"Actor: Janet Landgard"

• The Swimmer | DVD | (26/05/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Burt Lancaster gives one of his most daringly complex performances in The Swimmer, a fascinating adaptation of John Cheever's celebrated short story. At first it seems that middle-aged businessman Ned Merrill (Lancaster) is merely enjoying a spontaneous adventure, swimming from pool to pool among the well-tended estates of his affluent Connecticut neighbourhood. But as Ned encounters a variety of neighbours, we see from their reactions that he's on an entirely different kind of journey, balanced on the edge of some mysterious psychosis that we can't fully understand until the film's final, devastating image. A compelling portrait of loss, refracted memories, and deep-rooted emotional denial, The Swimmer sprung from the same late-60s soil that yielded similarly ground-breaking literary films such as The Graduate and Goodbye, Columbus. It's an egotistical showcase for the physical prowess of its 55-year-old star, but Lancaster turns it into something deeper, more disturbing, and completely unforgettable. --Jeff Shannon

• The Swimmer (Standard Edition) | Blu Ray | (25/03/2024) from £9.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  One of the few bona fide counter-cultural films to be produced by a major studio, The Swimmer is a sun-scorched and surreal suburban satire that boasts a fine performance from Burt Lancaster (Castle Keep, Buffalo Bill and the Indians) as Ned Merrill, the all-American man who one day determines to swim home to his Connecticut mansion via a series of pools in his neighbourhood. Directed by Frank Perry (Diary of a Mad Housewife) imbues Eleanor Perry's (David and Lisa, Ladybug Ladybug) adaptation of John Cheever's short story with stunning expressionistic flourishes, creating a true masterpiece of cinema. Product Features 2014 restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative Original mono audio Audio commentary with Frank Perry biographer Justin Bozung (2022) Marge Champion on 'The Swimmer' (2013, 18 mins): onstage interview with the actor, conducted by filmmaker Allison Anders at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, after a screening of The Swimmer Against the Tide (2022, 11 mins): actor, comedian and filmmaker Richard Ayoade discusses the unique genius of the Perrys' film 'The Swimmer' Read by John Cheever (2004, 26 mins): the original New Yorker short story read by the author Title sequence outtakes Isolated music & effects track Original theatrical trailer Illeana Douglas trailer commentary (2019, 6 mins) TV spots Image galleries: storyboards, deleted scenes, promotional and publicity material New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• The Swimmer (Limited Edition) | Blu Ray | (12/09/2022) from £44.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  One of the few bona fide counter-cultural films to be produced by a major studio, The Swimmer is a sun-scorched and surreal suburban satire that boasts a fine performance from Burt Lancaster (Castle Keep, Buffalo Bill and the Indians) as Ned Merrill, the all-American man who one day determines to swim home to his Connecticut mansion via a series of pools in his neighbourhood. Directed by Frank Perry (Diary of a Mad Housewife) imbues Eleanor Perry's (David and Lisa, Ladybug Ladybug) adaptation of John Cheever's short story with stunning expressionistic flourishes, creating a true masterpiece of cinema. Product Features High Definition remaster Original mono audio Audio commentary with Frank Perry biographer Justin Bozung (2022) The original New Yorker short story read by author John Cheever Original theatrical trailer Illeana Douglas trailer commentary (2019) Image gallery: promotional and publicity material New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Sophie Monks Kaufman, a profile of writer John Cheever, extracts from interviews with Frank Perry and Eleanor Perry on the making of the film, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits Limited edition exclusive poster UK premiere on Blu-ray Limited edition of 5,000 copies for the UK More extras to be announced All extras subject to change