Warner Archive has finally shone the light of day on a long-requested Robert Altman cult classic. Brewster McCloud (next Tuesday, 13 July) is part of the new Remastered Edition series, which cost a little more than other Archive titles, but which feature better quality than whatever video master they'd had kicking around since forever ago. There's hiss in the soundtrack, and minor blemishes on the picture throughout, but this is a case where I'm comfortable saying that it looks pretty damn good and we should be thankful they finally made it available.

For those who don't know the movie, it stars Bud Cort as the titular Brewster and introduces Shelley Duvall to the screen. The tragically underrated Rene Auberjonois is featured as well, and has the opening lines of the film all to himself. If the only thing you know him from is Star Trek: Not the Original Series or the One With Picard, But Certainly Not Voyager, you've no idea the depth of Auberjonois' talent.

It's difficult to synopsize McCloud since it aggressively defies conventional categorization. Brewster lives underneath the Houston Astrodome, and he's working away at making a set of artificial wings so that he can fly like a bird. There's a strangler on the loose. There are terrific no-CG-existed, 1970's car chases. There's tons of bird shit that's shat upon various people. There's a climactic circus comedy set piece. I generally describe it to friends as insane, amazing, and everything in-between.

You can pre-order it now for $19.95, five bucks off the regular price. Once Tuesday hits, the price goes back up.

Is this Lion's Gate the same one that is a full-on distributor now? I don't know this piece of studio history well enough.