Any 1950s musical would benefit from translation onto DVD. The enhanced picture quality makes Technicolor even more glorious and the re-mastered sound means both singing and dialogue are crisp and clear. Preminger paid a lot of attention to the use of colour in the film and DVD exploits that to full effect. When Carmen swings into the army canteen in her bright red skirt carrying a blood red rose, she truly commands attention.
But DVD is a double-edged sword. People expect to see digitally enhanced visuals and sound but they also expect special features, behind the scenes footage, interviews with the cast and director's commentary - and this is where 1950s musicals can't deliver.
Carmen Jones's special features don't amount to much - a theatrical trailer and actor biographies, but that's it. Some might argue that the film itself is all you need, I would beg to differ. However, I do think that if you are going to see Carmen Jones, getting the DVD version is well worth it - at least that way you see the film complete with all its original vitality.
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