Eureka just released Billy Wilder’s masterful Double Indemnity on Blu-ray along with The Lost Weekend as part of its invaluable Masters of Cinema series in the UK.

I have no idea when Universal will release it domestically, so you should grab it. It’s about as close to perfection as Wilder ever got, even though it precedes his remarkable collaboration with Izzy Diamond (co-written by hard boiled great Raymond Chandler). It’s my favorite Wilder as well as my favorite noir; and what makes it shine so powerfully is the triangle between Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson. Yes, the bond between MacMurray and Robinson is particularly beautiful, conveyed by the lighting of Robinson’s cheap cigar throughout until he returns the favor at the end (“Closer than that, Walter”).

The Blu-ray is exquisite: you can see the dust being kicked up through the venetian blinds better than ever. Includes exclusive new high-def restoration licensed from Universal; audio commentary with film historian Nick Redman and screenwriter Lem Dobbs; Shadows of Suspense,  a 2006 documentary featuring film historians, directors, and authors discussing the making of Double Indemnity; and 1945 Screen Guild Theater radio adaptation starring MacMurray and Stanwyck.