Warner Home Video has officially announced A Clockwork Orange: 40th Anniversary Edition for Blu-ray release on May 31, in a two-disc Digibook edition with new additional content. On the same date, the studio will also release the nine-movie, ten-disc Stanley Kubrick Limited Edition Collection, including Spartacus, Lolita (new to Blu-ray), Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon (new to Blu-ray), The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut.
No announcement has been made at the moment for a separate Blu-ray release of Lolita or Barry Lyndon
A Clockwork Orange 40th Anniversary Edition
Special features include:
Commentary by Malcolm McDowell and historian Nick Redman
Malcolm McDowell Looks Back: Malcolm McDowell reflects on his experience working with legendary director Stanley Kubrick on one of the seminal films of the 1970s (new)
Turning like Clockwork: the film's ultra-violence and its cultural impact (new)
Still Tickin': The Return of Clockwork Orange
Great Bolshy Yarblockos!: Making A Clockwork Orange
Theatrical Trailer
Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures: Kubrick's career comes into sharp focus in this compelling documentary narrated by Tom Cruise. Fascinating footage glimpses Kubrick in his early years, at work on film sets and at home, augmented by candid commentary from collaborators, colleagues and family (new to Blu-ray)
O Lucky Malcolm!: Documentary about the life and career of actor Malcolm McDowell produced and directed by Jan Harlan
The 40th Anniversary Edition will be packaged in a 40-page Blu-ray Book with rare photos, production notes and more.
Stanley Kubrick: Limited Edition Collection
The Blu-ray collection will be boxed in new book-style premium packaging and will include a 40-page hard-cover book that explores the breadth of genres and themes in Kubrick's work. It will include the new release of A Clockwork Orange and the existing releases of Spartacus (licensed from Universal), Strangelove (licensed from Sony), 2001, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket: Deluxe Edition and Eyes Wide Shut. See individual entries for details.
No special features have been listed for Lolita or Barry Lyndon.
Let's hope Barry Lyndon and Lolita get stand-alone releases. Otherwise there will be a glut of used Kubrick BDs on eBay. I may well be listing mine soon.
Will the Clockwork Orange book be packaged with the Limited Edition Collection? Probably not. This is part of the reason why I hate Blu-ray Books. Otherwise, nice set. I'm surprised Spartacus and Strangelove are on here, considering the different studios involved. I still want to see Criterion re-release Spartacus on Blu-ray, but I doubt that will be happening anytime soon.
The Limited Edition set certainly looks nice, and I'm thrilled that we'll be getting Barry Lyndon on Blu finally, but why not go all the way with it? I realize Criterion certainly doesn't want to have another release of Paths of Glory out there, but Warner could probably make it worth their while.
I just don't see any point to something like this if it's not complete. Fear and Desire may be truly impossible at this point - especially a decent looking version - but I'd think Killer's Kiss and The Killing shouldn't be much of a problem based on the screen caps over at DVDBeaver.
I'll probably duplicate GoBlu08's decision and go for the collection also. Having collected Kubrick for years on VHS, SD and BD, why does Warner have to make our wallets suffer so? LOL
Note: There is also a 2001 steel book edition being released by Amazon.ca on March 29th...
Oh well; I was really hoping that a new version of The Shining would be included as part of this new Kubrick Blu-ray collection, one that included both the longer North American cut AND the shorter cut of the film released in Europe; but then Warner Bros doesn't seem to know how to implement seamless branching on the Blu-ray format, as evidenced by their current crop of releases on BD. Except, of course, Warner Bros DO use seamless branching to implement their Maximum Movie Mode; yes I know it doesn't make any sense (and yet I still remain hopeful that, one day, I'll better understand the warped workings of the corporate mind that exists at places like Warner Brothers).
Anyway, I guess if I want both cuts of The Shining on Blu-ray, I'm just going to have to buy The Shining twice after all.
I will double dip for the new transfer, digibook version of Clockwork Orange. I don't like doing this, but since it's Kubrick, that's a good a reason as any. Since I already own Dr. Strangelove, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Clockwork Orange, the Shining, and Full Metal Jacket, I won't rebuy the Kubrick collection even though it looks like really nice set to have (especially for a Kubrick aficionado).
Im torn on whether or not to buy the set. I have everything except for Lolita and Barry Lyndon. And if I dont buy the set then do i double dip on the A Clockwork Orange. Decisions, decisions, decisions....
Can you really call this a true Kubrick collection without Paths of Glory in it? And what about the Killing and the Killer's Kiss?
So, I'm really conflicted here already having all of these titles on blu as they currently exist except for Lyndon, Lolita, and the new Clockwork. The question being is how long of a wait will there be for Barry Lyndon (I can honestly say that I've never seen Barry "London") and Lolita to get individual releases? Would buying the new box set be worth the extra cost knowing I'd be getting the new re-master of Clockwork plus Barry Lyndon and Lolita and all the nice looking supplements? What to do, what to do?
If there was some assurance that all of these were upgrades (like a needed remastering of Eyes Wide Shut), I'd go for it.
Big Kubrick fan, but I need a bit more prompting.
If they were new transfers of of 2001, Eyes Wide Shut, etc. it would plaster that information all over the press release. "2001: A Space Odyessy - Newly remastered with a 4k digital blah blah blah from the original 70mm etc, etc, etc." That would only help sales.
