The Tales Of Hoffmann

The Tales Of Hoffmann DVD release comes with an introduction by, somewhat appropriately given the predominance of eyebrows throughout, the bushy browed Martin Scorsese introduces the film.

The most significant extra, however, is an interview with Michael Powell's widow - and long-time Scorsese editor Thelma Schoonmaker - who talks about the restoration process. She has that rare double gift of being knowledgeable about a topic and being able to convey that to others and her insight into the film and the restoration are an excellent addition. Her observations about the "choreography of the camera" are particularly pertinant, given the emphasis on dance throughout the film, but she also offers a lot of interesting factual detail, such as information about the studio in which the film was shot.

A series of production stills - mainly artwork depicting the sets - and a modern trailer complete the package. The only shame is that there isn't an extra regarding the film at the time of release, some more context on how it was received would have been most welcome.