Posted Tue Sep 17, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by Tom Landy
Two 1970s classics will be getting the Criterion treatment in early December.
In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing the 1970 French crime thriller 'Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion' for Blu-ray on December 3.
The provocative Italian filmmaker Elio Petri's most internationally acclaimed work is this remarkable, visceral, Oscar-winning thriller. Petri maintains a tricky balance between absurdity and realism in telling the Kafkaesque tale of a Roman police inspector (Gian Maria Volonté, in a commanding performance) investigating a heinous crime—which he committed himself. Both a penetrating character study and a disturbing commentary on the draconian crackdowns by the Italian government in the late 1960s and early '70s, Petri's kinetic portrait of surreal bureaucracy is a perversely pleasurable rendering of controlled chaos.
The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will feature a 1080p transfer, uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements will include: New 4K digital restoration by the Film Foundation, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray; Archival interview with director Elio Petri, conducted by critic and filmmaker Alexandre Astruc; Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker (2005), a ninety-minute documentary on the director's career, featuring interviews with friends, collaborators, and filmmakers; New interview with film scholar Camilla Zamboni; Investigation of a Citizen Named Volonté (2008), a fifty-minute documentary about actor Gian Maria Volonté; Music in His Blood, an interview with composer Ennio Morricone from 2010, conducted by film critic Fabio Ferzetti; Trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Evan Calder Williams and excerpts from a 2001 book by author and screenwriter Ugo Pirro.
Robert Altman's 'Nashville' will also be available on Blu-ray on the same date.
This cornerstone of 1970s American moviemaking from Altman is a panoramic view of the country's political and entertainment landscapes, set in the nation's music capital. Nashville weaves the stories of twenty-four characters—from country star to wannabe to reporter to waitress—into a cinematic tapestry that is equal parts comedy, tragedy, and musical. Many members of the astonishing cast wrote and performed their own songs live on location, which lends another layer to the film's quirky authenticity. Altman's ability to get to the heart of American life via its eccentric byways was never put to better use than in this grand, rollicking triumph, which barrels forward to an unforgettable conclusion.
The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring director Robert Altman; New documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with actors Keith Carradine, Michael Murphy, Allan Nicholls, and Lily Tomlin; assistant director Alan Rudolph; and screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury; Archival interviews with Altman; Behind-the-scenes footage; Demos of Carradine singing his songs from the film; Trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Molly Haskell.
Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95.
You can find the latest specs for 'Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion' and 'Nashville' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under December 3.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.