Napoleon Bonaparte (1927) (4 DVD)

A film by Abel Gance

Marking a new chapter in the history of one of the world's greatest films, the release of Abel Gance's Napoleon is the culmination of a project spanning 50 years. Academy Award-winning film historian Kevin Brownlow and the BFI National Archive have completed a new digitally restored version of this cinematic triumph, and audiences will be able to experience this extraordinary film complete with Carl Davis's magnificent score when the released on DVD & Blu-ray in November.

Originally conceived by its director as the first of 6 films about Napoleon, this five and a half hour epic features full scale historical recreations of episodes from his personal and political life, from the French Revolution to the heroic arrival of French troops in Italy that marked the beginning of the First Italian campaign of 1796. Utilizing a number of groundbreaking camera and editing techniques, Abel Gance's Napoleon offers one of the most richly rewarding and thrilling experiences in the history of cinema, a brilliant pairing of music and film, comparable to grand opera in its intensity, offering dazzling scenes of unparalleled brilliance.

Special features

• Abel Gance: Charm of Dynamite (Kevin Brownlow, 1968, 50 mins): Documentary on the life and work of Abel Gance, narrated by director Lindsay Anderson (If..., This Sporting Life)
• Interview with composer Carl Davis on the recording of the score for Napoleon
• 60 page illustrated book including new essays on the film and music plus full film credits
• The triptych ending for this film is made up of 3 separate 1.33:1 images, resulting in a presentation ratio of approx. 4:1
  The images have been very carefully assembled in the digital master to ensure their cohesion as a triptych without cropping