or great. Personally, I'd like to see three boxes: one for comedies, one for fantasies (like Zelig and Purple Rose) and one for dramas. Or, I suppose they can be chronological boxes, although he has gone through some periods with not many great films. And even though he didn't direct them, I'd love to see "Play It Again Sam" and "The Front" included, if it's a comprehensive box. But a 45 film box would probably cost at least $450, so I'd like them to pick the best 20 for starters and keep the price under $200.
Most of his films did not gross well domestically. Annie Hall was by far his biggest grossing film: $515 million (adjusted for inflation in 2012 dollars). Sleeper did $427 million (adjusted) and Hannah did $179 million (adjusted). Midnight In Paris, in spite of critical acclaim, has only done $58 million (adjusted). His latest, "To Rome with Love", has only grossed $17 million.
These are both great films. "Sleeper" was Allen's first film to have really beautiful design and "Hannah.." has a fully realized story that's not exaggerated beyond belief. It also relies far less on Woody's shlub persona, which was originally funny but later became tedious as it was repeated so often.
I'd also love to see a big box, but in spite of the DVD box (wasn't that only released in Europe?) it would be difficult because he's worked for many different studios over the years. He's directed 43 films (amazing!!) and my opinion is that at least 18 of them are quite good or great. Personally, I'd like to see three boxes: one for comedies, one for fantasies (like Zelig and Purple Rose) and one for dramas. Or, I suppose they can be chronological boxes, although he has gone through some periods with not many great films. And even though he didn't direct them, I'd love to see "Play It Again Sam" and "The Front" included, if it's a comprehensive box. But a 45 film box would probably cost at least $450, so I'd like them to pick the best 20 for starters and keep the price under $200.
Most of his films did not gross well domestically. Annie Hall was by far his biggest grossing film: $515 million (adjusted for inflation in 2012 dollars). Sleeper did $427 million (adjusted) and Hannah did $179 million (adjusted). Midnight In Paris, in spite of critical acclaim, has only done $58 million (adjusted). His latest, "To Rome with Love", has only grossed $17 million.
I'll wait for them to drop below $10. 
I'm sure after we've bought all the individual releases that's when they'll come out... 
