DVD?
Anybody have any info regarding plans to release this title on DVD?
shareI own it on DVD but it's region 4 and only have spanish subtitles. I guess you are asking about the region 1 DVD. I have no idea when they are planning to release this great movie on DVD over there.
cheers.
It is available on Region 1 -- Amazon has it, and I've found it at at least one online DVD rental service.
FYI I've posted this review at Amazon:
"Sophia Loren is at the top of her game in this 1964 film by Vittorio de Sica, and she and Marcello Mastroianni display a real chemistry acting together. The story is much more than just a slick comedy, and can keep you guessing what's coming next.
Most of the reviews here complain bitterly about the poor quality of the DVD transfer. Well, it isn't great, but I've seen far worse. And it's really only in the first few minutes of the movie that the video quality is especially poor; it improves considerably a little further on, and then remains that way.
At least one reviewer has remarked that without subtitles the video quality is much better. There's a simple explanation for this. There are actually two separate complete copies of the movie on the DVD, taken from different sources. If you'll notice, the Carlo Ponti Italian release (without subtitles) begins with red curtains, whereas the Joseph Levine American release, with burned-in subtitles, omits that intro. The original Italian copy that was used for that portion of the DVD was in much better condition than the original of the American release.
The bottom line is, if you care more about how sharp your picture is than about the qualities of the movie itself, then this is definitely to be avoided. But if you can manage some Italian without subtitles, or are able to excuse a less-than-pristine copy of an important film, then go for it."
I have a library copy of an All Regions DVD released by New Star Video (2005) which has a menu that includes English subtitles. The box info states that it is digitally remastered but the video quality is very poor and I would not recommend it. I hope a better quality DVD will eventually be released.
shareJudging from the user comments at Amazon, the quality of the 2005 DVD is unacceptably bad. However, Amazon now indicates that a June 2009 release is imminent. Obviously I cannot predict the quality but the fact that it's being released on DVD again suggests that the quality problems of the previous release will be addressed.
shareYou can order the 2009 DVD from AmazonUK, but it will not be region 1. I have a region free DVD player and have just ordered a copy, and so I will report back after I view it. It got better reviews than the previous releases. I was going to order the Italian version which only has Italian subtitles (fine for me, but not for my brother), and I still might order that one later. I'm suspicious of DVDs from Germany because none of the ones I've gotten from there have subtitles at all, and so again my brother cannot understand the dialog.
shareI just bought the 2009 release and am very pleased. It's region 1 and has both American dubbing (which I can't watch) or American subtitles (which I prefer, so I can enjoy the beautiful Italian language and understand what I'm watching). This movie is great, I've had it a week and have already watched it twice.
shareA new DVD and BD (!) is coming out in Germany on the 17. September 2010.
No word yet about region code, languages, ...