Studio Canal have officially announced that they will release on Blu-ray Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion (1937), starring Jean Gabin, Dita Parlo, Erich von Stroheim, and Julien Carette. The Blu-ray release follows a brand new 4K restoration of the the film. Street date is April 23rd.
Aristocratic Captain de Boeldieu (Pierre Fresnay), mechanic Lieutenant Marechal (Jean Gabin) and wealthy Jewish banker Rosenthal (Marcel Dalio) are all thrown together, despite their vastly different backgrounds, as prisoners of the Germans in World War I. Separated by a successful escape, they are recaptured and reunited in an imposing fortress commanded by German aristocrat Van Rauffenstein (Erich Von Stroheim). Boeldieu and Rauffenstein strike up a friendship that reflects their belonging to a cultural and social elite that they both know is on the way out. However this rapport soon confuses loyalties and threatens Boeldieu's allegiances to the others, with tragic consequences.
It's already been released by some retailers in France. Trust me, the film has undergone a major restoration process and the result is jaw-dropping. Stellar video and excellent audio quality. One of the greatest achievements in French cinema gets a near-perfect HD treatment.
Waiting for a review of this before I even consider buying it. If anyone can botch a 4k transfer to Blu-ray, it might very well prove to be StudioCanal. Fingers crossed, though.
