It's not available yet. I speculate it might be in late July/early August.

(Hmmm, I don't think I've commented on this yet -- )

I'm going to officially say, This more-detailed finally-""official"" DVD release of Dust Devil is most excellent. Hard to believe it's finally going to happen. But it brings some questions to mind ...

My first one is -- If this can finally happen with 'Dust Devil', why not 'HARDWARE'?? Don't we have essentially the same scenario with Dust Devil, as we did with HARDWARE? As I understand it, one of the surviving 'holders' of the HARDWARE property were the Weinstein brothers. And that, among other things, the Weinstein brothers weren't particularly partial to Richard Stanley. And that this has been a contributing factor of HARDWARE not 'getting out'. Welllll, the Weinstein brothers were co-executive producers of Dust Devil, sooo -- wouldn't Dust Devil have this same problem? (and let me include Stephen Woolley [Palace Pictures] and Paul Trybits [Wicked Films] -- Woolley and Trybits were also executive producers of Dust Devil) And that if this bridge was somehow crossed, would that not make it much easier to deal with HARDWARE (and get it released!) in the same way?

And second, how is it that now, all of a sudden, TWO groups (Subversive, Region 1, and Optimum, Region 2) are releasing it at (essentially) the same time?

And sic has quoted:



Also mentioned was Stanley recording commentaries and interviews for the Subversive release. Will the Subversive release have more 'goodies', like the above, than the Optimum release? Or are they 'sharing' material? Or is Stanley perhaps giving the same material to both?

Inquiring Minds Want to Know ...

The Weinsteins have nothing to do with the films produced in their Miramax era anymore. When they parted ways with the company, I understand they relinquished all rights for the back catalogue. Chalk them out of the equation and insert Buena Vista.

Optimum is tight-lipped about their release. I'm hoping to learn about the situation "soon".

Got some specs and cover art on the Optimum release. Looks like there's going to be a commentary track, but it's separate from the Subversive release. Perhaps the one Stanley recorded some years ago when the disc was coming out the last time, before the rights got fuzzy again.

Oh yes, and a little film called THE WHITE DARKNESS will be there as well. - From Optimum

Play.com mentions "deleted scenes" for the Optimum disc. It's possible they are from the 120-minute workprint.

First review of the Optimum disc, posted at the Mobius Home Video Forum. BBFC listings can be found here (Optimum) and here (Polygram video).

"I've received a copy of the new UK DVD edition of DUST DEVIL, which is being released on June the 25th.

The film is presented in 1.86:1 ratio, with anamorphic enhancement. It has Dolby Digital 2.0 audio (at 224kbps), with no subtitle option. The version of the film on the disc runs for 103'57", about fifteen seconds longer previously-released UK home video versions (according to the BBFC). This may be attributed to logo' changes. The disc is a DVD-5, and the main feature has an average bit-rate of 5.53Mb/sec.

The disc has four deleted scenes (Cross Lines 1 (1'24"), Bethany Train (1'03"), Crossed Lines 2 (1'05") and Final Apparition (24")), which have been taken from timecoded VHS tapes, and a commentary track (by director Richard Stanley). I've sampled the commentary, and it's excellent - fans of the film are going to be thrilled.

Sadly it does not include the "Making of..." featurette or the trailer that are on the German edition.

For menu grabs, visit my website."

Norm Hill from Subversive clears out the confusion between the two releases:

"Regarding our upcoming Sept release of DUST DEVIL: The Final Cut, the boxed set will include a brand new HI DEF 16×9 widescreen transfer of the complete film. This is not the same transfer used for the British release which was taken from a 2001 standard definition transfer. Also, we have a new commentary track that will not the same as the British release. In addition, we will include deleted scenes, a new featurette, a 5.1 mix and the original stereo mix, plus the limited edition box will include the three Stanley documentaries: The White Darkness, The Voice of the Moon, and Secret Glory, all with commentaries by Stanley and interviews. The entire set will be priced at $29.95 SRP.

By the way, The White Darkness is an exclusive feature in the Subversive set. It will not be found on the Code 2 British release." - Subversive Cinema

Got my copy of R2 Dust Devil this morning, no white darkness Im afraid But a superb and extreamly informative commentary by Richard Stanley.

The picture quality however is a bit of a let down, the DVD authouring is not exactly top notch, it get's quite jpegy in places.

