Reconnecting German cinema with its Weimer forebears via Murnau's iconic Nosferatu (1922), Herzog's vampire film references its predecessor but has a distinctive temperament. Dracula, played by the stunning Klaus Kinski, is modelled on the monster of the earlier film, yet his obsession with Isabelle Adjani's character of Lucy Harker reveals a certain pathos, even as his army of rats wreck plague and delirium on a prosperous small town. Herzog's images and Popul Vuh's music combine to create a darkly hypnotic and seductive experience. Extras 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Feature-length audio commentary with Werner Herzog On-set documentary (1979, 13 mins): promotional film featuring candid interviews with Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski Original theatrical trailer Stills gallery Original mono audio (German and English) Alternative 5.1 Surround audio (German) Other extras tbc
Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Out of Africa seems to have slipped more readily from public memory than other comparably lauded films. Yet Sidney Pollack's panoramic treatment of Karen Blixen's novel has retained its atmosphere and slow-burning emotion, and deserves reassessment. Meryl Streep is in her possibly most involving starring role as Baroness Karen Blixen, Danish free spirit whose ill-fated venture at the beginning of World War One to run a coffee plantation in Kenya is overlaid by her intimate yet distant relationship with adventurer and idealist Denys Finch Hatton, unselfconsciously portrayed by Robert Redford. Klaus Maria Brandauer puts in a rare and convincing English-language appearance as the amoral but charming womaniser Baron Bror Blixen. The film is tellingly held together by Kurt Luedke's finely honed screenplay, and John Barry's sumptuously expressive score. On the DVD: The anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen format reproduces superbly, as does the 4.1 discrete audio. 18 access points are provided, with printed and aural subtitles in English only. Pollack's feature commentary is amusing enough on a single run-through, but an on-location documentary would have been preferable. Production notes and biographies are very adequate, though the theatrical trailer reproduction is notably inferior. No matter, this is a major film, well worth the transfer to DVD.--Richard Whitehouse
Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller Das Boot was released as both a theatrical film and a six-hour mini-series, and remains the most expensive production ever made by a German studio. The expanded "Director's Cut" of the movie was re-released 1997 and it is this version that is available for home viewing. This epic story became an instant classic on its first release, provoking critical and audience acclaim worldwide for its sympathetic and entirely truthful portrayal of a German U-boat crew. Faithfully adapted from the bestselling novel by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, Petersen and his committed cast (led by the amazing Jürgen Prochnow) were concerned to ensure that every detail was rendered with painstaking accuracy--both physical and psychological--and the result is not only the best submarine drama ever made but also arguably the finest cinematic portrait of men at war and the terrible madness they must endure. On the DVD: The 200-minute "Director's Cut" version of the movie not only has several major scenes restored that were not in the theatrical release but also has been digitally remastered with significantly improved sound (new sound effects have been added) and anamorphic picture. (The six-hour TV version has yet to be released.) Here, the viewer can watch the movie in the original German, with or without subtitles, or in an English dubbed version that uses the voices of many of the original cast. On the utterly engrossing commentary track, director Wolfgang Petersen and star Jürgen Prochnow talk animatedly and in great detail about every aspect of making this epic story--from model shots using Barbie dolls to meeting the Captain of the original U-boat. This is one of the most consistently rewarding commentaries on disc. Also included is a five-minute featurette that promotes this new version. --Mark Walker
This 282-minute version of Das Boot is the full-length TV series, originally shown in six parts but here edited into a seamless whole. Director Wolfgang Petersen has since graduated to mega-budget Hollywood productions (2004's Troy for example), but has never managed even to come close to this, his German-language masterpiece. Petersen and his sterling cast (including Jürgen Prochnow in his best role as the U-boat captain) went to great lengths to ensure that this claustrophobic depiction of life aboard the German sub U-97 while attacking British convoys in the Atlantic is thoroughly authentic and totally convincing. Even the set itself, which is a replica of a U-boat interior, had no false walls, so all camera angles are necessarily from within its horribly narrow, overcrowded and sweaty confines. The result is certainly the finest submarine drama ever made, and one of the most compelling depictions of the physical, psychological and emotional effects of warfare. This mini-series is rather longer than the movie version, which is also available on DVD in a Director's Cut version. The differences are not in