Extras: Interview with Joanna McCallum (Googie Withers’s daughter) Interview with Melanie Williams (focusing on Women at Ealing) Behind the Scenes stills gallery Restoration Comparison
Recently got an all-region Blu-ray player, so now I can order some of these titles. I've just gotten tired of waiting for these things to come out here in the States. Right now, I just got "Whisky Galore!" from StudioCanal. It's loaded with extras and although the title has been released here on DVD, I doubt it'll be out on Blu-ray in the U.S. anytime soon, if ever. I'll definitely be ordering "One Million Years, B.C." in June. I'm still waiting for "Robbery" to arrive, though I'm not sure that's from StudioCanal. I also recently received "The War Lord" from Eureka! Why Universal still hasn't put that out on Blu-ray here, I just don't understand. Anyway, glad I finally have an all-region player.
StudioCanal have confirmed that they will release on Blu-ray Don Chaffey's film One Million Years B.C. (1966), starring Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Percy Herbert, Robert Brown, and Martine Beswick. The release will be available for purchase on June 13.
This has been delayed until 2017. I've read it's because they want to produce new extras for it. Meanwhile, Kino has announced it for release here in the States. Still, the UK edition may be worth getting instead.
Interview with Sir Christopher Frayling - writer and presenter of BBC documentary series Nightmare: The Birth of Victorian Horror Interview with Basil Rathbone biographer Michael Druxman
StudioCanal has conformed that it will add four new titles to its Vintage Classics collection: The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963), Pool of London (1951), The Man Between (1953), and The Blue Lamp (1950).
The Small World of Sammy Lee
Synopsis: Dark and intense crime drama from dierctor Ken Hughes, based on his own TV play Sammy. In The Small World of Sammy Lee, small time criminal and strip joint compere Sammy (Anthony Newley) has five hours to come up with the money he owes to a group of gangsters. Set in the back streets of Soho, the film follows Sammy trying to come up with a scheme to make some fast cash. 'The Yellow Balloon' (1953) is a tense tale of a young boy, Frankie (Andrew Ray), who is used and deceived by a crook. While playing in a bombed part of their neighbourhood, Frankie's friend falls to his death. When Frankie climbs down to help him he finds Len (William Sylvester) who is in hiding after committing a murder while robbing a pub. Len blackmails Frankie into helping him evade capture, but when he feels Frankie knows too much he sets about trying to get rid of him. Cinematography by Wolfgang Suschitzky (Get Carter, Theatre of Blood).
STREET DATE: OCTOBER 31.
The Man Between
Synopsis: Classic noir picture from director Carol Reed. The Man Between is set prior to the end of the Cold War and Mason stars as a sardonic double agent. He finds himself falling in love with the beautiful and very British Claire Bloom while dogged by the pressures of political espionage and the attentions of his Cold War counterpart, Hildegard Neff. Cinematography by Desmond Dickinson (The Browning Version, Sparrows Can't Sing).
STREET DATE: NOVEMBER 14.
The Blue Lamp
Synopsis: Early crime thriller from dierctor Basil Dearden, based on a script by T.E.B. Clarke (The Lavender Hill Mob). Sergeant Dixon (Jack Warner) is shot and killed while teaching a new recruit (Jimmy Hanley) the ropes. Police and some of the West London criminal fraternity then hunt down his killer (Dirk Bogarde). Sergeant Dixon was later resurrected to star in the long-running TV series Dixon of Dock Green. Cinematography by Gordon Dines (The Colditz Story, The Cruel Sea).
STREET DATE: NOVEMBER 21.
Pool of London
Synopsis: Gritty crime drama directed by Basil Dearden, based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham (Never Say Never Again) and John Eldridge (Brandy for the Parson). Wisecracking merchant seaman Dan MacDonald (Bonar Colleano) makes ends meet by dabbling in a spot of petty smuggling in post WWII London. But his life quickly changes when he's framed by a gang of jewel thieves after a robbery in the city. Now, with his best mate Johnny (Earl Cameron) in the dock for murder, Dan must put his life on the line to prove his friend's innocence. Cinematography by Gordon Dines.
STREET DATE: OCTOBER 24.
