'Two-Lane Blacktop' Races to Blu-ray

Monte Hellman's 1971 film will be speeding to Blu-ray in January.

In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection will bring 'Two-Lane Blacktop' to Blu-ray on January 8.

With its gorgeous widescreen compositions and sophisticated look at American male obsession, this stripped-down narrative from maverick director Monte Hellman is one of the artistic high points of 1970s cinema, and possibly the greatest road movie ever made.

The Blu-ray will feature a new 1080p digital transfer, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and uncompressed mono soundtracks, and supplements include: Two audio commentaries: one by Hellman and filmmaker Allison Anders and one by screenwriter Rudolph Wurlitzer and author David N. Meyer; Interviews with Hellman, actor James Taylor, musician Kris Kristofferson, producer Michael Laughlin, and production manager Walter Coblenz; Screen test outtakes; Performance and Image, a look at the restoration of a '55 Chevy used in the movie and the film's locations today; Color Me Gone, photos and publicity from Two-Lane Blacktop; Trailer; and Rudy Wurlitzer's screenplay, reprinted specially for this release; new essay by Kent Jones, appreciations by Richard Linklater and Tom Waits; and a reprint of the 1970 Rolling Stone article "On Route 66, Filming Two-Lane Blacktop."

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'Two-Lane Blacktop' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where It is indexed under January 8.