Press Release Warner Archive Collection Announcement: The Life of Emile Zola (1937) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

New 1080p HD master from 4K scan of Original Nitrate Camera negative.

Coming to Blu-ray August 29th!

THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA (1937)
Run Time: 116 Minutes
Subtitles: ENGLISH SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-MA 2.0 Mono
Aspect Ratio 16x9 1.37:1 with side mattes
Product color: B&W
DIsc Configuration-BD 50

Special Features: 5/8/39 LUX RADIO THEATER BROADCAST with PAUL MUNI, WB Shorts ALIBI MARK (HD) and MAL HALLETT AND HIS ORCHESTRA (HD), Original Theatrical Trailer;

Cast: Paul Muni, Gale Sodergaard, Joseph Schildkraut

Paul Muni gives an unforgettable performance as one of the world's greatest writers, a man who proved that one voice can overcome social inequality and change the course of a nation. The Life of Emile Zola is a magnificent production, skillfully directed by William Dieterle. The film chronicle's Zola's days as a struggling writer in Paris to his first success with the publication of Nana and his brilliant J'accuse, which exposed “the Dreyfuss affair” as a gross injustice to cover up government incompetence, The film earned three Academy Awards®, including Best Picture….the first Warner Bros. film to be granted the film industry's highest honor.

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[SD_Brian]

If I'm not mistaken, that will only leave "The Great Ziegfield" and "Around the World in 80 Days" as Best Picture Oscar Winners not-yet released on Blu-ray

 

[bujaki]

Anecdote:
During the WB retrospective at MoMA in '73, WB sent a 35mm archival print of The Life of Emile Zola. It was strangely subtitled "The Dreyfus Affair," and indeed it was just that: a cut, reissue print (gorgeous as well), that just covered the Dreyfus case. I was flabbergasted, having been familiar with the complete version since childhood.
Therefore, I'm looking forward to this WA release from the original camera negative, since it will be the best version I'll probably see.

 

[Robert Crawford]

If I'm not mistaken, that will only leave "The Great Ziegfield" and "Around the World in 80 Days" as Best Picture Oscar Winners not-yet released on Blu-ray

Four more months to go and just two of them left.

 

[SD_Brian]

Four more months to go and just two of them left.

If we are looking only at Region A releases, I forgot about Hamlet, which I don't think has been released in Region A. Maybe Criterion will get around to upgrading it one of these days.

 

[Robert Crawford]

If we are looking only at Region A releases, I forgot about Hamlet, which I don't think has been released in Region A. Maybe Criterion will get around to upgrading it one of these days.

I'm talking about titles that Warner owns.

 

[battlebeast]

If we are looking only at Region A releases, I forgot about Hamlet, which I don't think has been released in Region A. Maybe Criterion will get around to upgrading it one of these days.

I’ve sent them two letters about HAMLET; no reply. Criterion doesn’t seem to want to upgrade to Blu ray anymore. They are content with what that have.

I am very excited about this release. George Feltenstein is killing it!

I sent him a letter (thanks, Ron!) thanking him for his work, and I mentioned that I collect the Nominees and winners on Blu Ray. In one of his latest podcasts (announcing BM and Cim), he mentioned that some people collect Best Picture winners. Was that a reference to my letter? Don’t know, but it was fun to hear that little bit and I’m glad he knows niche collectors like me are out there. I’m sure he also knows there are many niche collectors.

A BP and a Nom this month to go with two BPs last month!

Ever since I sent my letter, to me, it seems there has been at least one nominee per month. (Except one month, I think.)

Hopefully, the other two will come. ZIEGFELD on DVD look fairly good when I saw it last.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

If I'm not mistaken, that will only leave "The Great Ziegfield" and "Around the World in 80 Days" as Best Picture Oscar Winners not-yet released on Blu-ray

Very happy to see Warner Archives finally crankin' through BDs of the missing BP winners!

 

[lark144]

Anecdote:
During the WB retrospective at MoMA in '73, WB sent a 35mm archival print of The Life of Emile Zola. It was strangely subtitled "The Dreyfus Affair," and indeed it was just that: a cut, reissue print (gorgeous as well), that just covered the Dreyfus case. I was flabbergasted, having been familiar with the complete version since childhood.
Therefore, I'm looking forward to this WA release from the original camera negative, since it will be the best version I'll probably see.

I'd forgotten about that. Though it certainly was beautiful, it was quite a disappointment.

