Beats,
Rhymes
& Life
Persona
Film Skool
| Ingmar Bergman’s modernist masterpiece returns to the big screen in celebration of its 60th anniversary.
Exploring the volatile relationship between an actress and her nurse, Persona (1966) is arguably Bergman’s most audacious and formally innovative work, multi-levelled yet utterly lucid.
A Free Woman
Film Skool
| On the cusp of marriage, Liana becomes convinced she shouldn't live a life in service of a man. Instead, she leaves for Amalfi, where she embarks on an affair. From there she makes for Paris, but each new adventure is compromised by some kind of emotional constraint, culminating in a final act of tragedy. Vittorio Cottafavi's emotionally complex story exhibits the melodramatic finesse of Douglas Sirk with a style reminiscent of Max Ophuls.
The Hand
Film Skool
| IT HAS NO BRAIN, BUT IT CAN THINK. IT HAS NO SOUL, BUT IT CAN LIVE FOREVER. IT STRIKES WITHOUT WARNING.
A compelling tale of an artist struggling with his sanity after losing his limb, The Hand is a savvy and chilling mix of interpersonal drama, thriller and supernatural horror.
Comic book illustrator John Landsdale’s (Michael Caine) whole existence begins to unravel after he tragically loses his right hand in a road accident. His attempts to adjust to life without drawing prove difficult, and his already tense relationship with his wife Anne (Andrea Marcovicci, The Stuff) takes a turn for the worse. John’s frustration turns to anger and contempt at those around him, threatening to consume his body and psyche. But soon his mind becomes plagued with chilling visions of his disembodied hand committing horrific acts of violence, and one by one anyone who crosses him is mysteriously found dead...
Written and directed by Oliver Stone, with gripping performances and special effects courtesy of E.T. creator Carlo Rambaldi, The Hand is an 80s horror gem ripe for rediscovery.
Manhunter
Film Skool
| A vicious serial killer nicknamed the “Tooth Fairy” due to his penchant for biting his victims has savagely killed two families. With his unit having hit a wall in identifying the assailant, FBI supervisor Jack Crawford attempts to convince his former top profiler, Will Graham, to assist with the case. Graham is reluctant, still shaken by his work apprehending the brilliant yet sociopathic cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecktor, but eventually agrees. Fearing that another murder will soon take place, Graham realizes he must do the unthinkable: solicit help from Lecktor. As he ventures deeper into the world of serial murder and madness, his own perceptions of reality begin to falter. With paranoia and guilt setting in, he begins to question how close he can get to madness without going insane himself.
From visionary filmmaker Michael Mann (The Keep, Heat), adapting author Thomas Harris’ landmark bestseller Red Dragon, Manhunter remains one of the most astonishing and visually striking thrillers of the 1980s. Featuring William Petersen in what has been acclaimed as one of the greatest performances of his career, alongside three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen (The Crucible), Dennis Farina (Get Shorty), Stephen Lang, Tom Noonan (The House of the Devil), and Brian Cox in the first on-screen portrayal of Hannibal Lecktor, this visual feast of dread, photographed by two-time Oscar nominee Dante Spinotti (L.A. Confidential), at last comes to 4K UHD in its original and totally unaltered 1986 theatrical release version. Newly restored by Vinegar Syndrome exclusively for this release and featuring an extensive assortment of both new and archival bonus features, this is the ultimate home video presentation of an unforgettable shocker.
The Man Who Could Cheat Death
Film Skool
| Georges Bonner’s sculptures are the talk of Belle Époque Paris. His secret is rather more unsettling than his art.
Anton Diffring is chilling in Jimmy Sangster and Terence Fisher’s visually sumptuous shocker, with Hazel Court and Christopher Lee.
Painstakingly restored by Hammer in 4K from the original film negatives, with optional, originally censored scenes thought lost for years. Over six decades after its original release, the film arrives on UHD in the UK for the first time as a Limited Collector’s Edition.
Dune: Part Three
Film Skool
| Dune: Part Three is set nearly two decades after Paul Atreides seized control of the Imperium. Now a ruthless Emperor, Paul must face the consequences of his reign as old allies return, terrifying new threats emerge, and betrayal lurks in every shadow. Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and the reappearance of his long-lost love, Paul is drawn into a sweeping conspiracy, with Chani at the heart of its unfolding mystery. As rebellion brews and enemies close in, Paul must confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves the most.