matters of plot, but in the pacing: everything here takes longer to happen, while the crew must sit around, bicker, swear and sweat it out--the agonising searching for action, the tension of the attack, the terrible stress of hiding from enemy destroyers. Everything unfolds as if in real time, which is the great advantage a TV production has over a movie (contrast, for example, Band of Brothers with Saving Private Ryan). This, therefore, is the definitive presentation of a World War II classic. On the DVD: Das Boot is presented on two discs, with no breaks where the original TV episodes started and finished. The default language option is German with optional English subtitles. For those constitutionally allergic to subtitles there is also an alternative English-language dub, voiced by many of the original cast (including Prochnow). Sound is adequate stereo or Dolby 5.1, and the anamorphic widescreen is good for the murky green underwater shots. Unlike the theatrical version, though, there is no commentary. --Mark Walker
Shot entirely on location in the wild Amazonian jungle near Machu Picchu, Aguirre, the Wrath of God stars the legendarily volatile Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) as Don Lope de Aguirre, a power-crazed sixteenth-century explorer who leads a troupe of conquistadors on a doomed expedition in search of El Dorado, the fabled 'City of Gold'. A visceral, ambitious exploration of megalomania and savage beauty, Aguirre remains one of Herzog's most brilliant achievements and one of German cinema's totemic masterpieces. Available now on UHD, newly restored in 4K. Extras 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Feature-length audio commentary with Werner Herzog for both Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fata Morgana The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz (1967, 16 mins): symbolic drama about four young men hiding from an imagined enemy Last Words (1968, 13 mins): short film about the last man to leave a former leper colony Precautions Against Fanatics (1969, 11 mins): short satire about horse-racing enthusiasts Fata Morgana (1971, 77 mins): hallucinatory film exploring mirages and the Mayan creation myth Original theatrical trailer Stills gallery Original mono audio (German and English) Alternative 5.1 Surround audio (German) Other extras tbc
There have been hundreds of movies about Dracula but none have ever honoured the original novel quite like this. Intended as the first faithful adaption of Bram Stoker's original novel, it features Christopher Lee as everyone's favourite bloodsucker, moving beyond his Hammer turns and finally playing the role as he felt it should be done.Unavailable in the UK for many years, 88 Films are proud to present director Jesus Franco's legendary film in a beautiful new 4K transfer: Dracula as you've never seen him before!Product FeaturesBrand new 4K Remaster from the Original NegativesHigh Definition (1080p) Blu-ray in 1.37:1 Aspect RatioLPCM 2.0 English MonoOptional English SubtitlesAudio Commentary with Film Critics Kim Newman and Sean HoganAudio Commentary with Film Experts Troy Howarth and Nathaniel ThomsonBloodsucker - David Pirie on Count DraculaDracula in the SouthAlternate German Opening Credits
When a down-on-his-luck plumber, finds himself trapped beneath the crawlspace of a remote house, where a ruthless band of poachers keep their illegal stash of weapons, he is forced to do battle, relying on his wits and skills to try and escape alive. This tense and claustrophobic edge-of-your-seat thriller from L. Gustavo Cooper and starring Henry Thomas, Elliott from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, will keep you gripped from the beginning to the shocking climax.
Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller Das Boot was released as both a theatrical film and a six-hour mini-series, and remains the most expensive production ever made by a German studio. The expanded "Director's Cut" of the movie was re-released 1997 and it is this version that is available for home viewing. This epic story became an instant classic on its first release, provoking critical and audience acclaim worldwide for its sympathetic and entirely truthful portrayal of a German U-boat crew. Faithfully adapted from the best-selling novel by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, Petersen and his committed cast (led by the amazing Jürgen Prochnow) were concerned to ensure that every detail was rendered with painstaking accuracy--both physical and psychological--and the result is not only the best submarine drama ever made but also arguably the finest cinematic portrait of men at war and the terrible madness they must endure.
Clint Eastwood had proven so successful in his first foray into European Westerns with A Fistful Of Dollars that a follow up sequel was inevitable. Superbly scripted by Luciano Vincenzoni featuring an unforgettable alliance between ruthless gun-slingers Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef. For A Few Dollars More tells the tale of a ruthless quest to track down the notorious bandit El Indio played by Gian Maria Volonte. The film is also noted for its array of weaponry a veritable arsenal of rifles that became so operatic and Ennio Morricone's atmospheric score keeps the tension taut as the action moves from Jail breaks and hold ups to spectacular gun battles.
