BFI Video has announced the release of Luchino Visconti's The Leopard(Il gattopardo) on Blu-ray for June 21. Presented complete and uncut in its original widescreen aspect ratio, this stunning High Definition transfer – from the original 35mm 8-perforation negative – was overseen by the film's Director of Photography, Giuseppe Rotunno, and features fully restored picture and sound.
Special features include:
Full-feature commentary by Italian film scholars David Forgacs and Rossana Capitano
Interview with Claudia Cardinale
Italian trailer
Illustrated colour booklet containing newly commissioned essays and more
This film was previously available on Blu-ray as an HMV exclusive but was afflicted by a video glitch during the last third of the movie. That issue has been since corrected.
Yes being anticipating this release for some time Nice to see the problems have been fixed and Visconti's jaw-dropping masterpiece is getting a great release. I recall seeing this on a tiny screen with the worst imaginable picture yet I was blown away by it. Visconti remains one of the great directors his ambition and passion is almost unmatched, great to see some of his work coming out on blu-ray. Lancaster is terrific, Nino Rota's score has rarely been bettered and that ball room scene........the stuff dreams are made of.
BFI are terrific hopefully they release Viaggio in Italia, Le,Regle du Jeu and any of the Kurosawa movies they have
