Updated on April 24: Janus Films, parent of the Criterion Collection, is presenting Chimes at Midnight at the American Cinematheque. This certainly lends considerable weight to speculation that Criterion will handle the U.S. home video.
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As reported last week, Mr. Bongo Films has acquired the rights to Chimes at Midnight and will be releasing a restored Blu-ray and DVD in Europe on June 29 – but what about here in the States?
Veteran Hollywood columnist Anne Thompson hinted on her IndieWire blog today that the Criterion Collection will release the Orson Welles film on home video here. Thompson interviewed Criterion president Peter Becker and in the midst of a tribute to his work as an archivist and preservationist, she tossed out: “Will we ever see the right and proper version of Orson Welles’ fractured masterpiece Chimes at Midnight? Watch this space.”
If Chimes does appear on Criterion – a label known for its quality releases – it would hardly be surprising.
At the Sedona International Film Festival in February, Beatrice Welles told audiences she was thrilled to report that a major DVD/Blu-ray label would be restoring and releasing Chimes at Midnight, her father’s favorite film.
Criterion is handling the upcoming release of Othello for the Welles’ Estate.
The label has made no official statement on either Welles title.
Criterion is no stranger to the Welles catalog having released several major titles on laser disc, DVD and Blu-ray with impressive results.
Let’s hope Thompson is right.
Further, it would be wonderful if Criterion had access to the almost pristine 35mm print uncovered earlier this year by Distribpix Inc.’s Steven Morowitz and filmmaker Joel Bender.
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