Marlene Dietrich at Universal 1940-1942 Blu-ray cover detailHollywood classics, cult favourites and big screen landmarks arrive on BFI Blu-ray early in the New Year.
January 2021 sees 4 classics from the golden age of Hollywood – all starring the iconic Marlene Dietrich – arrive on a 4-disc Blu-ray box set. Following a month-long season at BFI Southbank celebrating her career, Marlene Dietrich at Universal 1940-42 showcases Dietrich’s alluring and enduring persona via a series of films made at the studio in the early 1940s. Featuring supporting performances from the likes of John Wayne and Broderick Crawford, the set includes Seven Sinners (d. Tay Garnett, 1940), Flame of New Orleans (d. René Clair, 1941), The Spoilers (d. Ray Enright, 1942) and Pittsburgh (d. Lewis Seiler, 1942) – all on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.
Also in January, Blue Sky (1994), the final film by director Tony Richardson (released posthumously), receives its UK Blu-ray debut. Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Jessica Lange – in an Academy Award-winning performance – this thrilling whistleblower drama is an exhilarating finale to one of cinema’s most distinguished and celebrated careers.
March sees Leontine Sagan’s landmark of LGBTIQ+ cinema Mädchen in Uniform (1931) released on dual format edition Blu-ray and DVD. Scheduled to coincide with the 2021 edition of the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, this pioneering milestone proved decades ahead of its time and remains a potent and powerful depiction of repressed love.
Gary Oldman and Lena Olin star in Peter Medak’s gripping mid-1990s cult classic Romeo Is Bleeding (1993). Featuring twists, turns and thrills aplenty, this bold and absorbing neo-noir will be available on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK from March 2021.
March also sees Peter Bogdanovich’s indie classic Targets (1968) receive its Blu-ray debut. Hailed as one of the most powerful films of the late 1960s, the film, executive produced by the legendary Roger Corman, launched the career of its director and is presented here in a brand-new high-definition remaster.
And finally, as previously announced, Riz Ahmed stars in Mogul Mowgli, a bold, vital and electrifying exploration of heritage and identity, directed by Bassam Tariq. Released to rave reviews and screening in cinemas UK-wide from 30 October, the film comes to BFI Blu-ray in February 2021.