Top 10 Discs Of 2013: Number 1. Sleepwalker. BFI

I noted at the beginning of this exercise that my choices for the Top 10 Discs of 2013 were in no order of preference, and that still holds true with the exception of number one, which really does stand out for me as the best and the most welcome release of last year.

Saxon Logan's Sleepwalker has a history that goes back to 1984, and a time when UK film policy changed forever; a state of affairs which denied people the chance to see the film. Now, Sleepwalker has risen like a phoenix from the ashes and has become one of the jewels in the BFI's 'Flipside' series of releases. The disc contains some terrific extras, together with a fascinating and extremely moving interview with the director that showcases a remarkable career and a true passion for filmmaking.

You can read my original review (written several years ago after catching a rare theatrical screening by clicking HERE and you can also read my review of this disc by clicking HERE

I'm aware and very grateful this blog receives visitors from all around the world, so I want to amplify the point that the Sleepwalker Blu-ray is Region-Free so jump all over this one people and hurry. It won't be available to buy forever!

Selecting my top 10 choices has been pleasurable but extremely difficult, with some titles so very hard to leave out. So, I'd like to conclude by mentioning some of the other discs that have marked me over the course of the last 12 months.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (Arrow Video)

Blowout (Arrow Video)

Dr Mabuse der Spieler (Masters Of Cinema)

Like Someone To Love (New Wave Films)

Baron Blood (Arrow Video)

Heaven's Gate (Second Sight)

Robin Redbreast (BFI DVD)

2013 was a great year for Home Video releases. Let us hope 2014 is just as good.

Top 10 Discs Of 2013: Number 2: The Long Goodbye. Arrow Academy

Great transfer for Robert Altman's classic, and a wealth of mouth-watering extras that really deliver the goods by enhancing our enjoyment and appreciation of this film.

You can read my review of this disc by clicking HERE

Top 10 Discs Of 2013: Number 3. Possession. Second Sight

Andrzej Zulawski's intensely shocking film came to Blu-ray in July of 2013, and this astonishing account of a the aftermath of a marital split featuring violence, self-mutilation and a hideous tentacled creature was originally banned in the UK.
Second Sight's Blu-ray benefits from an excellent transfer and the following supplementary material:

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL – THE MAKING OF POSSESSION
AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR ANDRZEJ ZULAWSKI
AUDIO COMMENTARY WITH CO-WRITER FREDERIC TUTEN
ANDRZEJ ZULAWSKI INTERVIEW
REPOSSESSED – The film’s UK and US reception, the ‘video nasties’ furore and the American recut

A DIVIDED CITY – Interview with the composer Andrzej Korzynski
OUR FRIEND IN THE WEST – Interview with legendary producer Christian Ferry

BASHA – featurette on the artist who created the famed film poster
THEATRICAL TRAILER

Top 10 Discs Of 2013: Number Four. Opening Night BFI

One of the most welcome Home Video releases of the year saw John Cassavetes' Opening Night come to Blu-ray with a fine transfer and some valuable supplementary material.

You can read my review of this disc by clicking HERE

Top Ten Discs of 2013: Number 5. Spider Baby. Arrow Video

Aka "The Maddest Story Ever Told", 'Spider Baby' was Jack Hill's first solo feature, and concerns a trio of siblings who suffer from 'Merrye Syndrome'a condition that causes them to mentally regress backwards.Lon Chaney Jr gave his last memorable performance here as their guardian Bruno, and Sid Haig and Carol Ohmart also star in a film that gets weirder and more damnably entertaining with every passing minute.
The Blu-ray transfer is exemplary, with a nice line of grain evident and impressive depth and contrast.
There's infinite replay value to be had here, and Hill's macabre masterpiece is honoured by the comprehensive extras which are as follows:

High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the main feature, available in the UK for the very first time.
- High Definition transfer of the feature approved by director Jack Hill.
- English SDH subtitles for deaf and hearing impaired.
- Audio commentary featuring Jack Hill and star Sid Haig.
- Panel discussion from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences “FILM-TO-FILM” Festival, recorded September 2012, featuring Jack Hill and stars Quinn K. Redeker and Beverly Washburn.
- “The Hatching of Spider Baby” – Interviews with Jack Hill, Sid Haig, star Mary Mitchel, fan Joe Dante and more on the making of the film.
- “Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein” – The composer of ‘The Terror’ and ‘Attack of the 50 Foot Woman’ among others is remembered by Harlene Stein, Jack Hill, American Cinematheque’s Chris D. and others.
- “The Merrye House Revisited” – Jack Hill revisits the original house that was used as the main location in the film.
- Alternate opening title sequence.
- Extended scene.
- Original Trailer.
- Gallery of behind-the-scenes images.
- The Host (1960) – Jack Hill’s early short film featuring Sid Haig in his first starring role.
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham ‘Evil Dead’ Humpreys.
- Collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by artist and writer Stephen R. Bissette, and an extensive article re-printed from FilmFax: The Magazine of Unusual Film and Television featuring interviews with the cast and crew, illustrated with original stills and artwork.

Highly recommended.

Blu-ray Review: The Epic Of Everest

With its summit proudly standing some 29,000 ft above sea level, Mount Everest has long been a source of fascination and dogged ambition for people all around the world.

