[Susan Foreman]

'COLUMBIA NOIR #2' (1947 / 1950 / 1951 / 1952 / 1955 / 1958) - Limited edition Blu-ray pre-order available from Powerhouse direct - £49.99

Release date: February 15

"Our second Columbia Noir box set takes a dive once more into the studio’s archives and the world of film noir – a world of undercover detectives (The Mob) and emotionless hitmen (Murder by Contract), a world where film is inspired by real-life criminal activities (Tight Spot, based loosely on Virginia Hill’s testimony against Bugsy Siegel) and real-life criminal activities are inspired by film (711 Ocean Drive, which attracted the unwanted attention of mobsters), and a world where Glenn Ford finds himself unwittingly embroiled in murder – twice (Framed, Affair in Trinidad).

All six films are presented for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK, with The Mob, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract making their world Blu-ray premieres. This stunning collection includes newly recorded commentaries on each film, assorted bonus materials, including six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features, a 120-page book, and is strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units"

INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES

• High Definition presentations of Framed, 711 Ocean Drive, The Mob, Affair in Trinidad, and Tight Spot
• 2K restoration of Murder by Contract
• Original mono soundtracks
• Audio commentary with author and critic Imogen Sara Smith on Framed (2021)
• Audio commentary with author and critic Glenn Kenny on 711 Ocean Drive (2021)
• Audio commentary with filmmaker and archivist Gina Telaroli on The Mob (2021)
• Audio commentary with author and film historian Lee Gambin on Affair in Trinidad (2021)
• Audio commentary with film historian Nora Fiore on Tight Spot (2021)
• Audio commentary with novelist and film historian Farran Smith Nehme on Murder by Contract (2021)
• Introduction to Murder by Contract by Martin Scorsese (2014)
• The Guardian Interview with Ernest Borgnine (2001): archival audio recording of the much-loved character actor in conversation with Clyde Jeavons at the National Film Theatre, London
• Interview with Peter Ford (2012): archival recording of the son of Glenn Ford discussing his father’s career with the Film Noir Foundation’s Eddie Muller
• Swedes in America (1943): Oscar-nominated short film from Murder by Contract director Irving Lerner, in which Ingrid Bergman explains the influence of Swedish immigrants on the United States
• Diary of a Sergeant (1945): documentary portrait of Harold Russell, the soldier who lost his hands during World War II and would later win an Oscar for his performance in The Best Years of Our Lives, and his rehabilitation, directed by 711 Ocean Drive’s Joseph M Newman
• The Steps of Age (1951): dramatised documentary by Ben Maddow, screenwriter of Framed, demonstrating the challenges of growing old as seen through of the eyes of a retired widow
• Caribbean (1951): documentary by the Crown Film Unit, contemporaneous to Affair in Trinidad, depicting the West Indies, British Guiana, and British Honduras
• Six short films starring the Three Stooges, lampooning the tropes and themes of the features included in this set: Violent Is the Word for Curly (1938), Saved by the Belle (1939), Three Sappy People (1939), Idiots Deluxe (1945), Up in Daisy’s Penthouse (1953), and Hot Stuff (1956)
• Original theatrical trailers for 711 Ocean Drive, The Mob, Affair in Trinidad, Tight Spot and Murder by Contract
• Murder by Contract trailer commentary: short appreciation by screenwriter Larry Karaszewski
• Image galleries: publicity and promotional materials
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive 120-page book with new essays by Melanie Williams, Ellen Cheshire, Simon Abrams, Kulraj Phullar, Tara Judah, and David Thompson; extracts from interviews with director Phil Karlson, screenwriter Ben Maddow, and others; an extract from Vincent Sherman’s autobiography; archival news articles, interviews, and reviews; new writing on the short films; and full film credits
• World and UK premieres on Blu-ray
• Limited edition box set of 6,000 numbered units

MORE EXTRAS TO BE ANNOUNCED