ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - January 2014': Criterion's 1080P image takes big strides beyond the BFI SD.  The Blu-ray visuals are extremely sharper, brighter, higher level of detail and colors are both bolder and tighter. It's a pretty big advancement.

NOTE: "Both (The Long Day Closes and Distant Voices, Still Lives) films underwent a bleach-bypass process to attain Davies' preferred period look for each film (although DVSL uses this process somewhat more heavily). This procedure usually occurs near the end of the lab while making prints, but for the new HD transfer Davies and Coulter worked hard to achieve this look at the telecine stage. Whatever occasional minor loss of detail or saturation is compensated by delivering what is Davies' and Coulter's true and definitive vision of their film."

Audio is in a linear PCM 2.0 channel track at 2304 kbps. Bob Last and Robert Lockhart's score sounds great - subtle and crisp via the lossless. There are optional subtitles on the Region 'A'-locked disc.

We get the same audio commentary by Terence Davies and Director of Photography Mick Coulter recorded in 2007. It's a decent one. There is also a 47-minute episode of the British television series The South Bank Show from 1992, featuring Davies discussing growing up in Liverpool, his love for the Hollywood musical, footage from the film’s production, and interviews with cast and crew. Criterion offer two new interviews the first with professor and film critic Colin MacCabe who discusses his role as Executive Producer on The Long Day Closes. It runs 14-minutes. The second is 20-minutes with production designer Christopher Hobbs who describes building the sets for The Long Day Closes, creating the special effects and reconstructing director Terence Davis childhood memories. There is also a trailer and the package contains a liner notes booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Koresky. Being Dual-Format there is also DVD containing all the feature and all the extras of the Blu-ray.

GREAT release - I loved seeing this again in 1080P. What a super choice fro Criterion to put to Blu-ray. Strongly recommended!

***

ON THE BFI DVD: To my knowledge this classic is released on DVD for the first time. It looks perhaps a notch above BFI's Distant Voices, Still Lives as far as image quality goes and has the same 'look'. It has some noise and the film has many dark scenes. Detail is rather mediocre at times but has a very consistent feel - a bit heavy but the images are so wonderful. The transfer has no visible damage marks. It's dual-layered and anamorphic. The uncompressed PCM audio sounded quite pure with clean and clear dialogue - supported by optional English subtitles (for the commentary too).

The supplements are fabulous - another adept, soft-spoken commentary from Terence Davies - this time with director of photography Mick Coulter. Accents (Coulter's Scottish - <my guess> - brogue) are on the thick side so the optional commentary subtitles are very much appreciated (sample below). It's a fun commentary with lots of socializing and recollections although plenty of good information is imparted as well. There is also a short, 3 minute, on-set interview with production designer Christopher Hobbs and some previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage of Terence Davies directing - essentially one specific scene from the film - lasting just over 8 minutes. We are treated to a trailer for Of Time and the City and an 18-page illustrated booklet with essays, director biography and credits.

NOTE: Looking at the VoB files I see perhaps there is more than I have mentioned, beyond accessibility from the menus, as far as supplements go - but I'll investigate further and contact BFI to see if I'm mistaken. I'll report here if I find anything additional. I was very pleased with what I was able to access.

Bottom line: Immensely poignant - magnificent - must see cinema - possibly our DVD of the Month. Strongly recommended!  

Gary W. Tooze