The Thief of Bagdad - Criterion Collection in May

**Criterion** has announced a May 27th release date for The Thief of Bagdad (1940). The 2-Disc DVD set will retail for $39.95, but is available at Classicflix.com for only $29.99. Details below. The Thief of Bagdad, legendary producer Alexander Korda's Arabian Nights marvel, is one of the most spectacular fantasy films ever made, an eye-popping effects pioneer brimming with imagination and technical wizardry. When Prince Ahmad (John Justin) is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu (the incomparable Sabu, in his definitive role) to win back his royal position, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess (June Duprez). With its luscious Technicolor, vivid sets, and unprecedented visual wonders, The Thief of Bagdad has charmed viewers of all ages for decades. BONUS FEATURES: Two audio commentaries: one featuring renowned directors Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, and one with film and music historian Bruce Eder New interviews with special-effects experts Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren, and Craig Barron about the technical achievements of The Thief of Bagdad The Lion Has Wings (1940), Alexander Korda's propaganda film for the English war effort, during The Thief of Bagdad's production hiatus Excerpts from codirector Michael Powell's audio dictations for his autobiography Selections of music by composer Miklos Rózsa not used in the final film Stills gallery featuring rare Dufaycolor images of the film's production Theatrical trailer PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Andrew Moor and Ian Christie