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Directed by John Mackenzie
UK 1980
A combustible performance from Bob Hoskins is the fuse that lights this underworld saga, a landmark of British crime cinema. Hoskins plays Harold Shand, an ambitious London mobster who, just as he attempts to close a major real-estate deal with the American Mafia, finds his crime empire rocked by a string of attacks, sending him on a ruthless quest to find out who’s responsible. Abetted by an ice-cool performance from Helen Mirren as Shand’s in-command moll, The Long Good Friday is not only a gripping gangster thriller but also a vivid portrait of late-1970s Britain—a powder keg of cultural and political tensions on the verge of explosion. *** The Long Good Friday is a textbook example of what a commercial British picture should be - which makes it all the more ironic that, due to various legal snarl-ups, the film was never actually given a wide release in UK cinemas. It's a fast-paced thriller that's strikes the right balance between humour and seriousness, and manages to function as both a penetrating psychological character study and a fascinating social and historical snapshot of a certain place at a certain critical point in history. Mackenzie's achievement is to blend all these elements together into a satisfying whole without ever pulling his punches - this is one of that rare breed: a gangster film for adults... Excerpt from Neil Young's Jigsaw Lounge review located HERE. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: May 17th, 1980 (Cannes Film Market)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Review: Criterion - Region FREE - 4K UHD / Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: Arrow (UK) has released this in 4K UHD as an exclusive. Simultaneously released on Blu-ray by Criterion: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Criterion Spine #26 - Region FREE - 4K UHD | |
Runtime | 1:54:20.728 | |
Video |
1. 85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 36,464,116,785 bytesFeature: 34,352,885,760 bytesVideo Bitrate: 35.69 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio |
LPCM Audio English
1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB |
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Subtitles | English (SDH), None | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion
1. 85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 36,464,116,785 bytesFeature: 34,352,885,760 bytesVideo Bitrate: 35.69 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: 4K Ultra HD disc • Audio commentary with director John Mackenzie
Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray • Audio commentary with director John Mackenzie • Introduction by Criterion Collection curatorial director Ashley Clark (6:08)
Blu-ray 2
Chapters 20 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
and
4K UHD
captures were taken directly from the respective
discs.
NOTE: 68 more more full resolution Blu-ray captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HEREWe have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages recently: The Ladykillers (software uniformly simulated HDR), Torso (software uniformly simulated HDR), All of Us Strangers, Last Year at Marienbad (NO HDR applied to disc), Peril & Distress (And Soon the Darkness / Sudden Terror) (NO HDR applied to disc), The Case of the Bloody Iris (software uniformly simulated HDR), Reptilicus (software uniformly simulated HDR), Risky Business (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Conversation (software uniformly simulated HDR), Perfect Days, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Le samouraï (software uniformly simulated HDR), Castle of Blood (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (HDR), Fist of Legend (HDR), American Gigolo (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Long Wait (no HDR,) Bound (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Valiant Ones (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mute Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Narc (software uniformly simulated HDR), Peeping Tom (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (software uniformly simulated HDR), High Noon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Criterion) (software uniformly simulated HDR), I Am Cuba (no HDR), The Demoniacs (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Nude Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nostalghia (no HDR), Werckmeister Harmonies (no HDR), Goin' South (software uniformly simulated HDR), La Haine (software uniformly simulated HDR,) All Ladies Do It (software uniformly simulated HDR), Old Henry (software uniformly simulated HDR), To Die For (software uniformly simulated HDR), Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR), Paths of Glory (software uniformly simulated HDR), Southern Comfort (software uniformly simulated HDR). On their 4K UHD, and Blu-ray feature, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. "The Long Good Friday" has plenty of violence including beatings, murder and an intense explosion that come through authentically flat but with some imposing depth. The memorable and highly charged score was by English rock, classical and film score composer Francis Monkman (MacKenzie's "The Innocent") who was a founding member of rock bands Curved Air and Sky. It has a wonderful energy with keyboards, orchestra brass, moody synthesizer and pulsating drum beats. Its intensity can almost eclipse the narrative. Really, a big part of the viewing experience. Criterion offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-rays and, region free, 4K UHD feature. On their 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs Criterion include the 2002 audio commentary by director John Mackenzie which still holds up and is informative into his filmmaking process. All other supplements are related to the two included Blu-rays. The first has the feature with the old commentary and a 6-minute introduction by Criterion Collection curatorial director Ashley Clark.
The second
Blu-ray
disc
has Bill Jones, Kim Leggatt and Ben Timlett's 2019 feature-length
documentary An Accidental Studio about the evolution of HandMade
Films. It has footage of co-founders George Harrison + Denis O'Brien plus
input from Ray Cooper, Python's Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, John Cleese,
Terry Jones, Eric Idle, and Michael Caine, Richard E. Grant, Bob Hoskins
plus many more. Notable films from the studio include
Monty Python's Life of Brian,
Time Bandits,
The Missionary,
Mona Lisa,
The Long Good Friday,
Bellman and True,
Withnail and I and
127 Hours. Included, running shy of an hour is Perry Martin's 2006
documentary Bloody Business about the making of the film featuring
interviews with Pierce Brosnan, Barry Hanson, Bob Hoskins, John Mackenzie,
Phil Meheux (Casino
Royale, The
Legend of Zorro) and Helen Mirren. There are also a short interviews
with Méheux and screenwriter Barrie Keeffe and a 7-minute program comparing
the soundtracks for the UK and U.S. releases where five brief sections, with
strong Cockney accents, were re-voiced in order to make them clearer to
American ears. Lastly are two trailers and the package has liner notes with
an essay by film critic Ryan Gilbey (Groundhog
Day - BFI Film Classics). |
Menus / Extras
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE IN FULL RESOLUTION
1) Image Ent. - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Criterion (1998) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Anchor Bay (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Anchor Bay (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Criterion Blu-ray Captures for Patreon Supporters HERE
Box Cover |
|
CLICK to order from: Arrow (UK) has released this in 4K UHD as an exclusive. Simultaneously released on Blu-ray by Criterion: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Criterion Spine #26 - Region FREE - 4K UHD |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |