MovieChat Forums > Fabiola (1951) Discussion > Fabiola music deserves a proper hearing

Fabiola music deserves a proper hearing


Italian film music fans wanting to hear the score for FABIOLA must be disappointed by the DVD release from the Incredibly Strange Filmworks. The print has quite a bit of damage, especially during the opening scenes, which considerably spoils the effect of the music. A slightly better, though hardly perfect print was previously released on VHS by Sinister Cinema (now also a budget DVD), but again the main title is badly degraded. I’ve not seen the old French video release on Film Office which might be good, but what we really need is an entire restoration of the 3-hour movie, preferably with an accompanying soundtrack CD in stereo, (no harm in dreaming!). Does anyone know of any plans to restore FABIOLA?

reply

I'm with you on that wish. You'd think, given the number of genre conventions this film helped establish, not to mention the history given that this was the first large studio production in Italy following the war, that someone like Criterion would be all over it for a remastered print and some illuminating extra features.

reply