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED UPCOMING TITLES:
Sid & Nancy
Synopsis: From cult director Alex Cox (Straight to Hell, Repo Man, Highway Patrolman), starring Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Meantime, Leon) and Chloe Webb (Twins, Ghostbusters 2), Sid & Nancy details the volatile, troubled relationship between the ultimate groupie Nancy Spungen and punk rock icon Sid Vicious.
On October 12, 1978, Nancy Spungen was found stabbed to death in a bathroom at the Chelsea Hotel, in New York. Her lover Sid Vicious, bassist for punk rock legends The Sex Pistols, was immediately arrested for her murder, and died of a drugs overdose whilst awaiting trial. Alex Cox's seminal film takes us on a darkly humorous, visually stunning journey that begins with
Sid and Nancy's initial meeting during the rise of British Punk during the late seventies and follows their decline into nightmarish, drug induced squalor in New York City. Visceral, unflinching and ultimately tragic, this is the dark side of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. Love kills.
STREET DATE: AUGUST 29.
The Lion in Winter
Synopsis: 1183 AD: Behind the great stone walls of an English castle, the world's most powerful empire is in crisis. Three sons struggle to win their father's favor — as well as his crown. King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and his queen, Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), engage in a battle of royal wits that pits elder son Richard (Anthony Hopkins) against his brothers, while the cunning King Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) takes advantage of the internal fracturing in his bid to destroy their kingdom.
I wish Studio Canal would release the long (American TV) version of S.O.S TITANIC. That was a great movie, but the shortened version on DVD is nowhere near as good.
Directed by Basil Dearden, 1951 Ealing classic Pool of London has been stunningly restored. Filmed on location in the City of London itself, on the River Thames and its wharves, on London Bridge and in the blitzed streets around St. Paul’s, this is an authentic and unmissable slice of film history.
EXTRAS • Locations Featurette With Richard Dacre • New Interview With Earl Cameron • Stills Gallery
I'm definitely in for The Small World Of Sammy Lee. There's a treasure trove of late fifties, early sixties b/w British films waiting to get the HD treatment, keep 'em coming.
StudioCanal will add two new titles to its Vintage Classics Collection: Basil Dearden and Will Hay's The Goose Steps Out (1942) and Alexander Mackendrick's Mandy a.k.a. Crash of Silence (1952).
The Goose Steps Out
Synopsis: Comedy legend Will Hay stars as William Potts, a hapless, clumsy schoolteacher, who just happens to be an identical body double for a notorious German Nazi general. When the army is made aware of this uncanny resemblance to the German, who they are currently holding prisoner, they decide to drop the reluctant Mr.Potts behind enemy lines. His deadly mission is to find and retrieve information on a secret weapon that the Germans are planning to use. But whilst impersonating the Nazi general, William Potts manages to infiltrate the college of Hitler Youth. He also manages to make a big impression on the students who are being trained as spies and are learning how to fit into British society. Luckily Mr. Potts is at hand to give them lots of handy hints in honor of the war effort.
STREET DATE: MAY 15.
Mandy
The film chronicles the life of a deaf girl, from the moment her parents realize that she has no hearing, through her struggle to express herself and learn how to lip-read. Her mother and father argue over the best way to deal with her condition, leading to a scandalous marriage breakdown. Starring Phyllis Calvert, Jack Hawkins, and Terence Morgan.
StudioCanal have announced that they will release on Blu-ray Federico Fellini's film La Strada (1954), starring Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart, and Aldo Silvani. The release will be available for purchase on June 5.
La Strada, which was recently restored in 2K, will return to UK cinemas on May 19. Included below are the official theatrical trailer and poster for the new restoration.
Supplemental features to be included on the upcoming Blu-ray release have not yet been announced.
Synopsis: In a story of true outsiders, Masina plays Gelsomina, a naïve young woman sold by her desperate mother to boorish strongman Zampanò (an immensely charismatic Anthony Quinn) to be both his wife and performance assistant as he tours central Italy. Zampanò - a brute by trade and by nature - repeatedly abuses Gelsomina as she struggles to learn the ropes; meanwhile, she finds a kindred spirit in his rival the Fool (Richard Basehart). Soon all three find themselves part of the same travelling circus, but with tragic consequences.
