ROMEO & JULIET (1968) Restoration Finally Coming From Criterion

[AndyDursin]

Finally the 4K restoration of the Zefferelli classic is coming out via Criterion -- wonder if someone else will release this on 4K UHD itself at some point:

ROMEO AND JULIET


One of the great Shakespeare adaptations, this sublime take on the Bard’s immortal romantic tragedy by Franco Zeffirelli breathed new life into the oft-told tale by casting actual teenagers in the title roles. As the young lovers whose affair threatens to inflame the tensions between their feuding families in Renaissance Verona, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting vividly capture the mix of adolescent ardor and turmoil that fuels their destiny-driven liaison. A sensory banquet thanks to Nino Rota’s delicate score and the exquisite, Oscar-winning costumes and cinematography, Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare at its most deeply felt and passionately alive.


SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
Excerpt from the 2018 documentary Franco Zeffirelli: Directing from Life
Interviews with actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting from 1967 and 2016
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by scholar Ramona Wray


1968 • 138 minutes • Color • Monaural • 1.85:1 aspect ratio


BLU-RAY EDITION

SRP $39.95

PREBOOK 1/10/23

STREET 2/14/23

CAT. NO. CC3439BD

ISBN 979-8-88607-015-6

UPC 7-15515-28161-4

[Paul MacLean]

They go to the trouble of remastering it in 4K but don't release a UHD disc?

I have it on Blu-ray already, so I'll wait for the UHD (if it ever appears)!

[AndyDursin]

Even if it's 1080p it's from the new 4K master so it ought to look better on Blu-Ray than the current Blu-Ray, which is an ancient master that looks pretty bad (and Paramount never even bothered to release it in the US). If that makes any sense

I do wonder though if it will turn up on 4K UHD somewhere.