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Posted: **Wed Nov 09, 2005 3:01 pm**

First intimations of a definite release date of this restored and rereleased version on DVD...

From the Amazon.com DVD webpage for Antonioni's THE PASSENGER...

Availability: This title will be released on May 23, 2006.

Posted: **Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:21 pm**

The November 4 Entertainment Weekly confirms this. In an interview with Jack Nicholson the magazine says that The Passenger was being rereleased last week in select theaters, with a DVD following next year. Funny little interview, Jack refers to pyrotechnic blockbusters as melodrama, and when asked if he was worried that there were no Antonionis working today he says, "Its always a mistake to think that. You know the Spike Jonze of it all!" He also says that he once talked to Jonze, and his partner about a different kind of Batman film. Now that would be interesting.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2006 3:34 pm**

From dvdactive.com:

Title: The Passenger
Starring: Jack Nicholson
Released: 14th March 2006
SRP: $24.96

Further Details:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced a new release of The Passenger which stars Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider. Originally released in 1975, the film is a suspenseful and haunting portrait of a drained journalist whose deliverance is an identity exchange with a dead man. The disc will be available to own from the 14th March, priced at around $24.96. Extras on this one will include an audio commentary with Jack Nicholson, a second commentary with Wim Wenders (director of Paris, Texas & Wings of Desire), An Evening at the Academy Featurette, and an interview with writer Mark Peploe and Maria Schneide. We've attached a small shot of the official region one package artwork below:

Artwork here

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2006 3:47 pm**

And the new year is off to a great start! All that seems to be missing from the set is the original theatrical trailer but 2 (!) audio commentaries more than make up for that!

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:27 pm**

Blimey! Commentaries by Nicholson and Wim Wenders?! Jesus! Interviews with writer Mark Peploe and Maria Schneider, too? Amazing.

I was really expecting a low-key, bare bones release, so this has really bowled me over. Kudos to Sony - for once!

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2006 9:56 pm**

What the two commentary tracks speak of is the compromise between the two camps, Nicholson who starred and owned the rights, Wenders who met Antonioni before his stroke but then acted as guarantor director on BEYOND THE CLOUDS and wrote also the book MY TIME WITH ANTONIONI... Both voices can get something of a say...

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:23 am**

I love that cover.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:27 am**

Well, they haven't added anything for March 14th, but I think it's a pretty safe bet they'll be releasing something on that date. Presumably it'll be added sometime today after the January 3rd titles are removed.

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2006 2:32 pm**

That "Evening at the Academy" featurette should be, uh, interesting... See yoshimori's post in the other thread.

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:38 pm**

ola t wrote:That "Evening at the Academy" featurette should be, uh, interesting... See yoshimori's post in the other thread.

Jeepers! Is that what that is?! In the words of Spock, it should be a 'fascinating' document of movie star megalomania.

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:43 pm**

Gordon McMurphy wrote:
ola t wrote:That "Evening at the Academy" featurette should be, uh, interesting... See yoshimori's post in the other thread.
Jeepers! Is that what that is?! In the words of Spock, it should be a 'fascinating' document of movie star megalomania.

I was there that night at the Academy and I would be very surprised if they include the whole 'evening' on DVD.

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:59 pm**

Why? What can you tell us?

Posted: **Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:27 pm**

DVD shows on pre-order at $16.99 from Amazon here...

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:01 am**

DVD Empire got cover artwork up

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:03 am**

And don't forget its his most "entertaining" film!!!

Someone tell me why DO inferior dvd labels feel the overwhelming need to plaster crappy, bland, pointless quotes on the front of their dvd covers?
I was also dreading the "two thumbs up...way up!" quote, but thankfully it seems we've been spared.

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:28 am**

Cover draws on the US release poster artwork...

Comme ca -

Posted: **Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:28 am**

davidhare wrote:it's called CAPITALISM!!

oh yeah, thats it, thanks for reminding me.
I really despise capitalism.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 4:01 am**

Sony's release of The Passenger has either been postponed or cancelled, depending on who you believe. Amazon and DVD Empire now have the release date set for April 25th; DVD Planet and Digital Eyes list it as "Discontinued" or "no longer available." Deep Discount, Overstock and buy.com have deleted their listings entirely; DVD Pacific lists a never-never date of 12/31/2025.

And a poster at DVD Talk writes that he received official word from Sony that it was canceled, with no new date given.

Sucks. Bigtime.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 4:33 am**

i wonder why. maybe its just a delay.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:23 am**

It's gone, at least for awhile. Good thing I have the Japanese DVD and managed to catch it a few times during its recent theatrical re-release.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:32 am**

Amazon emailed me to tell of the delay till 25th April, so it has not disappeared altogether...

The Beaver has this just posted, which could account for the pushback....

The upcoming The Passenger DVD will include the European (longer) version - running approx. 126 min - and feature a commentary track by Aurora Irvine and producer Mark Peploe.

Mark Peploe wrote the original story, and cowrote the screenplay then with Peter Wollen & Antonioni. He is not the Producer (who is Carlo Ponti). As for Aurora Irvine, Google and IMDB searches turn up nothing, so your guess is as good as mine (could even be a pseudonym)...

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:00 pm**

Wasn't it supposed to have a Nicholson commentary (or is Aurora Irvine his pseudonym)? Doesn't he owe us that much after keeping this off the market for so long? A Peploe commentary will be of only marginal interest. Anyway it does not show up in "upcoming releases" (which covers post-4/18 releases) on the Sony website. I predict a May street date at best.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:05 pm**

A Peploe commentary will be of only marginal interest.

On the contrary it should be fascinating...

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:15 pm**

In the case of an Antonioni flick in particular, the co-author of the dialogue isn't likely to have much to contribute.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:25 pm**

To quote Antonioni himself on THE PASSENGER script - "For the first time, I made a film story by someone else, a story by Mark Peploe, although I worked on the script. Because of this, I started with a certain detachment. I had to use my brain rather than my instinct..."