If this movie is never restored....
....well.......I shall be very, very disappointed. To say the least.
My Signature: None of us is as dumb as all of us.
I'm with you on that one, friend; Criterion needs to roll up its sleeves and get cracking on this bad boy.
Come to think of it, a deluxe Criterion blu-ray of Falstaff is just about my most longed-for possession, especially now that they've answered my prayers and done a first rate job on The Thin Red Line.
It would be great if Criterion did a release. But I believe Chimes is completely wrapped up in litigation (surprise, surprise for a Welles film) over who owns it and I doubt we'll see anything in the near future.
shareGreat NEWS! According to this link (http://criterioncast.com/2011/07/16/restored-print-of-orson-welles-chi mes-at-midnight-making-its-debut-at-the-screen-arts-festival/) there is a restored print available, and according to one of the comments there might have already been another one. I think it's only a matter of months, at the very very most a couple of years until we see it on disc.
The closest movies to my heart: http://www.imdb.com/list/2dvIwYpAmd4/
Not many people know this, but this film actually underwent a complete restoration and DVD release in France back in 2005. The print used for the DVD transfer is absolutely stunning, and the audio is equally excellent. Unfortunately, the restored release, which was included in a box set along with "The Trial" and "The Third Man" and released by StudioCanal, was quickly yanked out of production (most likely due to rights issues--the Achilles Heel of many Welles films) and has been out of print ever since. Finding a copy of it is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Fortunately, I actually managed to procure a copy of the restored StudioCanal DVD, and I can tell you that it looks and sounds fantastic. I just hope that another restored edition eventually makes its way onto a mass market DVD sooner rather than later, and this time, maybe even in a Region 1 release.