Something To Come Home To
A contest! And a polite suggestion.
In an age where the home-video window has collapsed to weeks or even days, Christopher Nolan pulled off something remarkable with The Odyssey. Just by tying the movie’s digital availability to its physical release, he’s kept the theatrical demand for his latest epic going for four full months, even getting Universal to nudge it back onto large-format screens when other films have faltered. Does any other filmmaker hold that kind of juice?
But the wait is almost over. Matt Damon and his great big beard are coming home this Tuesday, and to mark that occasion the nice folks at Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is offering two 4K/Blu-ray combos of The Odyssey to lucky Shiny Things subscribers. All you have to do is e-mail me at normwilner@gmail.com with the subject line “Long Way Round” and tell me the film format in which Nolan shot his Homeric drama. Easier than sailing to Troy, right?
The contest is open to US and Canadian residents, and closes at 12pm PT on Sunday, November 15th. Have at it! And if you’ve been thinking about upgrading to the newsletter’s paid tier for the exclusive What’s Worth Watching recommendations every Friday, I would maybe suggest you do that … like, quickly.
The Odyssey arrives on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, November 17th from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. You can expect my review next week.