StudioCanal have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray release of director Alexander Mackendrick's film Mandy (1952), starring Phyllis Calvert, Jack Hawkins, Terence Morgan, Godfrey Tearle, and Mandy Miller. The release will be available for purchase on June 12.
Synopsis: Originally based on the Hilda Lewis novel The Day Is Ours, which was broadcast as a serial on BBC Woman's Hour in 1950, the story was made in to a film under the direction of the great Alexander Mackendrick (The Ladykillers, Whisky Galore!) for which he picked up the Special Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival in 1952. Mandy went on to pick up six BAFTA nominations and became a major hit at the UK Box Office. Six-year-old Mandy Garland (Miller) was born deaf. With concerns for her future, Christine (Phyllis Calvert: Twisted Nerve, Mr Denning Drives North) and Harry Garland (Terence Morgan: Sir Francis Drake) try to work out the best scenario for their daughter's education, but before long their constant quarreling puts a strain on their relationship. Against Harry's wishes, Mandy is enrolled in a special school under the guidance of headmaster Dick Searle (Jack Hawkins: The Cruel Sea, The Fallen Idol), whose unconventional teaching methods are questioned by some of the adults. But Christine forms a strong friendship with Mr Searle, who ultimately has the child's best interests at heart and eventually helps Mandy to find her voice.
Boasting an all star cast and a breakout performance from Mandy Miller, Mandy is British filmmaking at its best.
Special Features: NEW 2K restoration of the film NEW Interview with Mandy Miller BBC Radio 3 The Essay: Heffer on British Film – Mandy: Audio featurette by Simon Heffer Behind the Scenes stills gallery
StudioCanal will release on Blu-ray a brand new 2K restoration of director Leslie Norman's film Dunkirk (1958), starring John Mills, Robert Urquhart, Ray Jackson, Meredith Edwards, and Anthony Nicholls. The release will be available for purchase on September 25.
Synopsis: Leslie Norman directs this British wartime drama which tells two sides of the Dunkirk story. British Corporal 'Tubby' Binns (John Mills) finds himself responsible for getting his men back to Britain from the Dunkirk beaches, after their commanding officer is killed and they become separated from the rest of the Allied Forces. Meanwhile, civilian reporter Charles Foreman (Bernard Lee) follows the build-up to the eventual evacuation of British and French troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. The cast also includes Richard Attenborough, Roland Curram, and Michael Bates.
StudioCanal will release on Blu-ray a brand new 2K restoration of director Leslie Norman's film Dunkirk (1958), starring John Mills, Robert Urquhart, Ray Jackson, Meredith Edwards, and Anthony Nicholls. The release will be available for purchase on September 25.
I love this film, I actually saw it at the cinema in the late fifties (I even remember the cinema, The Royalty, Ladbroke Grove, Northwest London), I love the way it starts small & then gets quite epic on the Dunkirk beaches. I see it's getting a Blu-ray release in Germany two months before the UK release, & cheap, under ten euro. Whatever, I shall own it by the end of the year.
StudioCanal have detailed three upcoming titles from their Vintage Classics series: Douglas Hickox's Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1970), Silvio Narizzano's Loot (1970), and Jacques Becker's Edward And Caroline (1951).
Entertaining Mr. Sloane
Synopsis: Synopsis: Adaptation of the risqué play by Joe Orton. Kath (Beryl Reid) and Ed (Harry Andrews) are a lonely middle-aged brother and sister who live together. When Kath meets Mr Sloane (Peter McEnery) in a cemetery and falls for his charms, she invites him to become a lodger. Before long, Ed has fallen for Sloane's charms also and hires him to be his chauffeur, taking an unwholesome interest in Sloane's tight leather uniform. While Kath and Ed rival for Sloane's affections, their invalid father becomes increasingly convinced that he has some connection to an old unsolved murder. Trapped between the three of them, Sloane makes a shocking decision which has unexpected results.
Special Features and Specs: NEW 2K RESTORATION of the film NEW Leonie Orton: Remembering Joe Part One NEW John Lahr on Joe Orton Part One NEW Interview with Peter McEnery NEW Locations featurette with Richard Dacre Original Trailer Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: AUGUST 21.
