Ringmaster

I don't have a press release, but it appears Paramount is releasing a blu-ray set in July. Amazon has the pre-order up. $48.99 as of this post.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KB0...198674&simLd=1

DJariya

One of the best period miniseries from the 80's. That's when the networks still produced them in the traditional fashion (5 parts over 1 week).

I saw the extras are pretty much identical to the previous DVD release, which I own.

There is also a 2 hour rarely seen theatrical version with more nudity and violence. I would have liked that included as well, but I don't think we'll ever see it on DVD or BD here in the States.

zyzzle

Hopefully it will be in the OAR of 4:3. Amazon does list it as this, but I'm still a bit skeptical it will be cropped to 16:9.

hanshotfirst1138

1.33 getting cropped to 1.78. Amazing. I never thought we'd actually have to have such insanity happen after all of those years of the opposite. I suppose it is too much to hope for theatrical cut.

manicsounds

Really doubt it. The current Paramount German/Scandinavian/Japanese Blu-rays are in 1.33:1 with black bars on the sides. Pretty sure the US disc will be the same, but with different audio and subtitles.

Giles

I was kind of shocked at one of the decapitations that happened on prime time tv when it originally aired - "It warped my fragile little mind"

DVD Polizei

This would require effort. I think the studios will stick to the 4:3 ratio.

Why So Blu?

I thought this mini series came out in 1978? Didn't this air at the same time the Kiss meets the Phantom of the Park did? I don't know why it says 1980's series. Did they expand on that original one?

Paul_SD

it was fall/winter of 1980 (or early spring '81). I remember discussion about it in English Class as people would watch each installment. There were two other quality mini series right around the same time- Masada and East Of Eden.

davidh777

I watched the whole series except for the finale. I was in the high school marching band and we had a football game on Friday. That would place it in the fall on 1980.

I should rent it just so I can finally finish it off.

SterlingBen

I don't think I need to upgrade this...

fitprod

It will be 4:3.

fitprod

rexinnih

I read the book but can't remember if I watched the mini-series or not. Will probably say "not" as I was a young impressionable child at the time.

How does the series compare with the book?

wishbone

We were visiting someone and they were watching the series -- I remembered one scene, a very big scene. After all these years I read the book and I was able to figure out the character involved in this one scene and it was in the finale. Since you may still watch it I'm not saying what the scene is. The narrative is pretty much Blackthorne and the series does its best to condense a very large book. I got the DVD a few months ago so unless the Blu-ray is something special I will probably pass on it.

JimRochester

I watched this once at the urging of my father. My son loved it, I couldn't follow it. I had to keep asking who this guy was, and kept confusing the characters. Know I won't be getting this one.

DJariya

My history teacher in high school lived in Japan and had a copy of the 2 hour theatrical cut on VHS. On a Friday, he played some of the movie for us. I recall very little of it, but I do recall it's heavily chopped up.

I already have the entire miniseries on DVD, I think I'm going to pass on this.

I think the series was great seeing the character development of Blackthorne. Chamberlain played him really well.

hanshotfirst1138

Apparently the theatrical version has scenes not in the miniseries. It'd be nice to have for the same of completeness, but I doubt it'll be on there.

zyzzle

Thanks for the confirmation that it will be in the OAR of 4:3. Definite purchase for me. I will be happy to revisit it after 25+ years.

DJariya

Welcome to Post #2 & Post #16. I already mentioned it.