The great film Withnail and I, which chronicles creativity and drinking in equal measure, is a landmark of British cinema, and one of the best and most biting comedies you can find. After being out of circulation for a few years, there's a new Withnail and I restoration, which you'll be able to see via disc release from Arrow in the UK, and in new theatrical and VOD presentations.
Arrow has released a brief trailer for the restoration of writer/director Bruce Robinson's crowning achievement that will make old fans dig out whatever copy they have lying around, and will hopefully alert neophytes to the fact that Withnail is very much worth getting to know.
Here are the specs for the 4-disc set coming from Arrow. Sadly, it's a region-coded UK release, so customers in the US will have to wait to see if Criterion updates its out-of-print edition of the film with a new release. Or just keep an eye out for the theatrical showings.
4-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
New 2K restoration of WITHNAIL and I from the original camera negative, supervised and approved by director of photography Peter Hannan
Bruce Robinson s follow-up feature, How to Get Ahead in Advertising, newly transferred from original film elements and approved by director of photography Peter Hannan
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD Presentation of both films
Original uncompressed mono 1.0 PCM audio for both films
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Audio commentary by writer-director Bruce Robinson
Audio commentary by critic and writer Kevin Jackson, author of the BFI Modern Classic on WITHNAIL and I
All four original Withnail Weekend documentaries, first screened on Channel 4 in 1999, including The Peculiar Memories of Bruce Robinson, which looks at the director s career, Withnail & Us, which focuses on the film s making, and two shorter documentaries, I Demand to Have Some Booze and Withnail on the Pier
Newly filmed interviews with key members of WITHNAIL and I s behind-the-scenes team (TBC)
Theatrical trailers for both films
Exclusive limited edition hardback book packaging (2,000 copies) containing new writing on the films, reprints of key articles on WITHNAIL and I, deleted scenes and more across 200 pages, illustrated with original production stills.
