Reds Gets New Blu-ray for 40th Anniversary

Warren Beatty in Reds. Courtesy of Paramount.

Warren Beatty’s 1981 classic film, Reds, gets a new two-disc Blu-ray set in honor of the film celebrating its 40th anniversary.

The new set has been restored under Beatty’s supervision and remastered from the original negative in 4K with High Dynamic Range using a vintage print from the Paramount archives as a reference. The print was approved by Reds Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. Call it coincidental timing as the Blu-ray was announced back in September but the late Stephen Sondheim composed original music for the film.

There’s no new bonus content but the film comes with a digital copy.

Synopsis

Punctuated by interviews with real-life activists and witnesses to the revolution, Reds became an instant classic, transcending time with its eternal tale of human passion, conviction, and frailty. In addition to Beatty, the film boasts an outstanding cast including Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Edward Herrmann, Gene Hackman, Paul Sorvino, and Maureen Stapleton, whose performance won her an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

The engrossing depiction of the love story between activists John Reed (Beatty) and Louise Bryant (Keaton) set against the outbreak of World War I and the rise of communism in Russia, Reds garnered 12 Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Director for Beatty, who also took home every other major directorial award of the season. The Oscar-nominated screenplay was written by Beatty and Trevor Griffiths.

Bonus Features

  • Witness to Reds
    • The Rising
    • Comrades
    • Testimonials
    • The March
    • Revolution – Part 1
    • Revolution – Part 2
    • Propaganda
  • Reds Trailer

DIRECTOR: Warren Beatty
SCREENWRITERS: Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths
CAST: Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, Jerzy Kosinski, Jack Nicholson, Paul Sorvino, Maureen Stapleton

Paramount released Reds in theaters on December 25, 1981.

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Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.