As has already been noted on this site and elsewhere, UK boutique label Powerhouse/Indicator are in the process of rolling out a series of high quality dual format (DVD/Blu-ray) releases. March sees three titles on the way and I'll be posting short comment pieces on each one.
First up is Fritz Lang's superior . Now I've already talked about the movie at length so I'm not going to go back over the same ground as my assessment of it as a piece of cinema hasn't changed - those thoughts can be found here. Instead, I want to refer to the new upgraded package now available. The image is very strong and solid, looking as crisp and clean as I've ever seen it, the kind of classy result that you can almost take as read with a David Mackenzie supervised encode.
This version also comes with a comprehensive and worthwhile package of supplementary features. There's good a three-way commentary track involving Nick Redman, Julie Kirgo and Lem Dobbs. In addition, we also have the opportunity to listen to the isolated score. Then we have the filmed features - two short pieces from filmmakers Martin Scorsese & Michael Mann, both giving their thoughts on the movie. Then there is a longer half hour appreciation of the film, presented within an overview of Lang's career, by Tony Rayns. Round it all off are subs for the hard of hearing, the theatrical trailer and an image gallery.
The movie is accompanied by a chunky, and handsomely illustrated, 35 page booklet edited by Jeff Billington and Nick Wrigley. Contained within is a detailed essay by Glenn Kenny as well as an extract from Peter Bogdanovich's 1967 book on Lang, which is essentially an interview with the director. Following on from that is a critical anthology and a short piece on way the movie was viewed by the Production Code.
All told, this is a fine package, the type of comprehensive appreciation the film richly deserves.
