THIS APRIL, CLASSES ARE IN SESSION WITH ONE OF
BRITISH FILM’S MOST BELOVED AND ECCENTRIC
COMEDY STARS IN A SEMINAL BLU-RAY COLLECTOR’S SET FEATURING FOUR DIGITALLY RESTORED CLASSICS
ALASTAIR SIM’S SCHOOL FOR LAUGHTER
THE BELLES OF ST. TRINIAN’S
SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS
LAUGHTER IN PARADISE
HUE AND CRY
Street Date: April 21, 2020
Blu-ray: $69.95
Available on Blu-ray for the First Time in North America,
This Guffaw-Inducing Set Features Over Two Hours of Bonus Content, Including Featurettes and Interviews, and a 24-page booklet with a
New Essay by Film Scholar Robert Bergen
SYNOPSIS
Perhaps best remembered as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Scottish character actor Alastair Sim became a leading star of British cinema after spending five years as a lecturer of elocution at the University of Edinburgh. One of the best-loved and most prolific actors in classic British comedy, Sim, who often appeared in multiple roles, starred in more than fifty films beginning in 1935 and was both critically acclaimed and unfailingly popular, regularly topping the cinema-goers popularity polls. This April, courtesy of Film Movement Classics, classes are now back in session with ALASTAIR SIM’S SCHOOL FOR LAUGHTER, a seminal 4-disc Blu-ray collection spotlighting his most laughter-inducing film roles — now digitally restored in HD for optimal viewing.
THE BELLES OF ST. TRINIAN’S (1954, directed by Frank Launder)
The schoolgirls of St. Trinian’s are more interested in men and mischief than homework and hockey, but even greater trouble beckons with the arrival of two new students. Features Alastair Sim playing dual roles as the headmistress, Miss Millicent Fritton, and her twin brother, Clarence. Based on the cartoons of Ronald Searle.
SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS (1960, directed by Robert Hamer)
Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) tries hard to impress but always loses out to the rotter Delauney (Terry-Thomas). Then he enrolls in the “College of Lifemanship” run by “Professor” Stephen Potter (Alastair Sim) and learns “how to win without actually cheating!” But has he the courage to put all his lessons into effect? From the director of Kind Hearts and Coronets.
LAUGHTER IN PARADISE (1951, directed by Mario Zampi)
Famed Practical joker Henry Russell (Hugh Griffith) leaves 50,000 pounds to his four surviving relatives, including his cousin, retired army officer Deniston Russell (Alastair Sim). There’s just one stipulation – each of them has to undertake a task completely out of character for one month. As each sets out on their objective they find that quite apart from the promised riches, they are unexpectedly getting a lot out of the challenge. All except caddish Simon Russell, that is. Released in 1951, Laughter In Paradise was Britain’s top-grossing film. Watch carefully and see a young Audrey Hepburn in a bit part as a cigarette girl.
HUE AND CRY (1947, directed by Charles Crichton)
The first of the Ealing Studios “comedies.” After discovering that his favorite comic is being used to send messages between a master criminal and his gang of thieves, teenager Joe Kirby (Harry Fowler) sets out to alert writer Felix Wilkinson (Alastair Sim) and turn the page on the crooks.
BONUS FEATURES
THE BELLES OF ST. TRINIAN’S
The Girls of St. Trinian’s featurette
Interview with film historian Geoff Brown
Interview with Dr. Melanie Williams, Sr. Lecturer in Film Studies, UEA
Interview with Alastair Sim’s Daughter, Meredith McKendrick
Interview with Steve Chibnall, Professor of British Cinema, De Montfort University
SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS
Interview with Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw
Interview with Graham McCann, Terry-Thomas biographer
Interview with Chris Potter, Stephen Potter’s grandson
School for Scoundrels restored trailer
HUE AND CRY
Interview with Steve Chibnall, Prof. of British Cinema, De Montfort U.
Locations Featurette
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Type: Blu-ray (New Digital Restorations)
Running Time: 365 Total minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio: THE BELLES OF ST. TRINIAN’S, LAUGHTER IN PARADISE, HUE AND CRY ; 1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio: SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS
Audio: Mono
About Film Movement
Founded in 2002 as one of the first-ever subscription film services with its DVD-of-the-Month club, Film Movement is now a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City. It has released more than 250 feature films and shorts culled from prestigious film festivals worldwide. Film Movement’s theatrical releases include American independent films, documentaries, and foreign art house titles. Its catalog includes titles by directors such as Hirokazu Kore-eda, Maren Ade, Jessica Hausner, Andrei Konchalovsky, Andrzej Wajda, Diane Kurys, Ciro Guerra and Melanie Laurent. In 2015, Film Movement launched its reissue label Film Movement Classics, featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on Blu-ray and DVD, including films by such noted directors as Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway, Bille August, Marleen Gorris, Takeshi Kitano, Arturo Ripstein, King Hu, Sergio Corbucci and Ettore Scola. For more information, please visit www.filmmovement.com. Visit www.filmmovementplus.com for more information about Film Movement Plus, the new subscription streaming service from Film Movement.
