Casablanca (Ultimate Collector's Edition) - 12/2/08
 

Saw this posted over at dvdtown today.

Warner Bros. will release "Casablanca (Ultimate Collector's Edition)" on DVD & Blu-ray this December 2nd. The set will include all of the extras found on the previous 2-Disc Special Edition plus a fine list of new goodies:

"The premium giftset is elegantly boxed in an intricate laser-cut Moroccan design and will include such collectibles as replicas of actual props (Victor Laszlo´s "Letter of Transit") as well as a number of Warner studio documents (an executive´s letter commanding a new PR image for Bogart from gangster to romantic lead; a note from producer Hal Wallis re-titling the film to Casablanca; and a memo from Wallis to Jack Warner strongly urging casting Bogart over George Raft)

The 3-Disc DVD/2-Disc Blu-ray set will also contain a branded passport holder, luggage tag, photo book and a mail-in offer for a reproduction of the original movie poster."

Lots of shwag here for the completists, but at least Blu-Ray fans can rejoice as well.

I'd much rather have the option of buying the Blu-Ray separately, without all the extra junk.

Copies of letters and a luggage tag? Seriously? Just give me the movie.

There's a 3rd disc for DVD, wonder what's on that?

Probably a digital copy?

Before Monday night I had never seen Casablanca before. I guess I was afraid that I wouldn't like one of the most respect films in history. It lived up to the hype, though. I know I'm talking about this as if this was a new movie, but I was blown away. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman were outstanding and Bogart has such a powerful presence. He could be walking around in a room for two hours smoking his cigarette and have a drink or two and I'd pay to see it. Claude Raines was brilliant as Renault.

I'm definitely going to double-dip on Blu-ray. The Two-Disc Special Edition DVD is good, but seeing it in remastered and not upconverted in 1080p will be great. The "goodies" actually sound interesting. I will definitely use the mail-in offer for that original movie poster.

A full length documentary on the life of Jack Warner - "Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul". No new Casablanca-related extras.

my sentiments exactly. The stuff looks pretty, but I just need the movie.

Nice. I'll definitely pick it up on Blu-ray.

The new doc sounds good, but I already have it on HD DVD and I really don't need all that junk. I'll wait for reviews. Already enough to buy in November and December.

I will be buying the Blu-Ray. it will look good on my hdtv plasma. thanks op.

Meh, I think I'll just stick with my two-disc special edition DVD. This just seems to be a bit of a money grab, unless you have a Blu-Ray player.

I'll consider the Blu-Ray. Thanks for posting.