Tales of Hoffmann (Criterion) Blu-ray (Rental)

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger create a phantasmagoric marriage of cinema and opera in this one-of-a-kind take on a classic story. In Jacques Offenbach’s fantasy opera The Tales of Hoffmann, a poet dreams of three women—a mechanical performing doll, a bejeweled siren, and the consumptive daughter of a famous composer—all of whom break his heart in different ways. Powell and Pressburger’s feverishly romantic adaptation is a feast of music, dance, and visual effects, and one of the most exhilarating opera films ever produced BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES 4K digital restoration by The Film Foundation and the BFI National Archive, in association with STUDIOCANAL, featuring newly rediscovered footage and with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Audio commentary from 1992 by filmmaker Martin Scorsese and critic Bruce Eder, newly updated by Eder Interview with filmmaker George A. Romero from 2005 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (1956), a short musical film based on the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe story and directed by Michael Powell Collection of production designer Hein Heckroth’s design sketches and paintings Gallery of production and publicity photographs Trailer English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Plus: An essay by film historian Ian Christie