FUNNY GIRL Movie Joining The Criterion Collection in November

The Criterion Collection has revealed the November lineup of Blu-ray titles, which includes the 1968 musical film Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand.

The release will include exclusive special features including a new audio interview with Streisand and a new conversation between director William Wyler’s son David and author Alicia Malone. 

The 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo edition will retail at $49.95, with the Blu-ray edition going for $39.95. Both editions will be available on November 19.

The film was directed by William Wyler and based on the stage musical of the same name, also starring Streisand. The story follows popular 1920s singer-comedian Fanny Brice, a young Jewish New Yorker whose spirit and supernova talent propel her to fame in the Ziegfeld Follies, but whose devotion to an unreliable gambler (a charismatic Omar Sharif) brings drama and heartbreak into her life.

Funny Girl includes classic songs such as “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade”. It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, with Streisand winning for Best Actress.

The stage musical received a Broadway revival in 2022, with Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice, later to be replaced by Lea Michele. That production is currently on tour across the U.S.

CRITERION SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• 4K digital restoration, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

• In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features

• New audio interview with actor Barbra Streisand

• New conversation between director William Wyler’s son David and author Alicia Malone

• Directed by William Wyler (1986), a documentary on Wyler’s life and career

• Archival interview with actor Omar Sharif

• Deleted scene featuring Streisand and Sharif 

• Featurettes from the original theatrical release

• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• PLUS: An essay by author and film critic Michael Koresky

Photo Credit: Columbia