The Criterion Collection
announced its August selection of new Blu-ray and DVD film restorations this
past week … and, as always, there is something for everyone.
So let’s get to it and
start with the new 4K restoration of director Ernst Lubitsch’s 1943 Best
Picture nominee, Heaven Can Wait (which lost out to Casablanca). Both DVD and Blu-ray editions will be
available on Aug. 21.
It is always fascinating to
look at the backstory of films that have become iconic … and speaking of Casablanca
(notice the segue), do you remember president Reagan and Ann Sheridan in Casablanca? They were Warner Bros. initial casting
announcements made back in 1942, but it was Hal Wallis’ film and he had his
sights on Humphrey Bogart (the rest, they say, is history).
Heaven Can Wait underwent similar casting changes, with Joseph
Cotten, Rex Harrison and Fredric March all being rumored as the actors destined
to play Henry Van Cleve, but it was Don Ameche who would ultimately spend the
film confessing his sins to Satan (Laird Cregar).
Bonus features include a
vintage video session with film critics Molly Haskell and Andrew Sarris, a 1982
program titled “Creativity with Bill Moyers: A Portrait of Samson Raphaelson”
(the screenwriter) and a 1977 audio session featuring Raphaelson and film
critic Richard Corliss.
Other films on the DVD
and Blu-ray release calendar from The Criterion Collection include Ballad
of Gregorio Cortez (Aug. 14), Smithereens (Aug. 21), Memories
of Underdevelopment and Tree of Life (both street on Aug. 28).
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