Withnail and I (Blu-Ray, #119)

The ultimate cult British comedy, Bruce Robinsons semi-autobiographical cinematic bender is a feast of delectably florid dialogue delivered with deadpan relish by stars Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann as, respectively, Withnail and I, a pair of perpetually soused, unemployed actors in 1960s London who, desperate to escape their nightmarishly grimy flat, embark on a hilariously misbegotten country getaway beset by menacing locals, bare cupboards, and a randy uncleall of which they may be able to withstand as long as they dont run out of alcohol. While Robinsons dazzling script yields quotable moments galore, its the films bittersweet evocation of a friendship gradually unraveling that gives this beloved end-of-youth tale its lasting poignancy.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Peter Hannan, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Two audio commentaries, one from 2020 featuring director Bruce Robinson, and the other from 2001 featuring actors Ralph Brown and Paul McGann
• New short program featuring Robinson and actor Richard E. Grant
• Withnail and Us(1999), a documentary on the making of the film
• British Film Institute Q&A from 2017 with Robinson and Grant
• Stills gallery featuring photographs by artist Ralph Steadman
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic David Cairns

  Illustration by Ralph Steadman