Yes, most likely sometime this coming year. From the looks of things, Criterion has the rights and has already recorded a running commentary with Roger Ebert. It's probably just a matter of scheduling now.
When asking a question can you end your thread title with a question mark? Your title implies that a date has already been set for BTVOTDs and you are going to enlighten us with the discs extras.
On this weekend's (9/25/04) edition of Ebert & Roeper, Roger Ebert ended the program with a short tribute to Russ Meyer, during which he confirmed that he'd recorded a commentary for Dolls and said that he expected Criterion to release the disc next year (i.e., 2005).
I think it was either in 2001 or 2002 that I first heard reports that Criterion would be releasing this movie. They certainly have taken their time. Still, it will be interesting to see what they do with it.
On 11/2/05, The Digital Bits reported: “industry sources have informed us that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment "Cinema Classics Collection" titles coming in early 2006 from Fox include……new special editions of Valley of the Dolls and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.”
Valley of the Dolls and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls are available for pre-orders at Amazon. Both titles are coming in Special Editions on June 13th.
With a $26.98 retail each, I am truly hoping these are 2-disc special editions. I am really looking forward to seeing the specs for both movies. I have been waiting for these for a long time and can't wait to retire my old vhs copies where I recorded them in widescreen off the Fox Movie Channel!
For whatever reason, Criterion is NOT releasing BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. Word from Siouxzan Perry, the official representative of many Russ Meyer performers, is that Fox did not wish to pay the talent to provide any commentary or appear for extras, so they will not be participating in this disc. As such, the only extra that this will include is the Roger Ebert commentary originally recorded for The Criterion Collection; Fox apparently was willing to pay to license this from Criterion.
A major disappointment from a studio that up to now has been doing wonderful things with their back catalog.