Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Now available from the Criterion Collection: THE WAR ROOM



* New, restored high-definition digital transfer from the original 16mm camera negative, approved by directors Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition

* Return of the War Room, a 2008 Sundance Channel documentary by Hegedus and Pennebaker in which advisers James Carville, George Stephanopoulos, Paul Begala, and others reflect on the effect that the Clinton war room had on the way campaigns are run

* New pieces in which the filmmakers discuss the difficulties of shooting in the campaign’s fast-paced environment

* Panel discussion hosted by the William J. Clinton Foundation, featuring Carville, Clinton adviser Vernon Jordan, journalist Ron Brownstein, and surprise guest Bill Clinton

* Interview with strategist Stanley Greenberg on the evolution of polling

* PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by writer Louis Menand

"The film looks like new thanks to a fantastic high-digital transfer courtesy of The Criterion Collection...great supplements." - Nigel Smith, IndieWire

"The film’s transfer looks about as good as it can look...it’s remarkable that it looks even this good. A terrific series of follow-up bonus material greatly increases the value of the package particularly for fans of the film. Highly recommended!" - Matt Hough, Home Theater Forum

"Hegedus and Pennebaker's film captures the turning of a page in how politics are conducted, and Criterion's excellent edition gives the film its best imaginable presentation, with a slew of fine bonus features." - Jason Bailey, DVDTalk

"Criterion has delivered an excellent edition for the film...the audio was actually quite stunning and the supplements were all incredibly fascinating, offering some context to the film by taking a deeper look at the campaign while also going over the nuances and difficulties in making a documentary of this nature. A great job overall and for those that enjoy the film or are fascinated by politics in general this release comes with a high recommendation." - Chris Galloway, CriterionForum.org

Order the Blu-Ray edition or the standard DVD edition from the Criterion Collection.