Cruel Britannia: Three Killer Thrillers From The UK (1971-1974)
de Ted Hooker, Jack Cardiff, Freddie Francis
Vinegar Syndrome - 29 octobre 2024
Titre Original :
Audio : English Mono
Sous-titres : English SDH
Durée : 276 min (combined)
Format : Blu-ray / import US
Zone : Toutes zones
Genre : Horreur
Synopsis
Showcasing the beautiful yet under-filmed region of Cornwall, the Giallo-esque CRUCIBLE OF TERROR (1971) by director Ted Hooker finds a group of hippyish youths staying at the seaside home of a reclusive and mysterious sculptor. Their holiday fun is short-lived as they begin falling prey to a vicious mystery killer who’s determined to protect a deadly secret hidden deep in the cliffside caverns. Taking visual cues from Italian horror and displaying a surprising amount of horrible bloodshed, this long-overlooked whodunit is a precursor to the soon-to-be budding slasher genre.
When a young woman is slain by a trench coat-wearing and razor-wielding killer, there’s no shortage of suspects, including her twin sister, boyfriend, and plentiful shady acquaintances. As the mystery unfolds and more people vanish or are murdered, a detective begins to suspect that the crimes might be connected to a prized stamp. A slow-burn hybrid of murder mystery and crime caper directed by acclaimed cinematographer Jack Cardiff, PENNY GOLD (1973) offers twist after twist, leading to a murder-fueled final act, sure to leave one guessing who the real killer is until the end titles.
By day, Neal Mottram operates an unassuming antique shop, while at night, he is the high priest of a small cult worshipping the idol Chuku. After accidentally killing one of his fellow worshipers, Neal offers Chuku her body as a sacrifice, shortly after which he finds himself bestowed with good fortune. Believing that the idol is responsible for his luck, Neal finds more sacrificial victims. Anchored by a memorably unhinged starring performance by Jack Palace, director Freddie Francis’ blending of occult horror and police thriller CRAZE (1974) remains an overlooked gem in the oeuvre of famed producer Herman Cohen.
Contenu et Bonus
- 2-disc Region Free Blu-ray Set
- PENNY GOLD and CRAZE scanned and restored in 4K from their 35mm original camera negatives
- CRUCIBLE OF TERROR scanned and restored in 2K from a 35mm vault positive
- Commentary track with writers/film critics Kim Newman and Stephen Jones for CRUCIBLE OF TERROR
- Commentary track with writers/film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw for PENNY GOLD
- Commentary track with writers/film critics Kim Newman and Stephen Jones for CRAZE
- Commentary track with filmmaker David DeCoteau and historian David Del Valle for CRAZE
- Happy Gatherings (10 min) - an interview with Judy Matheson, actress in CRUCIBLE OF TERROR
- In for a Pound (11 min) - an interview with Richard Heffer, actor in PENNY GOLD
- Archival career-spanning interview with Michael Jayston, actor in CRAZE (50 min)
- Inside sleeve artwork
- English SDH subtitles