Carol Reed's The Running Man (1963) - June 18, 2019

[MifuneFan]

Over a decade after redefining the thriller with The Third Man, director Carol Reed returned to the genre with The Running Man. Reuniting with that film’s cinematographer Robert Krasker (BAFTA-nominated for his work here), Reed goes in the opposite direction visually, framing the twisty plot in sun-kissed widescreen colour.

Rex Black (Laurence Harvey, Walk On The Wild Side) has successfully faked his death in a plane crash and escaped to sunny Málaga under a new identity, waiting for his wife Stella (Lee Remick, Anatomy Of A Murder) to arrive with £50,000 of life insurance money. It’s the start of a blissful, trouble-free new life for the couple – until Stephen (Alan Bates, Gosford Park), the insurance agent in charge of investigating Rex’s death, suddenly arrives in town. Is he just holidaying in Spain, as he claims, or is he on assignment to foil Rex’s scheme?

Adapted by John Mortimer (later the creator of Rumpole of the Bailey) from the novel The Ballad of the Running Man by Shelley Smith, this underappreciated entry in Reed’s celebrated oeuvre makes its official worldwide home video premiere, complete with insightful new bonus features.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• 2K restoration of the film by Sony Pictures
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-Ray presentation
• Original uncompressed mono audio
• Isolated music and effects track
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by Peter William Evans, author of British Film-Makers: Carol Reed
• On The Trail Of The Running Man, all-new featurette with crew members such as script supervisor Angela Allen and assistant director Kits Browning
• Lee Remick at the National Film Theatre, an audio-only recording of the actor's appearance at the NFT in 1970
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original artwork
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw[/

[javi92]

Never seen this, but I love Lee Remick (and Alan Bates). So I'm in for this one.

[The Great Owl]

Lee Remick.

Count me in!

[Richard--W]

Good news, this release. Somehow I never caught up with The Running Man so
this blu-ray is most welcome.

Carol Reed's films are peerless. Perhaps his lost comedy will be unearthed soon.
When I saw The Public Eye it was on the second half of a double-bill with
The Long Goodbye, in 1973:

[StarDestroyer52]

I can't wait for Diabolik to get this one up. I also love that slipcover with Lee Remick.

[ArnoldLayne56]

Are you kidding me? Look at those close-ups!
I'm getting this just to look at Lee Remick close-ups at 120".

[Monterey Jack]

Where's Arnie...?

[Mister VistaVision]

Been waiting 44 years to see HARD CONTRACT for the first time, but I don't think Fox will throw me a bone before I die.

[Losey]

There’s a great release from Japan under alternative title Follow Me!: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Follow-Me-Blu-ray/55487/

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by Losey

There’s a great release from Japan under alternative title Follow Me!: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Follow-Me-Blu-ray/55487/

How about that. Thanks for the alert. I'll pick it up.

Carol Reed was a director's director. I love his work. Really looking forward to THE RUNNING MAN.