PRODUCT INFORMATION
Hammer Volume Five: Death & Deceit collects four films from the early sixties which found the studio looking beyond the horror genre for its next box-office success. Visa to Canton (1961, released in the US as Passport to China) is a torn-from-the-headlines spy thriller; The Pirates of Blood River (1962), starring Kerwin Mathews (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) and Christopher Lee (The Face of Fu Manchu), is a swashbuckling adventure; The Scarlet Blade (1963, released in the US as The Crimson Blade) is an English Civil War-set actioner which follows the fortunes of Cromwell’s Roundheads; and The Brigand of Kandahar (1965) takes Hammer to the North-West Frontier for an action-adventure starring Ronald Lewis (Taste of Fear) and Oliver Reed (The System). All four films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, while Visa to Canton, The Scarlet Blade and The Brigand of Kandahar make their world Blu-ray premieres. This limited edition box set is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units.
FEATURES:
VISA TO CANTON
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Alternative feature presentation with the US Passport to China titles
Audio commentary with film historian Kevin Lyons (2020)
Hammer’s Women: Lisa Gastoni (2020): profile of the Hammer star by critic and writer Virginie Sélavy
Ticket to Ride (2020): film historian Vic Pratt discusses ethnocentrism in sixties British cinema
David Huckvale on Edwin Astley (2020): appreciation of the film’s score by the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Original theatrical trailer
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Josephine Botting, an account of the RB-47 affair which inspired Visa to Canton, an overview of promotional materials, and film credits
World premiere on Blu-ray
THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Audio commentary with screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, art director Don Mingaye and Hammer historian Marcus Hearn (2008)
Hammer’s Women: Marla Landi (2020): profile of the Hammer star by film historian Kat Ellinger
Stephen Laws Introduces ‘The Pirates of Blood River’ (2020): an appreciation by the acclaimed horror author
Andrew Keir at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1993): archival video recording of the acclaimed actor in conversation with Stephen Laws
Did I Write That? (2020): Jonathan Rigby, author of English Gothic, discusses the career of Jimmy Sangster
David Huckvale on Gary Hughes (2020): appreciation of the film’s score by the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Yes, We Have No Piranhas (2020): video essay on the censorship history of The Pirates of Blood River
Original theatrical trailer
Brian Trenchard-Smith trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Lindsay Hallam, Jimmy Sangster on The Pirates of Blood River, a selection of promotional materials, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray
THE SCARLET BLADE
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Alternative feature presentation with the US The Crimson Blade titles
Audio commentary with film historian Kevin Lyons (2020)
Hammer’s Women: June Thorburn (2020): profile of the Hammer star by film historian Josephine Botting
Stephen Laws Introduces ‘The Scarlet Blade’ (2020): an appreciation by the acclaimed horror author
Interviews with Hugh Harlow and Pauline Wise (2020): the second assistant director and continuity person discuss the making of The Scarlet Blade
Almost an Auteur (2020): horror author and critic Kim Newman considers the films which writer-director John Gilling made for Hammer
David Huckvale on Gary Hughes (2020): appreciation of the film’s score by the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Original US theatrical trailer
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Neil Sinyard, an extract from Oliver Reed’s autobiography, a selection of promotional materials, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
World premiere on Blu-ray
THE BRIGAND OF KANDAHAR
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Audio commentary with film historian Vic Pratt (2020)
Hammer’s Women: Yvonne Romain (2020): profile of the Hammer star by film historian Melanie Williams
Stephen Laws Introduces ‘The Brigand of Kandahar’ (2020): an appreciation by the acclaimed horror author
Adventures in Film (2020): writer and historian Neil Sinyard examines the career and reputation of writer-director John Gilling
David Huckvale on Don Banks (2020): appreciation of the film’s score by the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Original theatrical trailer
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Naman Ramachandran, an extensive selection of promotional materials, and film credits
World premiere on Blu-ray
Limited edition box set of 6,000 numbered units.
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