Alison,
Well, that's what we all thought back in 2005. A DVD release was originally announced for late fall of that year. I talked to TCM programmer "Charles Tabesh" about it just last week, and He is quite anxious to broadcast the new version as soon as it is ready, since seeing it at a live screening in 2007. I am getting very tired of waiting!
The previous version of
THE BIG PARADE was as you know released on both MGM VHS, and Laser-disc years ago. Though it was never released on DVD. Basically, The film has been stuck in "Limbo" on TCM since Memorial Day of 2004. The last time any version of the film was shown.
The new restoration was completed the same year, but Warner's neglected to record the original 1925 Axt-Mendoza score in 2005, when Robert Israel and His Orchestra of 19 players were touring the country with it. At any and all cost they simply have to keep the original score. Rarely does an entire release score on paper survive from the 1920's, but this one does. The Carl davis score from the 80's was largely derived from the Axt-Mendoza original, for people who are used to that version, most of the same themes will remain.
The new version is rougly 20 minutes longer, than the old one was, with newly re-discovered footage. All the original tint's have been re-instated. The miraculously uncovered original camera negative, was used as the basis for the restoration, So the improvement over the previous version in terms of sharpness figures to be dramatic. My friend Jack Theakston was present for two live screening' of the film in 2005, and He couldn't stop raving, about how sharp, and clean the print of the new master is.
TCM programmer has told me last week, He has been waiting to be able to run the new version himself, after seeing it at a festival last year. In the meantime, they have decided not to air the previous Kevin Brownlow-David Gill restoration with the Carl Davis score produced for Thames Television in 1983. TCM used to run it fairly frequently up until 2004.
TCM programmer said that He could run the shorter version, but is holding out for the new one, which is expected to have a big Prime-time Premier once it finally ready to go. Trouble is I have been waiting now for over three years, and I am getting very impatient with Warner's! I know droves of new Silent film fan's who have never seen
THE BIG PARADE, and all of them are equally frustrated!
I sure hope that a DVD release will also include the Thames version all re-mastered though too.
As FLESH AND THE DEVIL was in the Garbo Silent's set a few years ago. The DVD is not really the issue to me. I just want to see the brand new restoration Warner's havs been sitting on for Four years now finally broadcast on TCM!!!
Incidentally, did you ever watch
THE COSSACKS? 
