Earlier this year, there was a swell of interest brought on by a handful of big-screen bookings of Peter Watkins' long-unavailable masterpiece Privilege. But while these screenings were of great interest to those lucky enough to attend, there appeared to be little hope for the majority of cinephiles to finally see the film. Now it appears the wait is finally over, as Watkins' own site reports that a DVD release is on the horizon:
"After a long period of uncertainty, Universal Pictures have finally agreed to allow [Watkins' representative] Oliver Groom to release the film as a DVD in North America. I can't say when it will be ready, but hopefully within the next six months or so. This is excellent news, of course, as this film has generally been unavailable since the early 1970s."
Excellent news indeed. No official date has been announced, but being the diligent Watkins fan I am, I'll report to you with more details as soon as I hear anything. Personally, I'd recommend that you approach the movie knowing as little as possible. But if you absolutely can't wait, check out my review of the film from April, or whet your appetite by listening to Track 7 off the Patti Smith Group's album Easter, a version of which figures prominently in the movie's opening concert scene. — Paul Clark