*BANDING HAS WEAR AND CASE HAS DENTS
Release date: 30 January 2023
Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set (World Blu-ray premieres)
Amongst overlooked filmmakers, British director Michael J Murphy ranks as one of the most sorely neglected. Having cut his teeth on a variety of homemade 8mm shorts, he had completed three feature-length productions by the age of eighteen. Over the next five decades, Murphy would go on to make many more films across a variety of genres, dividing his production time between Greece, Portugal, and the UK, with family, friends, and local stage performers becoming his regular cast and crew in exchange for holidays in the sun.
Despite this prolific output a total of more than thirty completed films over a half-century, of which twenty-six survive Murphys work remains rarely seen and little championed. Fitfully available on videotape, and barely represented on DVD, this comprehensive and long-gestating ten-disc Blu-ray collection seeks to rectify that situation once and for all. Boasting all-new 2K restorations from archival 16mm and 8mm elements, as well as a number of new digital captures from Murphys personal tape masters, this extensive retrospective of the obsessive auteurs work is bolstered by a wealth of bonus features, including surviving fragments from lost works, and a 120-page book, all of which provides the definitive account of the weird and wonderful worlds of Britains great unheralded DIY filmmaker.
INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 10 x BLU-RAY BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES
DISC ONE
- All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films ofTristan & Iseult(1970),Happy Ever After(1974),Secrets(1977), andAlmost a Movie!(1979)
- Original mono audio
- Murphys Lore, Part 1: Origin(2023, 22 mins): first instalment of a three-part documentary exploring Michael J Murphys career, featuring archival interviews with Murphy, and newly filmed interiews with actors Phil Lyndon, Judith Holding, Patrick Olliver, Steve Longhurst, and June Bunday
- Surviving fragments from lost Murphy worksAtlantis: City of Sin(1967, 6 mins),Boadicea(1968, 5 mins),Gods and Heroes(1971, 2 mins),Seventh Day(first version, 1976, 7 mins),Insight(1978, 3 mins), andSeventh Day(second version, 1979, 5 mins)
- Seventh Day(second version) outtakes
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC TWO
- All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films ofThe Cell(1980),Stay(1980),Death in the Family(1981),Invitation to Hell(1982), andThe Last Night(1982)
- Original mono audio
- Audio commentaries onInvitation to HellandThe Last Nightwith Murphy, Lyndon and Sally Duncan (2008)
- Audio commentary onInvitation to Hellwith academic and writer Johnny Walker (2023)
- The Making of Invitation to Hell & The Last Night(2008, 15 mins)
- The Last Nightalternative titles and credits
- Stayouttakes
- Original Stay 7 single
- Trailers forInvitation to HellandThe Last Night
- Custom Video logo reel
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- Invitation to Hellscript gallery
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC THREE
- Standard Definition presentation ofQulen(1983), newly digitised and compiled from rare surviving tape sources
- All-new 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films ofBloodstream(1985), using Super 8 film elements from the Michael J Murphy archives
- Alternative presentation ofQulenunder the US distribution title,The Hereafter
- Early version ofBloodstream, featuring alternative dubbing for two of the characters, which was pirated and distributed against Murphys wishes
- Original mono audio
- Michael J Murphy Presents(2015, 19 mins): career-spanning tribute made shortly after the directors death
- 16mm test footage (3 mins): material shot by Murphy in the early 1980s
- Bloodstreampromo
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- QulenandBloodstreamscript galleries
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC FOUR
- Standard Definition presentation ofTristan(1986), newly digitised from Murphys original tape master
- Standard Definition presentation ofDeath Run(1987), newly digitised and compiled from rare surviving tape sources
- Two presentations ofTristan: the original 109-minute cut; and Murphys 88-minuteLegend of a Herore-edit
- Original mono audio
- Murlyns Cave(2023, 22 mins): footage of Murphys friends and collaborators salvaging rare promotional materials, production equipment, props and other materials from the directors home shortly after his death in 2015
- Legend of a HeroandDeath Runtrailers
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- TristanandDeath Runscript galleries
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC FIVE
- Standard Definition presentation ofAvalon(1988), newly digitised from Michael J Murphys original tape master
