International The Fallen Idol (1948)- coming to Blu-Ray 10/19/2015 from Studio Canal (1 Viewer)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fallen-Idol-Blu-ray-Ralph-Richardson/dp/B013JZW83O?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1439471920&sr=1-11&

This is a wonderful film and I'll definitely buy it on Blu-ray, but I'll shop around in search of a better price. Amazon seem to be steadily increasing the price of Blu-ray discs.

This will come down. Preorder and see how much.

To be re-released by Studio Canal on BluRay; DVD and EST (whatever that is) on Monday, November 16th, 2015. Supposedly a restoration, but Studio Canal has already released a BFI restored version about ten years ago. Anyway, I'll be getting this (although I already have the Criterion and Optimum Releasing DVDs) because there are six Special Features on it, including a locations featurette and Kevin Brownlow interviewing Robert (Bobby) Henrey, whom I was pleased to meet in person two years ago. Still no sign of the original trailer, though. It's odd that The Third Man trailer is available on DVD but not the trailer for The Fallen Idol. It would have been interesting to see how the film was pitched to cinema audiences in 1948. I don't think we'll get another release of the film on DVD or BluRay now, so the chances of ever seeing the trailer must be pretty slim.

I had the French Blu-ray of Fallen Idol - so bad I had to get rid of it. Hopefully this will be better.

I received the newly restored BFI / Studio Canal DVD version yesterday and I'm very pleased with it. It definitely has been restored compared to the 2006 release, which was advertised as a restored version. On this new version, the very fine vertical scratch that could be seen in some parts of the previous Criterion and Optimum Releasing DVDs, especially in the London Zoo scenes, has been meticulously removed without a trace, while the missing frames that were evident in the previous release, where Mrs Baines sees Phillipe on that narrow ledge above the entrance and appears to suddenly jump forward have been reinstated. Three of the four interviews, with Robert Henrey and a director and a film historian, are 16 x 9 enhanced and were obviously done very recently in a cinema or theatre somewhere, going by the seats they are sat in. Also Robert gives his age as 76, and he was 76 this past June. The interview with Guy Hamilton is an extended version of that seen on the "A Sense of Carol Reed" documentary that was on the 2006 Criterion Region 1 DVD. There are also a then and now locations featurette, which is 16 x 9 enhanced, and a short restorations comparison and a twenty page glossy booklet included with information on the film, with many stills. Highly Recommended either for those who want to upgrade their previous DVD, or for those who haven't seen the film.

I received my corrected Blu-ray of THE FALLEN IDOL (Region B) today. (It had mastering defects.) See here for how to get yours: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Fallen-Idol-UPDATED-Blu-ray/138510/

The big question here is whether Studio Canal have recalled all the faulty discs from the retailers, or would anyone buying it from the likes of amazon be very likely to get one of the old, faulty transfers that might still be in stock. Without knowing this for sure, you'd be buying blind, not knowing what version you'd get and sending to amazon for a replacement would be of no use if all they could send you would be a disc from their old stock. It seems that Studio Canal have no Quality Control department and are not testing a transfer before they release it. Because of this, they are likely to occasionally issue faulty discs which they won't know are faulty until buyers start to complain about them. A very poorly run company in my opinion.