Cleopatra is at last coming out on DVD from Universal, in a deluxe 75th anniversary edition arriving April 4, 2009. SRP $29.99. Featurettes and the usual, no details yet. Universal isn't very good at releasing its vast library of classics (which unfortunately includes most pre-1950 Paramount films, such as Cleopatra), so this is an unexpected and overdue surprise.
shareActually CLEOPATRA has been out on DVD for some time in Universal's Cecil B. DeMille set. It's curious that they are giving the film a solo release now and at a rather pricey list price. Perhaps it will be a remastered 35mm print. I would hope it has something really special given that it's easily obtained in the DeMille set.
shareThat's true. I have the DeMille set but this edition is supposed to hold a lot of extras. I'll wait and see. But Universal has been issuing special anniversary editions of several of its previously-released titles, such as Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy, so this seems to be in keeping with that trend. I wish the studios would concentrate on issuing unreleased titles instead of simply recycling stuff already out.
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Most people consider this film the best of all Cleopatras. Of course, some find certain aspects of it a bit hokey or dated -- it is 75 years old -- but overall it's generally held to be the most entertaining, fun and imaginative of any film about the Queen of the Nile. Colbert was probably the best Cleo ever. The film came too soon for three-strip Technicolor, but its black & white cinematography is superb.
I haven't seen this DVD single yet but the movie was released as part of a DeMille box set three or four years ago, and that print was excellent, so this should be as good or better.
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You're more than welcome. The lowest price I've seen yet is about $21.98. This might be the sort of item Costco, of all places, might carry for a while, and if so, it could well be under $20...though there'd be sales tax. Hope you do enjoy it when you finally see it!
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on tcm tonight!
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