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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

("King and Country" or "Hamp" or "The Glory Hole")

 

Directed by Joseph Losey
UK 1964

 

KING AND COUNTRY is a 1964 uncompromising WW1 drama, directed by Joseph Losey, featuring outstanding performances from Tom Courtenay (who won the 1964 Venice Film Festival Award for Best Actor) and Dirk Bogarde. During World War I, a young soldier, Hamp (Tom Courtenay) deserts his post, attempting to escape the ever-present sound of guns and walk back home. Captain Hargreaves (Dirk Bogarde) an aristocratic and British Army lawyer must defend Hamp before the army tribunal, for whom the crime of desertion carries a nasty stigma and the penalty of execution. Initially, Hargreaves approaches Hamp's case with disdain; however, upon learning that Hamp volunteered for duty on a dare, that he is the sole survivor of his unit and that his wife has been unfaithful in his absence, his efforts on Hamp's behalf become more impassioned and earnest. 

***

During World War I, Army Private Arthur James Hamp is accused of desertion during battle. The officer assigned to defend him at his court-martial, Captain Hargreaves, finds out there is more to the case than meets the eye.

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 5th, 1964 (Venice Film Festival)

Reviews                                                   More Reviews                                                DVD Reviews

 

Review: Studiocanal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Bonus Captures:
Distribution Studiocanal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:26:34.833         
Video

1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,657,146,326 bytes

Feature: 28,047,691,776 bytes

Video Bitrate: 38.92 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Studiocanal

 

1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,657,146,326 bytes

Feature: 28,047,691,776 bytes

Video Bitrate: 38.92 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Tom Courtenay on King & Country (11:11)
• Archive Interview with Dirk Bogarde (1964) (4:27)
• Behind the Scenes stills gallery (0:42)


 Blu-ray Release Date: November 6th, 2023
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Studiocanal Blu-ray (October 2023): Studiocanal have transferred Joseph Losey's King & Country to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio. The 1080P looks marvelous - clean, solid contrast, impressive detail, shadows are rendered effectively, consistent texture - all good on the image quality.

NOTE: We have added 64 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Studiocanal use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. King & Country has no demonstrative battle scenes. There is a score by the American harmonica player Larry Adler (Genevieve, The House in the Woods, and the theme song of the French Jacques Becker film Touchez pas au grisbi) sounding supportive even in the film's more contemplative moments.  The uncompressed audio transfer is effective. Studiocanal offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Studiocanal Blu-ray offers a dozen-minute interview with 86-years young Tom Courtenay as he reflects on making King & Country, plus there is a short archival interview with Dirk Bogarde from 1964 and, lastly, a behind the scenes gallery. No commentary which would have seemed a justifiable inclusion.

Joseph Losey's King & Country was based on the play Hamp by John Wilson. The screenplay was by Evan Jones (Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright, Losey's These are the Damned and Eva etc.) It was actor Dirk Bogarde's second film with Joseph Losey - the first being the highly acclaimed The Servant (1963). Tom Courtenay had already starred successfully in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) and Billy Liar (1963). King & Country was shot in less than 3 weeks, in black and white in the studio, replicating muddy battlefields, a messy barracks and makeshift, tented, courtroom - as the rain persisted. I thought it was another masterpiece from Losey with brilliant performances. Favorites (today) from the director are this, M, These are the Damned and The Servant. Fans will be very pleased with the Studiocanal Blu-ray's HD presentation a/v and minor supplements. We can recommend David Caute's Joseph Losey: A Revenge on Life for more on this, often, enigmatic filmmaker. This Blu-ray is strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze

 

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Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:
Distribution Studiocanal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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