The Leopard (1963) [Il Gattopardo] RM4K 1080p BluRay x265 HEVC AAC-SARTRE

Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) is an epic on the grandest possible scale. The film recreates, with nostalgia, drama, and opulence, the tumultuous years of Italy's Risorgimento—when the aristocracy lost its grip and the middle classes rose and formed a unified, democratic Italy. Burt Lancaster stars as the aging prince watching his culture and fortune wane in the face of a new generation, represented by his upstart nephew (Alain Delon) and his beautiful fiancée (Claudia Cardinale). Awarded the Palme d’Or at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival, The Leopard translates Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel, and the history it recounts, into a truly cinematic masterpiece.

Criterion Extras

• A Dying Breed: The Making of The Leopard - A collection of interviews with some of the principal actors in the film, crew members, Giuseppe di Lampedusa, author of The Leopard, Sydney Pollack, and others, who talk about the rich history of the film, Visconti as a filmmaker, the era he belonged to, how Italian cinema evolved after Visconti passed away.

• Goffredo Lombardi interview - In this interview producer Goffredo Lombardo, whose Titanus Films was bankrupted by Visconti, recalls his involvement with the famous director. Interviewed by Luciana Migliavacca.

• The History of the Risorgimento - In this video interview, Italian culture scholar Millicent Marcus discusses the Giuseppe Garibaldi, Camillo Benso di Cavour, and Giuseppe Mazzini's placement in the annals of Italian history.

• Promotional Materials - Posters, Italian newsreels, Italian trailer, and two American trailers for the film.

• Stills Gallery

• Audio commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie.