Widely hailed as one of the finest television shows of all time, The Sopranos curiously never got a full Blu-Ray release – up until this point, the only seasons of the show to receive Blu-Ray upgrades were the first and the sixth. Now, however, fans of the James Gandolfini-led crime drama will be able to get their fix with a complete series set, which will be released on Blu-Ray later this year.
The Hollywood Reporter broke news of the set earlier today, and we’re positive that many people will jump on the opportunity to own all 86 episodes of the David Chase-created series when the set releases on November 4th. Suggested retail price for the collectible set is $279.98, though “suggested retail price” might as well be translated as “price no one actually expects to pay.” Regardless, this is a huge, special release, comprising 28 Blu-Ray discs and a box containing lots of artwork from the series. It will doubtless be a highly in-demand collectors’ item.
The extras include a free digital HD copy of each and every episode and more than five hours of bonus material. That includes 25 director commentaries, lost scenes, two roundtable dinners with the cast and crew, and a featurette which will explore how The Sopranos transformed the television landscape.
That last extra, titled “Defining a Television Landmark,” runs 45 minutes and features dozens of interviews with just about everybody involved with the show and a vast array of academics, celebrities and filmmakers. Notably, there is interview footage of Gandolfini taken before his death at 51 last June.
Thanks to THR, you can check out a clip from the “Defining a Television Landmark” featurette below, focusing on the pivotal season three episode “Pine Barrens.”
It will be a real treat to revisit The Sopranos when that set touches down in November. In hindsight, it’s truly remarkable how many outrageously talented individuals worked on that show, from Chase and Gandolfini to Steven Soderbergh, Jeff Daniels and Steve Buscemi. There certainly hasn’t been anything on TV that has rivalled it since, with the possible exception of Breaking Bad.
Tell us, will you be picking up this set when it releases?
Published: Jun 2, 2014 01:21 pm