Giles

'"The Leopard” was restored less than 10 years ago in Italy—I saw a wonderful print of it at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater—and the excellent Criterion DVD soon followed. It was therefore unclear to me why it needed to be restored again, but what I saw justified it. For this version, the original Technirama camera negatives were scanned at 8K (8000 lines of horizontal resolution). After the scanning of some additional 35mm protection interpositives to cover material for which camera negative couldn’t be found, all the files were converted to 4K. Cannes only has the capacity to screen 2K, but it looked phenomenal, with the color schemes leaning more toward pastels than bright and the decor’s innumerable paintings and tapestries being vividly clear like never before. The high-density scanning guarantees that, when technology moves along in the coming years, high-grade elements for “The Leopard” will be there waiting for it.'
- Martin Scorsese

(extract from Film Foundation.com)

A BRILLIANT EVENING: RESTORATION OF LUCHINO VISCONTI'S IL GATTOPARDO [THE LEOPARD] PREMIERES AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL (2010)

the best unmentioned bit is that the image is finally in its original aspect ratio of 2.55:1

in regards to its availability on bluray - it's been released in
France: Pathe Video
Italy: Medusa Video

and most recently in Australia Madman Video edition

I have yet to hear anything about the video quality of Australian release, but the PQ on the French release is said to be the best, but the disc does not have English subs. The Italian disc does have english subs but the image contrast is boosted. The Australian version, also has English subs, but no word on how the PQ is.
Has anyone heard if Criterion or any other US home video company is considering releasing this here in the States?

PopcornTreeCt

The Criterion Blu-ray isn't the new transfer?

Giles

^ unfortunately not.

there seems to be great debate which aspect ratio this movie was intended to be seen in, considering the Criterion DVD/bluray offers both the 70mm AR (2.20) version which some folk have concluded that's what director Visconti and cinematographer Rotunno intended to be seen in, and the American dub version in 2.35
Interestingly the integration of additional side imagery in framing the feature in 2.55 (similiar to Disney's own Super Technirama film 'Sleeping Beauty' which also further revealed additional screen image for it's bluray edition) is both fascinating and bewildering.

Giles

Rotunno was also involved with the 4K transfer so apparently he didn't mind the fact that the new image's AR is the wider 2.55 framing.

Superdaddy

I would love to see this get released on these shores. I have the Criterion DVD but haven't bought the BD. From what I have seen of the French disc, this new master seems to be much superior to the Criterion.

Giles

the folk over at AVS say the difference are startling and very noticeable, sadly the links/pics that show the differences between the Criterion and the 4K version aren't working.

Solid Snake

damn.

Josh Z

He also apparently doesn't mind that the restoration has been teal-and-orange-ified.