The Criterion Collection announced 4 new David Lean releases as part of their David Lean Directs Noel Coward box set. This set includes all new digital transfers pulled from the BFI Archives and will include Brief Encounter, In Which We Serve, This Happy Breed, and Blithe Spirit. Collection will be available in DVD and high-definition Blu-Ray on March 27, 2012.


Box Set Feature Includes:
- New high-definition digital transfers of the BFI National Archive’s 2008 restorations, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-ray editions
- Audio commentary on Brief Encounter by film historian Bruce Eder
- New interviews with Noël Coward scholar Barry Day on all of the films
- Interview with cinematographer-screenwriter-producer Ronald Neame from 2010
- Short documentaries from 2000 on the making of In Which We Serve and Brief Encounter
- David Lean: A Self Portrait, a 1971 television documentary on Lean’s career
- Episode of the British television series The Southbank Show from 1992 on the life and career of Coward
- Audio recording of a 1969 conversation between Richard Attenborough and Coward at London’s National Film Theatre
- Trailers
- PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by Ian Christie, Terrence Rafferty, Farran Smith Nehme, Geoffrey O’Brien, and Kevin Brownlow


This is terrific news and a long-time coming!!

(Taken from Digital Bits) Here’s one we've all been waiting for! You may recall that a few weeks ago we reported Sony was prepping a Blu-ray version of Sir David Lean's Bridge on the River Kwai for release before the end of this year. Well... Sony has just finally announced the title as a 2-disc Blu-ray Disc/DVD Combo Collector's Edition, due to street on 11/2 (SRP $34.95). In addition to HD and SD versions of the film (presented in the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio, fully restored and mastered from a 4K scan with audio in newly-remixed DTS-HD MA 5.1), extras on the 2-disc set will include a new Crossing: Picture-in-Graphics viewing mode, an exclusive new retrospective documentary covering everything from the adaptation of the original Boulle novel to the restoration, 2 featurettes (An Appreciation by John Milius and Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant), rare audio of William Holden narrating the film's premiere events, a USC short film introduced by Holden, footage of holden and Alec Guinness on The Steve Allen Show and a photo gallery. The package will also include a 35-page book with liner notes and production photos, as well as original lobby card replicas.