In the post-war years, the proliferation of transnational European co-productions gave rise to a cross-pollination of genres, with the same films sold in different markets as belonging to different movements. Among these, Riccardo Freda (I vampiri, The Horrible Dr. Hichock)'s Double Face was marketed in West Germany as an Edgar Wallace krimi', while in Italy it was sold as a giallo in the tradition of Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace, combining elements from both genres for a unique and unforgettable viewing experience. When wealthy businessman John Alexander (the legendary Klaus Kinski, giving an atypically restrained performance)'s unfaithful wife Helen (Margaret Lee, Circus of Fear) dies in a car crash, it initially looks like a freak accident. However, the plot thickens when evidence arises suggesting that the car was tampered with prior to the crash. And John's entire perception of reality is thrown into doubt when he discovers a recently-shot pornographic movie which appears to feature Helen suggesting that she is in fact alive and playing an elaborate mind game on him Psychological, psychedelic, and at times just plain psychotic, Double Face stands as one of the most engaging and enjoyable films in Freda's lengthy and diverse career a densely-plotted, visually-stunning giallo that evokes much of the same ambience of paranoia and decadence as such classics of the genre as One on Top of the Other and A Lizard in a Woman's Skin. Special Edition Contents: Brand new 2K restoration of the full-length Italian version of the film from the original 35mm camera negative High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation Uncompressed mono 1.0 LPCM audio Original English and Italian soundtracks, titles and credits Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack New audio commentary by author and critic Tim Lucas New video interview with composer Nora Orlandi The Many Faces of Nora Orlandi, a new appreciation of the varied career of the film's composer by musician and soundtrack collector Lovely Jon The Terrifying Dr. Freda, a new video essay on Riccardo Freda's gialli by author and critic Amy Simmons Extensive image gallery from the collection of Christian Ostermeier, including the original German pressbook and lobby cards, and the complete Italian cineromanzo adaptation Original Italian and English theatrical trailers Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Neil Mitchell
Simulacron 1 is a highly advanced project, designed to elevate conventional computer technology to a new level by creating a virtual reality inhabited by computer-generated people or 'identity units'. When the head of the project dies mysteriously after showing signs of mental disturbance, Dr Stiller becomes his successor. As he begins to probe deeper into Simulacron, the line between the real and virtual world becomes increasingly blurred and his own existence is questioned. Rainer Werner Fassbinder's acclaimed science fiction classic has been hugely influential, with themes that would later be explored in films such as The Matrix. Special Features No Strings Attached - an interview with assistant director Renate Leiffer Observing Fassbinder a tribute to photographer Peter Gauhe Looking Ahead to Today documentary On-set featurette Original Broadcast Recap The Simulation Argument an interview with Professor Nick Bostrom
On an unforgiving, snow-swept frontier, a group of bloodthirsty bounty hunters, led by the vicious Loco (Klaus Kinski) prey on a band of persecuted outlaws who have taken to the hills. Only a mute gunslinger named Silence (Jean-Louis Trintignant) stands between the innocent refugees and the corrupt killers. But, in this harsh, brutal world, the lines between right and wrong are not always clear, and good does not always triumph. Featuring superb photography and a haunting score from maestro Ennio Morricone, director Sergio Corbucci's bleak, brilliant and violent vision of an immoral, honour-less West, is widely considered to be among the best and most influential Westerns ever made. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Sergio Corbucci's masterpiece, The Great Silence, on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration. Product Features 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration undertaken and completed for the 50th anniversary of the film's original release English and Italian audio options Optional English Subtitles New audio commentary by author Howard Hughes and filmmaker Richard Knew Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker Mike Siegel Audio commentary by director and Spaghetti Western aficionado Alex Cox, recorded live at the Hollywood Theatre, Portland in 2021. Included with kind permission of 36 Chambers LLC. New interview with Austin Fisher, author of Radical Frontiers in the Spaghetti Western: Politics, Violence and Popular Italian Cinema Cox on Corbucci filmmaker Alex Cox talks about Sergio Corbucci [15 mins] Western, Italian Style 1968 documentary [38 mins] Two Alternate Endings Original Theatrical Trailer Stills Galleries Plus: A 36-page collector's booklet featuring two essays by author Howard Hughes; one covering the background to the making of The Great Silence, and an extensive piece on the westerns of Klaus Kinski