Consider this the same as a new Harry Potter box set that comes out each year. All the old stuff + the new one. Harry Potter 1-7 Part 1?? Are they serious? (But I digress)
Fingers crossed for a new transfer for the 45th anniversary of 2001 in 2013.
Beautiful set. The first Clockwork Orange BR only set me back $10 so I don't feel bad about double dipping (quadruple dipping over all for the film).
With this set and the Paths of Glory Criterion (and fourth-coming THE KILLING on Criterion) all of Kubrick's films are damn near covered on Blu-ray. Bravo!
Hmmm.... Seeing as I already own most of these, perhads I shouldn't buy it.... But I want it so much! If it were very reasonably priced and with new transfers, I'd do it in a heartbeat
This set is such a disappointment to me. I was so ready to buy a new version of 2001. Oh, well. I'll get the new Clockwork and Barry Lyndon whenever they release it separately.
Since I only own 2001 on BD at the moment this set looks like a must buy for me! What with this Taxi Driver, Blow Out, and all the magic Criterion is putting + the eventual release dates of True Grit 2010 & Black Swan this season is going to be costly! My wallet will hate me!
Barry Lyndon will be released as a stand-alone BRD in France this spring. Not sure if it'll be all-region or locked to B; doesn't matter to me as I have an all-region player. That's the ticket for me.
Of course Warner won't produce new transfers of these movies. This is a pure cash grab. They'll give you more digibooks than you can handle, but not quality film presentations.
Torn on the side of no. Love the new packaging. Very interested in "BARRY LONDON" on Blu.
Buuuutttt... I own the all other WB titles and STRANGELOVE, and since I deliberately passed on SPARTACUS based on all the terrible A/V reviews it got, I can't justify paying for it here...
Think I'll stick with double dipping CLOCKWORK depending upon the reviews it gets...
This set is not complete it's missing like 4 movies... This is not complete. Not going to buy this not gonna do it until all his movies are in this set.
Don't think it says anywhere that it's complete. Just in your minds apparently. Anyway add me to the no way Jose cash grab from the oh so predictable WB. Will wait for Lolita and Barry Lyndon separate releases. No way I will ever own that garbage Spartacus transfer. Will see about the Clockwork Orange upgrade, but it would have to be a pretty significant upgrade, and they'd have to lose that digibook.
The Clockwork Orange is a new transfer. Barry Lyndon and Lolita are all new to Blu. We havent yet got Paths of Glory in the UK yet and that is the one I am hanging out for
I don't get it. These are all amazing and everything, but there's no doubt the UK is going to get this last, as it quite often does with these kinds of things. Let's hope it gets released not too late after the US does, cause Kubrick is awesome.
Better be a new "Clockwork Orange" transfer. The first was pretty comparable to DVD quality. On par with the original BD of "Terminator" (worst transfer of all time).
I already have A Clockwork Orange, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket Deluxe Edition so unless there are remastered version of the first two, I won't be investing in this set. I have never seen Barry Lyndon, Lolita or Dr Strangelove and don't like Eyes Wide Shut or 2001 so at this point, I don't need this set. However, hopefully they break these up for rentals because I would like to see the ones I haven't seen before I even think of purchasing (Dr Strangelove is in my queue at the moment). But for all the fans of the movies (or most the movies) in the set I am happy for you guys....
Ah, Stanley Kubrick. One of my long-time and all-time very favorite directors, whose storytelling, craft, themes and styles (that are both extremely varied and consistent across his films) I admire, among many other qualities. Warner has finally saw fit to bestow upon the work of a director with whom it had such a long and rich relationship, a true box set for the first time in Blu, going so far as to reach beyond its own library and license a couple of his prominent films from two other studios. And an intriguing set it apparently will be.
Avid fan that I am, I already have all but three of his full-length features in my collection, two of which (Spartacus and Lolita) are in this box set. (The third is his first feature, Fear and Desire, and who knows what the home entertainment future holds for that film). While I have Barry Lyndon on SDVD, this period drama should look stunning on Blu (such is my hope), with all its rich textures and lush cinematography. A Clockwork Orange appears to be undergoing a fairly significant upgrade, so that's yet another plus for the Kubrick big box. One more is the documentary on Kubrick that is included. The hardcover book that's included in the set as well as the overall package design, both of which look informative and attractive, add more value.
However, reaction to Spartacus' a.v. quality and (smallish) suite of extras from Universal's issue was rather tepid and the film will likely be rereleased by Criterion at some point with better a.v. quality and a treasure trove of extras. And I do have all the other films in the box in their existing Blu releases, acquired in the early days of Blu-ray, and the content of those discs, apparently, will not be any different. (Also, a steelbook version of 2001 is available at Amazon.ca and there's been talk of a 2001 Ultimate Collector's Edition.) So, what to do... I think I'll wait for a moderate price drop on the set and buy it at that time (around Black Friday week or December, maybe?). Sounds like a plan. I may very well buy the digibook version of A Clockwork Orange at a reduced price. I love digibooks and I think much of the content of that particular book will be available solely within that book.
I agree that the films with existing BD releases should have received a few more extras at least. But it still looks very intriguing.