 

[Patrick McCart]

This always seems to be overshadowed in terms of Best Picture winners, but it's one of the best of the 30s.

 

[uncledougie]

This always seems to be overshadowed in terms of Best Picture winners, but it's one of the best of the 30s.

I agree, it’s an excellent film. I haven’t seen it in a long time, but recall being impressed by Paul Muni’s long summation speech toward the end. If he hadn’t won the year before for portraying Louis Pasteur, he might’ve beaten Spencer Tracy for the 1937 Oscar. Since seeing it I’ve come to read some of the history behind the story in context, and now realize the antisemitism aspect was somewhat soft pedaled for the film. That topic wouldn’t be addressed more directly for another 10 years with another Best Picture winner, Gentleman’s Agreement. But this is still a worthy, welcome Blu-ray surfacing at long last.

 

[RBBrittain]

I'm talking about titles that Warner owns.

WB owns the only five Best Picture winners that at present have no Blu-ray release anywhere in the world, three of which have now been announced by WAC -- The Broadway Melody & Cimarron this month, Emile Zola next month -- leaving only The Great Ziegfeld & Around the World in 80 Days. Ziegfeld is probably in the pipeline, but 80 Days may be in trouble as reportedly both its OCNs (both Eastmancolor Todd-AO 65/70mm, one 24 fps & the other 30 fps) are highly faded.

Hamlet & CODA were both released on Blu-ray (with CODA also on 4K Blu-ray) in other countries, but not the U.S.; I own the British Blu-ray of Hamlet (with a region-free player, of course) & the Italian 4K of CODA.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

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[Dick]

I’ve sent them two letters about HAMLET; no reply. Criterion doesn’t seem to want to upgrade to Blu ray anymore. They are content with what that have.

This makes my heart ache. Criterion seems (with some exceptions) to have become a ghost of what it was four or five years ago. They do seem to have mostly given up on upgrading their DVD's, leaving the aforementioned HAMLET to flounder with (now-) substandard transfers, along with the likes of FIRES ON THE PLAIN, BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET, COUP DE TORCHON, RIFIFI, DAY OR WRATH, THE RULING CLASS, THE HORSE'S MOUTH, and dozens more. I understand that they may have lost the rights to some of these, but surely not all. I do believe we'll at least see THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER eventually, but now it seems to be all about 4K editions of films they have released twice before! Plus, they provide a mere handful of commentary tracks or in-depth documentaries.

Yes, I also get that physical media is taking a hit lately, and it must affect Criterion just like any other company. I just hate seeing those wonderful films languishing in the vault they love to promote on YouTube.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This makes my heart ache. Criterion seems (with some exceptions) to have become a ghost of what it was four or five years ago. They do seem to have mostly given up on upgrading their DVD's, leaving the aforementioned HAMLET to flounder with (now-) substandard transfers, along with the likes of FIRES ON THE PLAIN, BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET, COUP DE TORCHON, RIFIFI, DAY OR WRATH, THE RULING CLASS, THE HORSE'S MOUTH, and dozens more. I understand that they may have lost the rights to some of these, but surely not all. I do believe we'll at least see THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER eventually, but now it seems to be all about 4K editions of films they have released twice before! Plus, they provide a mere handful of commentary tracks or in-depth documentaries.

Yes, I also get that physical media is taking a hit lately, and it must affect Criterion just like any other company. I just hate seeing those wonderful films languishing in the vault they love to promote on YouTube.

Criterion did release Rififi on Blu-ray back in 2014.

 

[Dick]

Criterion did release Rififi on Blu-ray back in 2014.

And I own it, too.

 

[Mark Booth]

Emile Zola was supposed to street on August 29. Apparently, it is delayed. Amazon estimates a September 18 delivery. Boo!

Anyone else?

Mark

 

[Robert Crawford]

Emile Zola was supposed to street on August 29. Apparently, it is delayed. Amazon estimates a September 18 delivery. Boo!

Anyone else?

Mark

Mine shipped from Amazon. I should get it today.

 

[Mark Booth]

This morning Amazon notified me that Emile Zola has shipped and it's scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Yay!

For the record, I ordered this back on August 2. So, it's not like it was a last minute order.

Mark

 

[Mark Booth]

FYI.. The press release lists 'Alibi Mark' as one of the included shorts. As it turns out, the first included short is 'Taking the Count' (Joe Palooka). There's no 'Alibi Mark' to be found on the disc.

We watched it today, the first time we've seen it. Fabulous film! And I think the transfer looks terrific.

Mark