The Digital Bits has just posted today that Universal plans to release its long-awaited "Flash Gordon: Savior of the Universe" Edition August 7 on DVD. No word on supplements yet, but it sounds like a sure thing that it'll be in anamorphic widescreen format and Dolby 5.1 sound.
And if that isn't enough to wet your whistle, check out the DVD cover art from comics legend Alex Ross... I'm not able to post it, but here's the link to it...
I have to say I'm a bit mystified by the reactions to this announcement. The Digital Bits seem QUITE excited about it.
I had NO idea it was a popular item people were pining over.
I saw it at the theater when it was released. I have no desire to see it again...
I'm not saying you shouldn't love the movie (if you do). Goodness knows, there are a lot of movies that I like that would leave a long line of people scratching their heads. I just had no idea that there were people anxiously waiting for this DVD.
It's a very popular cult movie Estiban. Every region around the world has had a Special Edition by this point -- the best was the UK version with Mike Hodges and Brian Blessed commentaries, plus DTS sound (it did omit the on-camera interview Hodges gave, which was in the French version). Whether any of those are carried over is anyone's guess, but I'd suppose like DUNE, Universal will do their own extras for this version -- though a lot of fans would be happy simply with a 16:9 transfer at this point.
Myself, I wouldn't buy it (though I would happily review it), simply because I already have the British R2 version with DTS, but I'm sure there are a lot of people without region-free capability who WILL be interested.
The other reason why this is big news is because the U.S. version has been out of print for YEARS -- and it was a lousy, non-anamorphic transfer Image released that was derived from the laserdisc master at that.
This will mark the first availability of the movie on DVD in the U.S. since the late '90s if I'm not correct.
Sadly the Digital Bits is mentioning there will be no "day and date" HD-DVD release, though I'm holding out hope we'll see it eventually. If not, it's a Studio Canal property outside the U.S. in most areas, so there's a chance we could get an import sooner than later on that end.
^^ In general, I think all the studios should be matching day and date releases of new DVD's with HD counterparts up and down.
Sure, the backcatalogs and older titles take time, but anything new really should be matched without exception at this point.
^^ Not doing this is yet another example of where I scratch my head and wonder if anyone really cares that much about "winning" the so-called format war.
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