“Doctor Zhivago” 45th Anniversary Editions Debut May 4 On Blu-Ray And DVD
(January 11, 2010 – Burbank, CA) – On May 4, Warner Home Video (WHV) debuts another magnificent state-of-the-art restoration on Blu-ray disc, this one to mark the 45th anniversary of “Doctor Zhivago” -- David Lean’s romantic epic film, adapted from Boris Pasternak’s Pulitzer Prize novel, which captured ten Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and five wins. Released with brand new bonus content, there will be two versions -- a premium “Blu-ray Book” ($35.99 SRP) and a “45th Anniversary Edition” ($24.98 SRP).
“We’re very excited about this meticulous new restoration from Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging and, in particular, how incredible ‘Doctor Zhivago’ will look on Blu-ray,” said George Feltenstein, WHV’s Senior Vice President, Theatrical Catalog Marketing. “The qualities that have kept the film so vital and popular all these years – the sweeping love story, the gorgeous vistas and unforgettable imagery -- are all dramatically enhanced through the unprecedented technical capabilities of Blu-ray. The result is not only breathtakingly beautiful to look at but also provides a magnificent aural experience with Zhivago’s highly-lauded sound mix presented with unprecedented clarity and dimension.”
Both versions boast a new documentary on the enduring legacy of the film while the “Blu-ray Book” will contain 44 pages of insightful essays, cast photos, historical film facts and a CD with eight selections from the Oscar®-winning soundtrack that featured “Lara’s Theme” -- one of the best-selling soundtrack recordings of all time.
Omar Sharif (“Lawrence of Arabia,” “Funny Girl”) and Julie Christie (“NY I Love You,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”) star in “Doctor Zhivago,” which was the last of the three great historical sagas directed by David Lean, the grand master of the genre. (His others were “The Bridge on the River Kwai” and “Lawrence of Arabia,” which won him Best Director Oscars®). Filled with passion, drama, personal and political strife, the film also stars Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Ralph Richardson and Tom Courtenay.
Oscars® “Dr. Zhivago” won were for Best Screenplay (Robert Bolt), Best Cinematography (Freddie Young), Best Music Score (Maurice Jarre), Best Art Direction - Set Decoration (John Box, Terence Marsh, Dario Simoni) and Best Costume Design (Phyllis Dalton). The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Courtenay).
New Special Features:
• “Doctor Zhivago: A Celebration Part 1 & 2” (all-new production)
Additional Special Features:
• Commentary by Omar Sharif, Rod Steiger and Lady Sandra Lean
(wife of David Lean) Part 1 & 2
• Introduction by Omar Sharif
• “Doctor Zhivago: The Making of a Russian Epic”
• 11 Vintage Featurettes
• Blu-ray Exclusive: 8-Song CD Soundtrack Sampler of the Oscar®-winning score About the Film The 1965 film captures the essence of Boris Pasternak’s Russian novel of remarkable passion and sweeping grandeur, presenting an intimate and deeply emotional story against the enormous backdrop of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution. Over the years, critics have noted that while famous for its portrayal of one of the most cataclysmic periods of the 20th century, the ultimate power of “Doctor Zhivago” emanates from Lean’s rendering of the fragile, yet indomitable human spirit -- and its capacity for love. Accompanied by Maurice Jarre’s hauntingly memorable score and Freddie Young’s rich photography, the film achieves a lavish level of production values rarely surpassed to this day. Omar Sharif stars in the title role of “Doctor Zhivago,” portraying the surgeon-poet over a half-century period. Zhivago, who is married to Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin), an aristocratic girl with whom he raises a family, is also in love with Lara (Julie Christie), a nurse whose life has been destroyed by tragedy. Repeatedly brought together and separated from each woman by war and revolution, Zhivago is torn apart by conflict. He loves Tonya deeply but his poetic soul belongs to Lara. Much like his beloved country, Zhivago’s spirit becomes battered by the devastation of war as he struggles to maintain his individualism in the face of overwhelming odds. Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change. Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The new formats also provide a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu-bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film. About Warner Home Video With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, a division of the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment. About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment/videogames, direct-to-DVD production, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels, and is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles.# # #
• Introduction by Omar Sharif
• “Doctor Zhivago: The Making of a Russian Epic”
• 11 Vintage Featurettes
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“Zhivago: Behind the Camera with David Lean”
“David Lean's Film of Doctor Zhivago”
“Moscow in Madrid”
“Pasternak”
“New York Press Interviews Omar Sharif”
“New York Press Interviews Julie Christie”
“Geraldine Chaplin Screen Test”
“This is Omar Sharif”
“This is Julie Christie”
“This is Geraldine Chaplin”
“Chaplin in New York”
• Blu-ray Exclusive: 8-Song CD Soundtrack Sampler of the Oscar®-winning score About the Film The 1965 film captures the essence of Boris Pasternak’s Russian novel of remarkable passion and sweeping grandeur, presenting an intimate and deeply emotional story against the enormous backdrop of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution. Over the years, critics have noted that while famous for its portrayal of one of the most cataclysmic periods of the 20th century, the ultimate power of “Doctor Zhivago” emanates from Lean’s rendering of the fragile, yet indomitable human spirit -- and its capacity for love. Accompanied by Maurice Jarre’s hauntingly memorable score and Freddie Young’s rich photography, the film achieves a lavish level of production values rarely surpassed to this day. Omar Sharif stars in the title role of “Doctor Zhivago,” portraying the surgeon-poet over a half-century period. Zhivago, who is married to Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin), an aristocratic girl with whom he raises a family, is also in love with Lara (Julie Christie), a nurse whose life has been destroyed by tragedy. Repeatedly brought together and separated from each woman by war and revolution, Zhivago is torn apart by conflict. He loves Tonya deeply but his poetic soul belongs to Lara. Much like his beloved country, Zhivago’s spirit becomes battered by the devastation of war as he struggles to maintain his individualism in the face of overwhelming odds. Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change. Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The new formats also provide a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu-bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film. About Warner Home Video With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, a division of the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment. About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment/videogames, direct-to-DVD production, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels, and is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles.