STACK #190 Aug 2020

FILM FEATURE

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Collectors can look forward to five more classic films from new boutique Blu-ray label Imprint Films, available fromAugust 26. Words Scott Hocking

bonus features include commentary from George Stevens Jr. and executive producer Ivan Moffat; the theatrical trailer; and two featurettes on director Stevens, one of which features recollections from fellow filmmakers Frank Capra, Warren Beatty and more. Inspired by the Boston Strangler murders, the darkly comic thriller No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) sees a game of cat and mouse played out between a cop (George Segal) and a serial killer who is a master of disguise, played with over the top relish by Rod

Steiger. Author and Diabolique magazine editor Kat Ellinger provides an exclusive audio commentary. Based on the racy best- seller by Harold

WhenWorlds Collide (1951)

F ollowing its inaugural release in May, local Blu-ray label Imprint Films has a new slate of classics, all once again available in deluxe limited edition slipcases featuring unique artwork and exclusive bonus features. “Our vision was to create an ongoing collector’s series of quality films, released in HD with premium packaging and carefully curated exclusive bonus material,” says Josh Hibberd, Head of Acquisitions and Commercial Development at Via Vision Entertainment. “We really wanted to tap into the film collectors market that supports the physical medium, and who want to collect every numbered release.” Leading the August line-up is the 1950s science fiction spectacle from The War of the Worlds producer George Pal, WhenWorlds Collide (1951). This forerunner to the disaster movies of the ‘70s (and more recently Deep Impact , 1998) involves a rogue planet on a collision course with Earth, necessitating the construction of a space ark that will transport a lucky few – selected by lottery – to safety. The planet’s approach triggers volcanic eruptions and a tsunami that floods New York, and these well-executed VFX (for the time) resulted in the film winning the Oscar for Special Effects in 1952. Imprint’s limited edition includes a new and exclusive audio commentary from critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw, and

A Place in the Sun (1951)

Robbins and set in 1930s Hollywood, The Carpetbaggers (1964) stars George Peppard as a Howard Hughes- like industrialist, aviation pioneer and filmmaker; Alan Ladd (in his final film role) as western movie star Nevada Smith; and Carroll Baker as a blonde bombshell who performs a risky striptease act on a chandelier! Considered highly provocative and for “adults only”, the film seems tame by today’s standards, but it did push the boundaries at the time of its release, becoming the highest grossing film in 1964. Kat Ellinger provides a fascinating insight in an audio commentary that’s exclusive to this release. Rounding out Imprint’s new range is Night Falls on Manhattan (1996), starring Andy Garcia as a District Attorney who uncovers betrayal and corruption within his own ranks. Directed by Sidney Lumet, this largely overlooked crime drama echoes the filmmaker’s earlier acclaimed entries in the genre, Serpico (1973) and Prince of the City (1981). Extras include an audio commentary by Lumet; commentary by actors Andy Garcia and Rob Leibman, with producers Josh Kramer and Thom Mount; and the theatrical trailer.

over 90 minutes of extended interviews with genre luminaries like Ray Bradbury, Gene Roddenberry and Ray Harryhausen. Winner of five Oscars including Best Director and Screenplay, George Stevens’ noir masterpiece A Place in the Sun (1951) stars Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor as a poor factory worker and beautiful socialite, respectively, who fall truly, madly, deeply in love. But Shelley Winters is lurking on the sidelines as a former fling and the third side of a complicated love triangle. The 1080p transfer is taken from a recent 4K restoration and

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12 AUGUST 2020

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