There have been hundreds of movies about Dracula but none have ever honoured the original novel quite like this. Intended as the first faithful adaption of Bram Stoker's original novel, it features Christopher Lee as everyone's favourite bloodsucker, moving beyond his Hammer turns and finally playing the role as he felt it should be done.Unavailable in the UK for many years, 88 Films are proud to present director Jesus Franco's legendary film in a beautiful new 4K transfer: Dracula as you've never seen him before!Product FeaturesBrand new 4K Remaster from the Original Negatives presented in Ultra High Definition (2160p) in 1.37:1 Aspect RatioPresented in Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range (HDR10 Compatible)High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray in 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio Also IncludedLPCM 2.0 English MonoOptional English SubtitlesAudio Commentary with Film Critics Kim Newman and Sean HoganAudio Commentary with Film Experts Troy Howarth and Nathaniel ThomsonBloodsucker - David Pirie on Count DraculaDracula in the SouthAlternate German Opening Credits
Originally released in 1974, The Odessa File is set in Hamburg a decade earlier. Its starting-point is the Nazi support network Odessa, and its involvement with Egyptian plans to destroy Israel. Peter Miller is a freelance journalist whose interest appears initially to be a professional one, before a personal dimension finally becomes apparent in his confrontation with SS Captain Roschmann. Kenneth Ross adapts a well-honed screenplay from Frederick Forsyth's bestseller, and director Ronald Neame captures a typically Cold War sense of individuals and organisations playing out a scenario of political right and wrong. John Voight, long before he became a cameo star, makes a sympathetic lead, able to judge between the moral and material aspects of his profession. Mary Tamm is photogenic, if uninvolving, as his girlfriend, while Maximillian Schell is a convincing Nazi stereotype. Andrew Lloyd-Weber contributes a serviceable score, centred on the catchy "Christmas Dream" sung by Perry Como. Not a classic suspense thriller, but an enjoyable and thoughtful one. On the DVD: the letterbox widescreen format preserves the 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the cinema release with decent if not exceptional clarity, with optional 16:9 TV enhancement. There are French, German, Italian and Spanish overdubs, and subtitles in 21 languages. Detailed filmographies for Neame, Voight and Schell are included and the theatrical trailer is to the point in a way they so rarely are these days. --Richard Whitehouse
After years of enduring Roger Moore in the role of James Bond, it was good to have Sean Connery back in 1983 for Never Say Never Again, a one-time-only trip down 007's memory lane. Connery's Bond, a bit of a dinosaur in the British secret service at (then) 52, is still in demand during times of crisis. Sadly, the film is not very good. In this rehash of Thunderball, Bond is pitted against a worthy underwater villain (Klaus Maria Brandauer); and while the requisite Bond Girls include beauties Kim Basinger and Barbara Carrera, they can't save the movie. The script has several truly dumb passages, among them a (gasp) video-game duel between 007 and his nemesis that now looks utterly anachronistic. For Connery fans, however, this widescreen print of the Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back) film is a chance to say a final goodbye to a perfect marriage of actor and character. --Tom Keogh
A Fistful Of Dollars: - Languages: English (Dolby Digital Mono) ; Subtitles: English Clint Eastwood's stunning Spaghetti Western debut. When the Man With No Name rides into town the rival gangs of the Baxters and the Rojos soon find themselves fighting each other. As the lean cold-eyed cobra-quick gunfighter Clint became the first of the Western's anti-herores. The cynical enigmatic loner with a clouded past is the same character Eastwood fans have been savouring ever since. 