FILM FEATURE
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NEW FROM
IMPRINT FILMS
The local boutique Blu-ray label hits a milestone with 100 titles released to date! This
month's bundle includes a classic conspiracy thriller, a must-see western, an Oscarwinning Grace Kelly, and a couple of luridly titled cult favourites. Words Scott Hocking
The Parallax View (1974)
W
arren Beatty landed one of
his finest roles in the cracking
conspiracy thriller The Parallax
View (1974), directed by Alan J. Pakula (All the
President's Men). Beatty plays a newspaper
reporter whose investigation into the
assassination of a US senator
leads him to believe a political
conspiracy is afoot – especially
after the seven witnesses to the
event die in apparent "accidents".
Paranoia reigns as his attempts
to uncover the truth lead him
to the mysterious Parallax
Corporation. One of the finest
examples of the conspiracy thriller,
Imprint brings this classic of '70s cinema to
Blu-ray in a new 4K restoration from the original
35mm camera negative, along with a slew of
bonus features. Extras include two new audio
commentaries from film historian Kevin Lyons
and critic/podcaster Blake Howard; and a new
video essay by Chris O’Neill.
Last Train from Gun Hill (1959) is a classic
western from a master of the genre, director
John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven, Gunfight
at the OK Corral). Kirk Douglas plays a Marshall
out for justice after his wife is brutally murdered
by drunken cowboys, while Anthony Quinn is
his friend turned cattle baron, whose son is
the prime suspect. With the stage set for a
showdown, Last Train from Gun Hill plays like
a riff on High Noon, and certainly deserves its
reputation as a must-see western. This classic
comes to Blu-ray from a film transfer of the
original VistaVision negative, along with an
audio commentary by film historian Stephen
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JANUARY 2022
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Last Train from Gun Hill (1959)
Prince and a 'Filmmaker
Focus' featurette with critic
Leonard Maltin.
Co-written and directed
by Ida Lupino, Outrage (1950)
generated controversy to match its title upon
release, being the first post-Production Code
Hollywood feature to deal frankly with the issue
of rape. It has since been deemed "culturally
and historically significant" and was recently
selected for preservation in the National Film
Registry by the Library of Congress. Imprint's
release features a new 2K scan from the
original negative by Paramount Pictures and
a new audio commentary by critic Alexandra
Heller-Nicholas.
The all-star cast of Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly
and William Holden headline The Country Girl
(1954), a backstage drama involving an alcoholic
has-been actor (Crosby), his director (Holden),
and the director's wife (Kelly). Directed by
George Seaton (Miracle on 34th Street),
the film received seven Oscar nominations
including Best Picture, winning Best Actress for
Kelly and Best Screenplay for Seaton. Blu-ray
extras include a new audio commentary by film
scholar Jason A. Ney and the 1987 documentary
Grace Kelly: The American Princess.
There's more conspiracy afoot in House of
Cards (1968), this time involving a far-right
organisation attempting to take over Paris
and forge a new world order. Can a retired
boxer (George Peppard) and a widow (Inger
Stevens) stay alive long enough to stop
them? This rarely seen thriller comes to
Blu-ray with a new audio commentary
by film historian Scott Harrison.
War of the Worlds' producer
George Pal and director Byron Haskin
reunited for The Naked Jungle (1964), in
which Kirk Douglas
and Eleanor Parker
fight to save their
Brazilian cocoa
plantation from an
army of killer ants
– the Marabunta!
This cult favourite
arrives on a fully
loaded Blu-ray that
includes three audio commentaries, three radio
adaptations, and the 1995 documentary Charlton
Heston: For All Seasons.
Armed with a great exploitation title and
tagline, Lady in a Cage (1964) finds screen
legend Olivia de Havilland trapped in her
mansion's elevator cage and threatened by a
bunch of thieves, including James Caan in his
first major film role. Extras include new audio
commentaries by Kim Newman and Barry
Forshaw, and critic Kat Ellinger, plus a video
essay by Chris O’Neill.
Another wonderfully lurid title, Kitten with
a Whip (1964), rounds out this month's Bluray bundle. Ann-Margret stars as a delinquent
on the run, who stirs up some scandal for a
senatorial candidate (John Forsythe) when she
crashes at his place. Extras include a new audio
commentary by critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
and Josh Nelson, and new video essays by Kat
Ellinger and film historian Andrew Nette. This
campy crime drama for cult movie connoisseurs
is the 100th title to be released since the Imprint
range launched last year. Here's to the next 100!
• The new Imprint range is now
available for a limited time only
(while stocks last).
jbhifi.com.au
17/12/21 4:18 pm