Loot
Synopsis: Adaptation of the celebrated farcical play by Joe Orton. Two bank robbers, Dennis (Hywel Bennett) and Hal (Roy Holder), are on the run from the police after a successful heist. Needing somewhere to hide the loot, they turn to a funeral parlor where they can stash the cash in Hal's recently-deceased mother's coffin. Taking the coffin, they turn to Hal's father (Milo O'Shea) and hide it in the bathroom of his hotel. Before long the hotel is host to the eccentric Inspector Truscott (Richard Attenborough) as he traces the crooks, and the promiscuous nurse Fay (Lee Remick), who is also on the trail of the stolen money.
Special Features and Specs: NEW 2K RESTORATION of the film NEW Leonie Orton: Remembering Joe Part Two NEW John Lahr on Joe Orton Part Two Joe Orton on Eamonn Andrews show (1967) Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: AUGUST 21.
Edward And Caroline
Synopsis: Becker's dark, offbeat comedy about a failing marriage stars Daniel Gélin as Édouard, a poor pianist married to Caroline (Anne Vernon), a beautiful girl from a middle-class family. Caroline's uncle Claude (Jean Galland), a complete snob who looks down on Édouard like the rest of his family, invites the couple to a party at which he is expected to play for his supper in front of Claude's important friends. Add the fact that Claude's son Alain (Jacques Francois) is in love with Caroline and this evening is destined for disaster. Special Features and Specs: NEW 2K RESTORATION of the film Interview with Ginette Vincendeau Edouard et Caroline on AU CINEMA CE SOIR Ina - 1974 Archival Interview - Jacques Becker on LE JAZZ ET JEUNESSE Ina - 1956 Optional English subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: AUGUST 21.
StudioCanal will add four new titles to its Vintage Classics Blu-ray collection: John Guillermin's Death on the Nile (1978), Guy Hamilton's The Mirror Crack'd (1980) and Evil Under the Sun (1982), and Sidney Lumet's Murder on the Orient Express. The four releases will arrive on the market this October.
Murder on the Orient Express
Synopsis: Elegant, all-star production introducing Albert Finney as the first screen Hercule Poirot. A no-good American Tycoon lies dead with twelve dagger wounds, but which of the passengers is the guilty party? Includes an Oscar winning performance from Ingrid Bergman.
Special Features and Technical Specs: NEW RESTORATION Making of - Featurette Interview with producer Richard Goodwin Behind the scenes stills gallery Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: OCTOBER 23.
Evil Under the Sun
Synopsis: A star-studded cast heads this Agatha Christie story of one man's efforts to fathom the mysterious death at a resort hotel in the Mediterranean. Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. Also stars Jane Birkin, Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith.
Special Features and Technical Specs: NEW RESTORATION Making of - Featurette Interview with costume designer Anthony Powell Interview with writer Barry Sandler Interview with producer Richard Goodwin Behind the scenes stills gallery Costume designs stills gallery Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: OCTOBER 23.
Death on the Nile
Synopsis: A visually sumptuous and quintessentially British production, Death on the Nile won an Oscar for Anthony Powell's costume design and introduced Peter Ustinov in his first portrayal as the Belgian detective Poirot. Abroad a luxury Nile steamer a mystery assassin takes the life of an heiress.
Special Features and Technical Specs: NEW RESTORATION Making of - Featurette Interview with costume designer Anthony Powell Interview with Dame Angela Lansbury Interview with producer Richard Goodwin Behind the scenes stills gallery Costume designs stills gallery Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: OCTOBER 23.
The Mirror Crack'd
Synopsis: Angela Lansbury stars as supersleuth Miss Marple who sets about solving a mysterious death in the archetypal English village of St. Mary Mead. It features an all star cast including Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor.
Special Features and Technical Specs: NEW RESTORATION Interview with writer Barry Sandler Interview with Dame Angela Lansbury Interview with producer Richard Goodwin Behind the scenes stills gallery Storyboard gallery Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature STREET DATE: OCTOBER 23.
StudioCanal will; bring to Blu-ray John Guillermin's film I Was Monty's Double a.k.a. Hell, Heaven or Hoboken (1958), starring M.E. Clifton James, John Mills, Cecil Parker, Leslie Phillips, and Michael Hordern. The release will be available for purchase on June 10.