'A Fistful Of Dollars' is the western taken to the extreme - with unremitting violence gritty realism and tongue-in-cheek humour. Leone's direction is taut and stylish and the visuals are striking - from the breathtaking panoramas (in Spain) to the extreme close-ups of quivering lips and darting eyes before the shoot-out begins. And all are accentuated by renowned composer Ennio Morricone's quirky haunting score. For A Few Dollars More - Languages: English and French (Dolby Digital Mono) ; Subtitles: English Dutch French Clint Eastwood had proven so successful in his first foray into European Westerns with 'A Fistful Of Dollars' that a follow up sequel was inevitable. Superbly scripted by Luciano Vincenzoni featuring an unforgettable alliance between ruthless gun-slingers to track down the notorious bandit El Indio played by Gian Maria Volonte. The film is also noted for its array of weaponry a veritable arsenal of rifles that became so startingly influential in future westerns. Sergio Leone's direction is both violent and operatic and Ennio Morricone's atmospheric score keeps the tension taut as the action moves from jail breaks and hold ups to spectacular gun battles. The Good The Bad And The Ugly - Languages: English (Dolby Digital Mono) ; Subtitles: English Dutch By far the most ambitious unflinchingly graphic and stylistically influential western ever attempted 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly' is an engrossing actioner shot through with a volatile mix of myth and realism. Clint Eastwood returns for a final appearance as the invincible Man With No Name this time teaming with two gunslingers (Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef) to pursue a cache of 0 000 - and letting no one not even warring factions in a civil war stand in their way. From sun-drenched panoramas to bold hard closeups exceptional camera work captures the beauty and cruelty of the barren landscape and the hardened characters who stride unwaveringly through it. Forging a vibrant and yet detached style of action that had not been seen before and has never been matched since 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly' shatters the western in true Clint Eastwood style. The complex plot of bloodshed and betrayal winds its way through the American Civil War filmed to resemble the French battlefields of WW1 to end in a climactic Dance of Death. Arguably the quintessential Italian Western this 1966 film boasts a fine Ennio Morricone score featuring a main theme that reached No.1 in the world's pop charts.
Simulacron 1 is a highly advanced project designed to elevate conventional computer technology to a new level by creating a virtual reality inhabited by computer-generated people or 'identity units'. When the head of the project dies mysteriously after showing signs of mental disturbance Dr Stiller becomes his successor. However Stiller also begins to behave bizarrely. He speaks of people disappearing whom no one else knows belives someone is trying to murder him and has nausea attacks. As he begins to probe deeper into Simulacron the line between the real and virtual world becomes increasingly blurred and his own existence is questioned. Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 2 part TV production is a science-fiction classic that explores the notion of a computer-generated other world pre-dating The Matrix by 26 years. Since its original broadcast in 1973 it has rarely been shown and following increasing demand the Fassbinder Foundation have restored this remarkable film under the artistic direction of the film's highly acclaimed cinematographer Michael Ballhaus.
Reconnecting German cinema with its Weimer forebears via Murnau's iconic Nosferatu (1922), Herzog's vampire film references its predecessor but has a distinctive temperament. Dracula, played by the stunning Klaus Kinski, is modelled on the monster of the earlier film, yet his obsession with Isabelle Adjani's character of Lucy Harker reveals a certain pathos, even as his army of rats wreck plague and delirium on a prosperous small town. Herzog's images and Popul Vuh's music combine to create a darkly hypnotic and seductive experience. Extras Newly remastered in 4K and presented in High Definition Feature-length audio commentary with Werner Herzog On-set documentary (1979, 13 mins): promotional film featuring candid interviews with Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski Original theatrical trailer Stills gallery Original mono audio (German and English) Alternative 5.1 Surround audio (German) Other extras tbc
Jack London's immortal tale comes to glorious life amid the breathtaking beauty of the great Alaskan frontier. Ethan Hawke stars as a young man trying to find gold in the treacherous Yukon valley to fulfil his father's dying wish. Along his incredible journey he meets a friend who will change his life forever... a magnificent wolf-dog name White Fang. From the taming of a wolf to the taming of the wild he must find the courage to conquer his fears and become a man. Hailed by critic
When Sally (Francesca Annis) comes to London to pursue a modelling career she moves in with Angela (Anneke Wills) and three of her friends where she experiences the carefree life of bachelor girls in swinging London. Over one weekend - filled with parties blossoming friendships and romantic encounters with Keith (Ian McShane) and Nikko (Klaus Kinski) - the vivacious girls learn about life's pleasures as well as its more painful side. Shot on location with sparkling dialogue and lively performances from its young ensemble cast this engaging and intelligent drama bears all the hallmarks of director Gerry O'Hara's (That Kind of Girl All the Right Noises) assured style.
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