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Its Exclusive! This April 4th
looks set to be a bumper day for Hammer fans, with at least three
Hammer titles out on the same day. Although we are still awaiting
confirmation of extras for the discs, we can at least present cover
art for the forthcoming UK Region 2 releases of Stolen
Face and Four Sided Triangle.
Whilst the latter has previously been available in the US on the
Anchor Bay label, Stolen Face is receiving a global debut. Alongside these dvds, DD are also releasing Mask
of Dust on dvd for the first time, as well as the
UK debut of Spaceways previously only
available from Image Entertainment in the US. The dvds are accompanied
by a selection of Hammer short films.
Stolen
Face was released in 1952, and was directed by Terence
Fisher, in one of his first assignments for the company. Lizabeth
Scott plays a dual role in this vaguely sci-fi tale about a woman
whose appearance is altered to look like another woman, in an attempt
at seduction. The tight little thriller also features Andre Morell
and Richard Wattis (Sykes, The Abominable Snowman).
We can also confirm,
that the Stolen Face (1952) dvd will also
include the film Danger List from 1957.
Danger List is a 22 minute short from Hammer, starring
the delectable Honor Blackman (The Avengers, To the
Devil A Daughter) as a nurse attempting to retrieve a lethal
medicine from her patients. This short film has been previously
unavailable on the legitimate domestic market.
Four
Sided Triangle (1952) is a similarly themed sci-fi
flick, concerning duplication and twisted love-triangles. The cast
includes Barbara Payton, and John Van Eyssen. Another Fisher-helmed
piece, which hints at the direction Hammer would take with the Frankenstein
franchise.
The Four
Sided Triangle dvd will contain similar material -
to be confirmed. We can now confirm the rest of the extra material.
This disc will include the short subject The Right Person
(1955). A half-hour thriller set in Copenhagen concerning NAZI wealth.
The disc will also include three gallerys of early Hammer images.
Whilst the Hammer short documentary Copenhagen was
rumoured to be set for release on this slate of releases, it is
now probable that the film will not be included owing to problems
with the master material.
Also set for release
in this slate is Hammer's first foray into science fiction proper,
Spaceways (1953). The 75 minute piece
starring Howard Dugg and Eva Bartok was released by Image in the
US several years ago. Rather stagey, but important in terms of the
origins of British cinematic sf, and for Hammer's future (preceeding
Quatermass, and directed by Terence Fisher - Hammer's then favourite
director-for-hire). The DD disc is set to include the short Operation
Universe (1959), an half-hour colour scope film directed
by Peter Bryan about British scientists and the atomic way.
  Finally, and from what we can
gather - the last of the DD Hammer titles for the meantime, is the
never before released on domestic format, Mask of Dust
(1954), another Terence Fisher picture of some 80 mins duration,
and essentially the first British film centred around racing cars.
The film itself features newsreel footage of actual races. As supplemental
material the dvd includes original Movietone news reports:
BRM Wins at Goodwood; Motor Racing (the 1955 British
Grand Prix); Thank You, Stirling (career retrospective).
Each of the dvds
will include the usual 24 page booklet by Marcus Hearn and Jonathan
Rigby, including poster art, and rare stills.
When the dvds are
available to order, we will include the links for online purchase
here and on the main page.
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