Funny Girl & The Guilt Trip on Blu-ray TODAY!

Consider today a Barbrathon!

Sony Home Entertainment have released FUNNY GIRL on Blu-ray, and Paramount have released THE GUILT TRIP!

I was lucky enough to get advanced copies on both of the above - and they are SPECTACULAR.

First of all, FUNNY GIRL. Wow. WHAT A TREAT! Sony have really done a fantastic job with the restoration. Lovingly restored from the original negative. Blu-ray.com summed it up nicely:

"The 2.35:1-framed print is meticulously clean, showing not a speckle, hair, or any sign of wear. Light grain beautifully floats over the image, giving it a desirable film-like texturing. It's ever-so-slightly soft on the whole

Details are exquisite; the many rich, lavish backdrops, as well as some of the more homely and worn down elements, reveal intimate textures that are beautifully clear and lifelike. Skin textures aren't often deeply intricate -- Streisand in particular takes on a very smooth, but naturally so appearance...

Colors are beautifully reproduced. The balance is striking, whether the film be showering the screen with a parade of bright hues or showcasing some plainer brown and other earthen tones. Black levels are deep and stable, while skin tones appear even.

This is everything a catalogue title should be, a miraculous presentation that's sure to please all comers. "

(The above review has been shortened for this newsletter).

I'd also like to add that the AUDIO on the Blu-ray is a treat. The first thing I did was turn on my surround sound... and went straight to "MY MAN" - and literally blasted it on full belt. Talk about goosebumps.

If you don't have a Blu-ray player, this film is the reason to go and BUY ONE!

There are two vintage featurettes included on the disc from the time of the movie. These were previously released on the DVD release from around a decade ago - but well worth a revisit.

Click here to order Funny Girl.

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"The Guilt Trip" is still fresh in our minds from it's recent cinema release, but when have we ever needed an excuse to re-watch a Barbra movie?

The "extras" included on this release are great, and it's worth buying the disc just to watch them. There's a funny gag reel... alternate opening and closing scenes.... featurettes... behind the scenes footage... interviews with the cast... lots of deleted scenes... and more.

It's a pleasure to see so much behind-the-scenes footage of Barbra on this Blu-ray. It's always rare to see Barbra behind the scenes. Maybe because she hasn't made many movies in the past few decades... but it did strike me how great it was to see her having fun making this movie.

Click here to order The Guilt Trip.

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In memory of Ally Waldman who would have loved today... and would have beautifully reviewed both movies in her own unique way.