Buy Physical Copy At:
Licensor Information
Granada International Media
Legendary producer Alexander Korda’s marvel The Thief of Bagdad, inspired by The Arabian Nights, is one of the most spectacular fantasy films ever made, an eye-popping effects pioneer brimming with imagination and technical wizardry. When Prince Ahmad (John Justin) is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu (the incomparable Sabu, in his definitive role) to win back his royal place, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess (June Duprez). With its luscious Technicolor, vivid sets, and unprecedented visual wonders, The Thief of Bagdad has charmed viewers of all ages for decades.
Streaming Options
4777.
+2127
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Discs:
DVD-9 (2 Discs)
Total: 2 Discs
Regions:
1 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33:1
Audio Options:
English Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Audio Commentary, Documentary, Feature Film, Audio Recording, Audio Interview, Gallery, Isolated Score or Effects, Theatrical Trailer, Booklet
- Audio commentary featuring renowned directors Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese
- Audio commentary with film and music historian Bruce Eder
- Visual Effects, a documentary about the technical achievements of The Thief of Bagdad, featuring interviews with special-effects masters Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Murren, and Craig Barron
- The Lion Has Wings(1940), Alexander Korda’s propaganda film for the English war effort, created when The Thief of Bagdad went into production hiatus
- Excerpts from codirector Michael Powell’s audio dictations for his autobiography
- Excerpts from a 1976 radio interview with composer Miklos Rozsa
- Stills gallery featuring rare images of the film’s production and photos shot in Dufaycolor
- Optional music and effects track
- Theatrical trailer
- A booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Andrew Moor and Ian Christie
Forum Member Statistics
Sign-in with your forum account to rate this release
Film
Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Artwork: Eric Skillman
Producer: Karen Stetler
Artwork: Caitlin Kuhwald
Release Notes on Restoration
The Thief of Bagdad
The Thief of Bagdad is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. On widescreen televisions, black bars will appear on the left and the right of the image to maintain the proper screen format. The picture has been slightly window-boxed to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors. This digital transfer was created from the BFI’s 35mm restoration internegative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. To maintain optimal image quality through the compression process, the picture on this dual-layer DVD-9 was encoded at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included.
The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm recorded sound negative and a 35mm original nitrate print, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.
The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm recorded sound negative and a 35mm original nitrate print, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.