Power Play - Peter O'Toole

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Coup D'État" or "State of Shock" or "Operation Overthrow")

directed by Martyn Burke
Canada/UK 1978

A group of military officers, angered and frustrated by the corruption and repression of the current government, finally decide that for the good of the country they must overthrow the regime. However, the planned coup's leader, an infantry colonel, finds that in order to get the support he needs he must work with people he neither respects nor trusts, and soon comes to believe that their main opponent, the country's fearsome chief of the secret police, has planted a spy in their midst.

Poster

Theatrical Release: 1 November 1978 (UK)

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DVD Review: Scorpion Releasing - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Scorpion Releasing Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:41:51
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.15 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono)
Subtitles	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Scorpion Releasing Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by director Martyn Burke • From Battlefields to the Camera - interview with Martyn Burke (4:3; 15:22) • On-camera interview with star George Touliatos (4:3; 3:24) • Trailer (16:9; 3:23) • Trailers for THE LAST GRENADE (16:9; 2:41), HOMO FABER (16:9; 1:37), THE INTERNECINE PROJECT • (16:9; 1:42), SILENT SCREAM tv spot (16:9; 0:32), GOODBYE GEMINI (16:9; 2:31), THE GIRL IN BLUE • (16:9; 1:06), SKATEBOARD (16:9; 2:14), and THE FARMER (16:9; 2:12) DVD Release Date: 23 February 2010 Amaray Chapters 19

Comments

POWER PLAY is presented in an anamorphic and progressive transfer with little damage. Colors look good given the seventies film stock and the lowlit interiors have natural-looking grain.

Director Martyn Burke provides a solo commentary and interview (Byrke drew inspiration not only from a book called "Coup d'Etat" analyzing government overthrows, he had seen one in South America some time before, he also talks about the location shooting in Germany and Canada, the casting of O'Toole, fond memories of actor/co-producer Hemmings, needing to make the six Centurian tanks owned by the Canadian army look like several more, etc). Co-star George Touliatos also provides an interview. Trailers for the feature and other current and forthcoming Scorpion releases round out the extras.

- Eric Cotenas

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