In 1924, George Mallory and Sandy Irvine attempted to reach the summit and actually got further than any previous expedition, though we'll probably never know exactly how close they got to the top. This treacherous journey was caught on camera by Captain John Noel and, some 90 years on, remains a breathtaking and emotional experience that has been restored and brought to Blu-ray by the BFI.
The Epic Of Everest serves not only as a visual documentation of the expedition - punctuated by often heartbreaking inter-titles - but also as one of the earliest records on film of the Tibetan people who live in the shadow of what they call Chomolungma, Goddess Mother Of The World.

Noel had actually gone into Tibet in 1913, reaching a place called Tashirak which lies just 40 miles from the mountain; a journey which inspired him to one day return with the aim of conquering Everest. Using some amazing state-of-the-art photographic equipment, Noel has left us with a visually stunning record of the expedition, following the intrepid team as they negotiate the lakes, valleys and ridges that lead to a place nearer to God than any man had ever reached before. Irvine was the youngest of the party at just 22 years of age, and was last seen with Mallory some 600 ft from the summit of Everest. After that last sighting, the party had no knowledge of their situation, leaving only two conclusions to be drawn: the pair had reached the summit but lacked any remaining strength to make their way down, or they fell short of their goal and froze to death with the summit so tantalisingly close. I'm sure we all like to think those heroic men reached the top and hel each other tight in the knowledge that Everest's summit, for just a short while, was populated by living, breathing men whose graves would soon take the form of a pure white blanket of snow.

The BFI Blu-ray presents The Epic Of Everest via a restoration from nitrate positives held by the Institute's National Archive, and taken from two existing copies with the best source for each shot determined. The result is an incedibly detailed work, capturing the mountain's beauty and also its unforgiving nature.

Frozen mist and glacial ice, evening light beams dancing on the ice world all around and gorgeous colour tinted sequences are all a joy to behold, and hugely benefit from the collaboration with Captain Noel's daughter, Sandra.
The extras on this disc begin with 'Introducing The Epic Of Everest' where Sandra Noel and Bryony Dixon (curator of silent film at the BFI) discuss the background and filming process. 'Restoring The Epic Of Everest' is a discussion on the film's restoration process with Bryony Dixon, Ben Thompson (BFI National Archive) and Lisa Copson (Deluxe Digital) where the importance of staying true to the films origins is underlined.
'Scoring The Epic Of Everest' is a conversation with Simon Fisher Turner who was commissioned by the BFI to write a new score. Here, he discusses his approach to his work on this project and how he went with raw musicians to realise a modern sound. Certainly, his beautiful shimmering score adds vivid brushstrokes to Noel's compelling visuals and is an out-and-out success, with Mojo Magazine voting it number one soundtrack of the year.
Completists will also enjoy the inclusion of the original 1924 score as recreated by Julie Brown who is a specialist on film music and early twentieth-century concert music, and there are also additional music pieces that accompanied the film on its first screening at the Scala in London.
This dual format edition has the 1924 film programme downloadable from the DVD as a PDF, and the BFI have included a 30 page illustrated booklet with essays and contributions from Sandra Noel, explorer Wade Davis, Julie Brown, Simon Fisher Turner and the BFI's Kieron Webb. It's a wholly satisfying and informative way to end this very special package.
The Epic Of Everest is released on 27th January.

DVD Review: Hunt Vs Lauda: Grand Prix's Greatest Racing Rivals

Originally screened on BBC4, Hunt Vs Lauda is a riveting 52 minute documentary account of the monumental 1976 Formula 1 season. The battle for number one spot between the Britain's James Hunt and Austria's Niki Lauda went all the way to the very last of sixteen races, and the drama, controversy and courage will be talked about as long as Formula 1 exists.

Hunt was part of the Mclaren team, while Lauda drove under the Ferrari banner with all its wealth and power, and was determined to stay one step ahead of his playboy rival. In fact, Lauda soon established a 33 points to 6 lead over Hunt, and by the time we reached the halfway stage at the end of the 8th race, Lauda had 52 points to Hunt's 26. Could race 9 - which took place on Hunt's home turf - be the turning point? When the race was stopped, the partisan British crowd almost rioted and practically willed Hunt to gain first place on resumption of the battle. Hunt did exactly that, although Ferarri lodged an appeal which was eventually upheld weeks later.
Now all eyes were focused on the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, where Hunt further closed the gap when Lauda's car crashed and burst into flames, leaving the Austrian close to death. Incredibly, he was back in the saddle just 40 days later, permanently scarred but ready to race for the title.
By the time we reached the final race in Japan, Lauda was just 3 points ahead and further drama was about to unfold.

It's an amazing story, told in this DVD from Delta Leisure with valuable contributions from Lauda, Daniele Audetto (Ferrari F1 team manager), Alastair Caldwell (Mclaren team manager) and James' sister Sally. Together, they paint a compelling picture of two fierce rivals who shared friendship and respect for each other during their titanic struggle. These interviews are punctuated with some terrific race footage and behind-the-scenes clips that will delight Formula 1 addicts. Throughout, the differing personalties and racing agenda's of the two men come to the fore: the late James Hunt being flamboyant on and off track, with Lauda being more reserved and adopting a scientific approach to racing.

With Ron Howard's 'Rush' on the way to UK cinemas, there is no better time to view this gripping account of the season that changed the face of Formula 1 forever.
Delta Leisure's DVD will be released in the UK on 27th January.

At this point, I'd just like to send prayers and all good wishes to Michael Schumacher, who is still gravely ill in hospital. Our thoughts are with him and his family.