- All-new 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films ofMoonchild(1989), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
- Original mono audio
- Murphys Lore, Part 2: Method(2023, 21 mins): second instalment of a three-part documentary about Murphys career, featuring archival interviews with the director, as well as regular Murphy actors Patrick Olliver and Phil Lyndon, in which they share insights and anecdotes about shooting the many films they have made together
- Avalontrailers
- Moonchildtrailer
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- Avalonscript gallery
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC SIX
- All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films ofTorment(1990) andAtlantis(1991), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
- Original mono audio
- Audio commentary onAtlantiswith Murphy and actors Lyndon, Judith Holding and June Bunday (2010)
- The Making of Atlantis(c.2000, 7 mins): archival retrospective documentary
- The Making of Atlantis(2009, 7 mins): alternative retrospective documentary, prepared for a planned, but unrealised DVD release
- Atlantisalternative titles and credits
- Bloopers reel (198791, 6 mins): mishaps and mistakes from Murphy film sets
- Tormenttrailer
- Atlantistrailers
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- Atlantisscript gallery
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC SEVEN
- Standard Definition presentation ofSecond Sight(1991), newly digitised from Michael J Murphys tape master
- All-new 2K restoration by Powerhouse Films ofRoad to Nowhere(1993), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
- Original mono audio
- Mike Gives Us a Tour of His Home and Studio(2014, 12 mins): the director hosts an intimate journey through his house and his career, revealing insights about some typically resourceful production techniques along the way
- Road to Nowherealternative end credits
- Road to Nowheretrailer
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC EIGHT
- All-new 2K restorations by Powerhouse Films ofThe Rite of Spring(1995) andTristan(1999), using 16mm film elements from the Murphy archives
- Two presentations ofThe Rite of Spring: the original version (90 mins, High Definition); and the re-edited version (81 mins, Standard Definition)
- Two presentations ofTristan: the original version (108 mins, High Definition); and the re-edited version (102 mins, Standard Definition)
- Original mono audio
- Horror-on-Sea Interview with Michael J Murphy(2013, 65 mins): the prolific filmmaker in conversation with his regular acting collaborators, June Bunday and Phil Lyndon, recorded for the much-loved British horror festival
- The Rite of Spring: Behind the Scenes(1995, 41 mins)
- Tristanalternative titles and credits
- The Rite of Springtrailer
- Tristantrailer
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- Tristanscript gallery
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC NINE
- Standard Definition presentations ofRoxi(2004) andSkare(2009), newly remastered from Michael J Murphys digital archive
- Original stereo audio
- Audio commentary onSkarewith Murphy and regular actor Judith Holding (2009)
- The Making of Roxi(2004, 13 mins)
- Outtakes fromRoxiandSkare
- The Making of Skare(2009, 15 mins)
- Skarealternative opening and end credits
- Skarescript readthrough (2004, 47 mins)
- Surviving extracts and rehearsal footage from the lost 2001 version ofSkare(2001, 41 mins)
- Oliver Price audio commentary on selected rushes from the 2001 version ofSkare(2023, 2 mins)
- Michael J Murphy on Chris Jupps Beast(2010, 5 mins): the filmmaker discusses the other 2009 remake of his original story
- Trailers
- Image gallery: original promotional materials
- Script galleries
- Another Mans Poison: Murphys short story, and the basis forSkare
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
DISC TEN
- Standard Definition presentation ofZK3(2012), newly remastered from Murphys digital archive
- High Definition presentations ofNekros: Isle of the Dead(2014) andThe Return of Alan Strange(2015), newly remastered from Murphys digital archive
- Original stereo audio
- Murphys Lore, Part 3: Legacy(2023, 25 mins): final instalment of a three-part documentary assessing Murphys career and legacy, featuring interviews with British filmmakers, cinema programmers, film historians, and writers
- The Making of ZK3(2012, 11 mins)
- ZK3 Premiere(2012, 11 mins): mock awards ceremony
- Nekros: Behind the Scenes(2014, 17 mins and 54 mins): two presentations one fully edited; the other, a rough assembly
- Wish You Were Here(2014, 3 mins): actor Phil Lyndon fronts a tongue in-cheek video
- The Return of Alan Strangeproduction footage
- Trailers
- Image gallery
- ZK3script gallery
- New English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- World premieres on Blu-ray
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