Lawrence of Arabia Blu-ray (Updated)
HomeLawrence of Arabia Blu-ray (Updated)
Posted August 8, 2012 10:44 AM by Josh Katz
In November, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will bring Lawrence of Arabia to Blu-ray. Director David Lean's epic drama focuses on the military career of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole, Becket), a lieutenant in the British Army who makes a profound impact on the Arab nations during World War I.
Beginning with the motorcycle accident that claimed his life in 1935, Lean's film then flashes back, following Lawrence from his initial explorations in and around Cairo through his assault on the Turks in Damascus, an experience that united the region's Arab tribes but left Lawrence cynical and disillusioned.
Produced by Sam Spiegel (The Bridge on the River Kwai), Lawrence of Arabia has an acclaimed all-star cast that includes Alec Guinness (Star Wars), Anthony Quinn (Zorba the Greek), Omar Sharif (Doctor Zhivago), José Ferrer (The Caine Mutiny), and Claude Rains (Casablanca).
One of the most acclaimed motion pictures ever made, Lawrence of Arabia won seven Oscars at the 1963 Academy Awards Ceremony, including:
Updated: Sony will offer two Blu-ray iterations of Lawrence of Arabia - a two-disc version of the film and a four-disc, limited edition 50th Anniversary Collector's set.
Both versions will present the 227-minute director's cut (including the overture, intermission, entr'acte and exit music) of the film in its 2.20:1 original aspect ratio with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The print used is courtesy of a 4K digital restoration; according to Sony's official press release, "the original camera negative was scanned at 8K and the film went through a painstaking process of repairing problems inherent to the fifty-year old film elements."
Bonus supplements include:
Note: The image of the Fiftieth Anniversary box set comes courtesy of Home Theater Forum.
Beginning with the motorcycle accident that claimed his life in 1935, Lean's film then flashes back, following Lawrence from his initial explorations in and around Cairo through his assault on the Turks in Damascus, an experience that united the region's Arab tribes but left Lawrence cynical and disillusioned.
Produced by Sam Spiegel (The Bridge on the River Kwai), Lawrence of Arabia has an acclaimed all-star cast that includes Alec Guinness (Star Wars), Anthony Quinn (Zorba the Greek), Omar Sharif (Doctor Zhivago), José Ferrer (The Caine Mutiny), and Claude Rains (Casablanca).
One of the most acclaimed motion pictures ever made, Lawrence of Arabia won seven Oscars at the 1963 Academy Awards Ceremony, including:
- Best Picture: Sam Spiegel
- Best Director: David Lean
- Best Art Direction: John Box, John Stoll, and Dario Simoni
- Best Cinematography: Frederick A. Young
- Best Sound: John Cox
- Best Film Editing: Anne V. Coates
- Best Original Score: Maurice Jarre
- Best Actor: Peter O'Toole
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson
- Best Supporting Actor: Omar Sharif
Updated: Sony will offer two Blu-ray iterations of Lawrence of Arabia - a two-disc version of the film and a four-disc, limited edition 50th Anniversary Collector's set.
Both versions will present the 227-minute director's cut (including the overture, intermission, entr'acte and exit music) of the film in its 2.20:1 original aspect ratio with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The print used is courtesy of a 4K digital restoration; according to Sony's official press release, "the original camera negative was scanned at 8K and the film went through a painstaking process of repairing problems inherent to the fifty-year old film elements."
Bonus supplements include:
- Secrets of Arabia picture-in-graphic track
- Newly produced Peter O'Toole Revisits Lawrence of Arabia interview
- Feature-length The Making of Lawrence of Arabia documentary
- Five behind-the-scenes featurettes:
- A Conversation with Steven Spielberg
- The Camels Are Cast
- In Search of Lawrence
- Romance of Arabia
- 1970 version of Wind, Sand and Star: The Making of a Classic
- Newsreel footage of the New York premiere and material from the film's advertising campaigns
- Limited Edition Blu-ray Exclusives:
- Never-before-released deleted scene with introduction by editor Anne Coates
- Newly produced The Lure of the Desert: Martin Scorsese on Lawrence of Arabia interview
- Three behind-the-scenes featurettes: - In Love with the Desert
- Archival interviews with William Friedkin, Sydney Pollack, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg
- Trailer gallery: - Theatrical trailer
- Exclusive Lawrence of Arabia soundtrack CD that includes the film's score plus two previously unreleased tracks
- 70mm film frame
- Eighty-eight-page book with on-set photographs and notes on the film's production and legacy
- King Hussein Visits Lawrence of Arabia
- Original 1963 version of Wind, Sand and Star
- Two teaser trailers
- The 1989 70mm restoration trailer
- Two TV spots
Note: The image of the Fiftieth Anniversary box set comes courtesy of Home Theater Forum.