Easily worth it for the commentary though.

Here's the cover art for the Subversive release. Frankly, I prefer the Optimum disc in this aspect, as the Miramax poster is, well, old. Note 'The Final Cut' under the title card.

Received the Optimum disc this morning. Still to look into it more carefully, but here's a quick round-up on the deleted scenes.

Crossed Lines 1 - The introduction of Ben Mukurob. In the Final Cut, he simply answers the phone. This is a bit longer scene, without the owl appearing, btw.

Bethany Train - Starts after Wendy leaving Mark. From that we cut into an aerial shot of Bethany train station, with the radio broadcast from Wendy's road trip (concerning Bethany) on the soundtrack. A tracking shot to the Mukurob house. Continue with him getting a call from the Haarhoff house.

Crossing Lines 2 - After blowing up the truck at the motel, before Mark is released from prison. A motel receptionist is trying to call the police - only somebody has other ideas. The one scene that might be fun to have reinstated.

Final Apparition - Ben dying, sees his wife for the last time.

There will be no comparison between our DVD and the British release. We have prepared a new HIDEF widescreen master that is flawless. We are also working right now on a new high bred verison of the complete workprint including over 20 minutes of unseen footage. I am right now in LA working on it...all day, all night. I have seen the new master, and noone has ever seen Dust Devil look like this before. I am posting below what we have added to our webblog. It is simply stunning and will be a benchmark release for us.

Richard and Simon Boswell are working closely with us right now finishing all the elements. I will be happy to answer anyone's questions.

All the best,

Norm Hill
www.subversivecinema.com

I have just seen the new Hi Def 16×9 transfer of Dust Devil: The Final Cut and it is simply stunning. Not a mark or scratch anywhere. The film has such an amazing depth of field that the new sparkling colors image quality create an almost a 3-D like impression. Even the colorist at the lab could not believe the transfer.

The DVD set is going to be limited to one pressing only, 10,000 pieces and then it is gone. Period, no more.

The final disc will include the following:
Disc One:
Dust Devil the Final Cut: 107 min Hi Def transfer, 16×9 widescreen (1.85:1). Transfer approved by Richard Stanley.
5.1 mix
2.0 Dolby Stereo mix
Commentary with Richard Stanley and Norman Hill
Richard Stanley Production diaries on the Making of
Featurette: A Demon Reborn: The Final Dust Devil
Trailer for long lost 16mm version of Dust Devil
2nd disc CD: THE DUST DEVIL SOUNDTRACK by Simon Boswell

Disc Two:
A reconstruction of the Work Print release, time approx. 130 minutes, non anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1)
2.0 stero mix
NEW DUST DEVIL COMIC BOOK by Phil Avelli, STORY APPROVED BY RICHARD STANLEY

Disc Three:
Voice of the Moon documentary on Afganhastan
commentary with Richard Stanley and Norman Hill
White Darkness: documentary on Haitian Voodoo
commentary with Richard Stanley
Richard Stanley Production diaries on the Making of White Darkness

Disc Three:
Secret Glory: documentary on the search for the grail and the neo -Nazi movement.
commentary with Richard Stanley and Norman Hill
Richard Stanley Production diaries on the Making of Secret Glory

The entire package is a ridiculously low retail price of $29.95.

Glad to have you shamelessly plugging the DVD release of the year in our forum, Norm.

What he forgot mention btw, is that the Making of from the Laser Paradise disc will also be included.

Subversive Cinema's got some stills of the new transfer up at their weblog. Better fix that image resizing Norm, you currently have thumbnails which take a heck of a long time to load.

But it this a nice looking transfer or what?

I've just watched Optimum DVD of DD and must say that any true fan of the film (and are there any others on this board?) MUST possess this edition simply for Stanley's (predictably) excellent, funny and mega-informative commentary, exclusive to this edition (to clarify about its age: it was recorded a week after Easter 2006: RS claims so right at the beginning, and later on makes references to W. Hootkins's recent passing away).
I've read a bunch about the film and all of his interviews, and yet he managed to show off so much new information and interesting detail it's just crazy. I especially love that he keeps pointing out the details, tiny symbols and obscure visual and other allusions throughout the film.

Of course, can't wait to see Subversive's ULTIMATE EDITION…

Dust Devil has managed to elude me for years- I'd like to find a video store that has it sitting on a shelf somewhere...