Just got the newly released (6/12) remastered Diva (1982). I ordered this without any spec's, just trusting it would be much better than the early DVD (which I never saw, but was legendarily awful).

I just previewed this version. Looks very good. Anamorphic widescreen (says it's 1.66:1, but it looks to be framed wider than my other 1.66's, maybe around 1.75:1). There are no spec's up at Amazon and it's not listed as a feature on the back cover, but it's in 5.1 French (it's also in 5.1 English). Extras: interview with director and bio of director, very good essay in booklet, trailer.

Haven't seen this in years and only on VHS, but I remember this as being a great movie. One that truly turned me on to modern foreign films. Sort of a precursor to La Femme Nikita. If people care, I'll provide more details on the disc quality and story when I watch it again this weekend, and I'd love to hear what others think. Just wanted to provide a few specs, especially because I hadn't seen anywhere that it's 5.1 and anamorphic.

...ahh... '5.1' it may well be, but that should be qualified as fake 5.1, since the movie originally was released with glorious mono sound...

(signed) A. Purist

In what was quite a spectacular delivery time by DeepDiscountDVD, I had my copy of Diva arrive on my desk in Sydney, Australia on the same day it was due for (official) release in the US - the 12th June!!

This film goes somewhere right at the top of my all-time favourites list and I have been waiting for what seems like an eternity to get a decent copy of this film.

I have had it on VHS which was passable although nothing spectacular - but then again we never expect too much from that format.

I have had it on DVD in the form of the abominable Fox Lorber release (a fact which I had let them know in no uncertain terms and that thankfully had a very satisfactory resolution).

I have had it (and still do have it) in its Japanese DVD release format which has the original French language soundtrack (fine so far), but which unfortunately only has Japanese subtitles - which is great for my wife but leaves me relying on my memory for the dialogue.

Finally, thanks to the foresight of Anchor Bay I now have it in this latest incarnation and I must say that from a very quick scan of this DVD, it appears that finally someone may have gotten it right (not that there is too much wrong with the Japanese release other than the fact that I am fluent in neither French nor Japanese).

The picture looks to be very clean although at first glance some of the scenes appear to be possibly a little dark (the scene in the diva's dressing room early in the film is an example) - this may be my imagination and memory playing tricks, or it may be that after being disappointed so many times I am starting to get a little paranoid.

The sound is good, although again I was a little disappointed over the fact that the accoustic opera pieces seem to be down lower in the mix than the jarring (in the best possible way) electric pieces. La Wally played with the volume right up just sends shivers up and down my spine!!

As a quick aside to Hendrik (and I may be misreading his tone here - apologies if that is the case)... I don't care whether this is not the original mono track - in fact, I am glad it isn't. This is the one soundtrack I can think of that needed to be remastered/rearranged for DD5.1 so that the viewer fortunate enough to have a good HT set-up can be totally immersed in the music. I am not religious at all, but at the risk of repeating myself, La Wally played loud and in surround is an almost spiritual experience.

Anyway, that is all I can say about it right now and hopefully, after I have had a chance to watch it from start to finish, I might add a few more comments.

regards, Tim...

They also have full-length versions of a couple of the songs playing on the menu screens, which is always great to see (and hear). Great movie, highly recommended.