1312 Lenny

[domino harvey]

Director Bob Fosse’s nervy, freewheeling showbiz drama tells the real-life story of taboo-shattering comedian Lenny Bruce, the counterculture prophet whose unfiltered style opened up new frontiers in self-expression. Dustin Hoffman brings a live-wire intensity to his portrayal of the motormouthed Bruce as he goes from small-time strip-club emcee to free-speech lightning rod, while Valerie Perrine lends the film its soul with her deeply affecting performance as his wife, Honey, an innocent lost on the dark side of bohemia. A complex portrayal of one iconoclast by another, Fosse’s film makes deft use of stark monochrome photography and kinetic editing to vividly capture Bruce’s smoky, seedy backstage world.

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Audio commentary from 2015 featuring film historians Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo
Archival interview with actors Dustin Hoffman and Valerie Perrine
Interview with editor Alan Heim
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by critic Mark Harris and a 1975 interview with director Bob Fosse

Cover based on an original theatrical poster

[FrauBlucher]

I see there is a Nick Redmond/Julie Kirgo commentary. Is that the first time they appeared on a Criterion release?

[brundlefly]

And is it the first time they've ported over a Twilight Time commentary?

[Lowry_Sam]

Probably because there lack of bonus material for this is extremely disappointing. Absolutely nothing with Lenny himself in it (not even Thank You Masked Man) much less any domentary or interview with him is a complete letdown.

[beamish14]

Probably because there lack of bonus material for this is extremely disappointing. Absolutely nothing with Lenny himself in it (not even Thank You Masked Man) much less any domentary or interview with him is a complete letdown.

Nothing from Fosse biographer Sam Wasson, either. Jesus, what a limp noodle of a release

[Matt]

I'm a big fan of this movie, Valerie Perrine's performance in particular, but even I question whether or not I need to own this. I've already got the Twilight Time disc. If they couldn't license footage or audio of Lenny Bruce performances, surely there must have been someone in New York willing to talk on camera about him for 20 minutes

[Monterey Jack]

When's Squiggy coming out...?

[mfunk9786]

? - if you have something to say about the movie, feel free

[Lowry_Sam]

In addition to nothing with Lenny in it, they also couldn't find any documentary material on him (particularly legal battles) or on the legacy of stand-up comedy or on Jews & comedy or on censorship & "political correctness"? This release looks to be this year's equivalent of 2025's Man Ray release, ie. something that just begs for an academic and/or historical context to examne it but without any extras to meet that need.

And here's the Imprint blu-ray that came out Dec. '23:

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
NEW Audio Commentary by film historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and filmmaker Henry Jaglom (2023)
Audio Commentary by film historians Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo
NEW Dead Neon: The Many Faces of Lenny Bruce on Film – Video Essay
NEW On Fosse Time: Editing Lenny – an interview with editor Alan Heim on his collaborations with director Bob Fosse
Trailers From Hell: Robert Weide on Lenny
Isolated Music & Effects track
Theatrical Trailer
Audio LPCM 2.0
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
Optional English HOH Subtitles
Limited Edition slipcase with unique artwork

[domino harvey]

To be fair, Imprint justifies their high costs by almost always commissioning an array of new extras. When’s the least time someone said that about Criterion? That said, this release is the equivalent of the “This could have been an email” meme. Remember when this label would assign disc producers passionate about the film who would conjure up an assortment (as in more than an interview) of insightful extras? Embarrassing

[mfunk9786]

In addition to nothing with Lenny in it, they also couldn't find any documentary material on him (particularly legal battles) or on the legacy of stand-up comedy or on Jews & comedy or on censorship & "political correctness"? This release looks to be this year's equivalent of 2025's Man Ray release, ie. something that just begs for an academic and/or historical context to examne it but without any extras to meet that need.

And here's the Imprint blu-ray that came out Dec. '23:

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
NEW Audio Commentary by film historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and filmmaker Henry Jaglom (2023)
Audio Commentary by film historians Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo
NEW Dead Neon: The Many Faces of Lenny Bruce on Film – Video Essay
NEW On Fosse Time: Editing Lenny – an interview with editor Alan Heim on his collaborations with director Bob Fosse
Trailers From Hell: Robert Weide on Lenny
Isolated Music & Effects track
Theatrical Trailer
Audio LPCM 2.0
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
Optional English HOH Subtitles
Limited Edition slipcase with unique artwork

Respectfully to those contributing to these extras, I don’t see anything extra here that extends to the heights of that which you describe (depending on the length of the essay on Bruce, that is). Nothing that would be more interesting than getting the best possible visual presentation of the film, that is.

Not trying to let Criterion off the hook here, but the UHD aspect supersedes a video essay with clips of Bruce, an editor interview, and an extra commentary, in my view. It sucks that we have to choose, of course. And would be nice if all those closet promotions could go by the wayside in favor of producing interviews and extras. But this will be the definitive home video presentation of the film, presumably.

[andyli]

Why couldn't we have both, though?

[nitin]

do we think the editor interview might be the same as on the Imprint?

[domino harvey]

It doesn’t say “new” so possible. Imprint licensed some extras to KLSC in the past

[Lowry_Sam]

Respectfully to those contributing to these extras, I don’t see anything extra here that extends to the heights of that which you describe (depending on the length of the essay on Bruce, that is). Nothing that would be more interesting than getting the best possible visual presentation of the film, that is.

I only posted Imprint's features because people were only comparing to the Twilight Time edition, which I was reminded of when I went searching for other editions. I had misremembered there was a UK release, so this Criterion edition will probably be for both regions, leaving Imprint the only label possible for a more substantial release (with English-friendly extras) to its now OOP blu-ray if/when it choses to do so.