INDICATOR BLU RAY PREMEIR OFJOSEPH LOSEY 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' : FULL REVIEW AND GALLERY!

THE FILM 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' is an adaptation of Emlyn Williams' pot-boiler stage play entitled 'Someone Waiting', a 1953 psychological thriller, which is something of a curio if performed on a theatrical stage today. The great fictional focal English murder,  is rooted in a 1956 middle class, whose sayings and doings often strike a modern audience as more than faintly comic. BUT within the context of a cinematic drama, produced just one year after Williams's staged debut of the play, directed by an American motion-picture director, whose highly personal style was often manifested in films centring on intense and sometimes violent human relationships... it is something far more sinister and real.

THE PLOT AND OPINION : 

A young man wrongly convicted of murder (Alec McCowen), and the last-minute hunt for the real killer by his dipsomaniac father (Michael Redgrave). 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' was the first time Joseph Losey had filmed under his own name, since the trauma of the blacklist, and it shows in the interesting play with clocks, for instance, indicating not just that Redgrave is racing against a 24-hour deadline to uncover the truth, but that his alcoholism was a way of making time stand still, by shutting out his responsibilities . . . to his son and to society. 

BY SHIFTING the emphasis from thriller to anti-capital punishment pleading, Losey also cleverly pulls on all threads of the plot, cranking up the cogs and dragging us all-in on the structure, the race against time and the whole thing slipping through the fingers of Redgrave's guilt ridden alcoholic, while the noose swings waiting too. The clever devise of letting the viewer KNOW who the true murderer IS,  makes the the whole thing even more interesting, as we watch the bullying racked up murderer sweat and twist his himself away from being exposed, the father fighting off his dependency on drink and the innocent son, sink further and further into hopelessness, in his dingy prison cell, praying his father doesn't fail him..again.  ! It is an undeniably powerful film. 

PETER CUSHING was to appear in another black and white crime drama, just  few years later for Hammer films called 'Cash on Demand' in 1962, where director Quentin Lawrence, would also apply similar tension triggers, but as much as 'Cash' delivers a sweet and justified ending, 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' deals with a much course and raw villain. Violence and murder against vulnerable women is one of the most frightening relations in the cinema crime family, and requires equally cruel and brutal comeuppance for the perpetrator in the end. So in quite a bit more than co star, here Cushing plays barrister Jeremy Clayton , who himself has no choice but to chase the clock too. Once again, as in 'Cash' Clayton plays on what was one of Cushing's  great strengths, 'fear and tension for himself, and/or of others'. 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' is also superbly shot by Freddie Francis, a director who Cushing would work with on a further eight films over the next twenty years. The film is conceived with a raw-edged brilliance, right from the brutal opening murder, that accommodates even the symbolism of a Goya bull, with the real killer (Leo McKern) finally cornered and goaded into a murderous/suicidal charge ..

UNLIKE HAMMER FILMS 'Cash on Demand' and 'The Naked Edge' (1961) with Cushing again playing another barrister and  Gary Cooper in sadly his last film, along with another thriller called 'Suspect' in 1960 . . 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' Cushing was still delivering on the gain he made on his tortured and broken Winston Smith in the BBC's 1984 in 1954, just three years before 'Pity'. Interestingly, 'The Curse of Frankenstein' was made the SAME year, as 'Time Without Pity' and in some ways could be said to have a more frightening monster.  A  working class man, who has worked his way up, to new money by grafting, but also by beating and crushing anything that gets in his way. Public position and cash, he thinks gives him the right and authority, to bend the rules, the law and to manipulate and abuse any woman who associates with him, certainly in his domain of his workplace. 

HOW INTERESTING that a film, produced by a man who was seen as an outcast in his industry over 65 year ago, manages to reflect the dangerous and often manipulative practices of many a powerful and trusted man, working with women in the workplace . .  the mirror might have been made in 1957, but sadly the chipped and flaking reflection we are seeing is today . .    

INDICATOR REMASTERED BLU RAY

THE VISUAL: 

The good news about the INDICATOR premier release on blu ray of 'TIME WITHOUT PITY'  is it actually looks, VERY good and just as we hoped it would, when we first heard about this planned release a few months ago. So, visually it is WONDERFUL! Thankfully, the visuals are as they should be and at 1080P, the contrast is often deep, a nice layer through out. For a film from this period you would expect some grain, and what you see is totally in keeping with how a theatrical presentation of this release of a monochrome film would indeed look. It's HD, it's monochrome, and the results from that combination, trusting on a very well looked after print, are always impressive.

THE AUDIO:

Indicator has used a linear 24-bit PCM mono track in the original English language.The soundtrack is clear, no buzz, no clicks. It IS very sharp.The score written by the late Tristram Cary, who also provided the musical scores for Hammer films 'Quatermass and the Pit' and 'Blood from the Mummy's Tomb', the 1955 classic 'The Lady Killers', Peter Cushing's 1963 'Violent Playground' and . . .as he was a pioneer in electronic music, having become inspired by his WWII Royal Navy training in radar, and built the first electronic studio at the Royal College of Music, was also instrumental in the invention of the synthesizer. ..  he wrote the music for 27 episodes of Patrick Troughton's 'Doctor Who' from 1964-66 ..  here provides a dramatic score for the often teasing tensions, threats and contrasting rumblings and then unexpected outbursts from a major bully and psychotic murderer. It's all there, can be heard and appreciated . .  Dialogue is also clear, no distortions when the audio is carrying high pitched vocals, and manages low background audio atmosphere, when dramatic mix of music and   action visuals drop suddenly. Overall, the audio is a very impressive and compliments the visuals. 

THE EXTRAS:

One of the first extras I couldn't wait to use, was the very interesting facility that allows you to play the film, while listening to a John Player Lecture from 1973, with director Joseph Losey himself! The 80 minute conversation with very knowledgable film critic Dilys Powell at the National Film Theatre, is a very entertaining treat to access on maybe a second viewing. Plenty here, on a career that was never dull, and full of its own dramas. But it's Losey's thoughts and experience on how, he looked for other levels in plots, scripts and characters, how he used the camera and blocked a scene, that I found most interesting. This is the man who worked with Bertolt Brecht and directed Dirk Bogarde in 'The Servant' and ' The Accident', I am all ears! Many viewers and collectors, may find this extra as a 'no bonus' and of 'little interest' especially as the recording was never intended for public use or broadcast, the audio quality is a little weak. Indicator flags this up, within its title menu. Personally, for me it's a certainly a gain. I am the kind of viewer that wants the lot. Whatever is available, include it on the extras. My purchase then viewing experience has always been to, if possible, without sounding like an anorak / geek, have a good-time and learn all I can about a film I have just shelled out, good lolly for! It's all part of the journey and the learning! So, for me this was no injustice, poor show or problem... I just turned up the volume. Simple.

IF YOU ENJOY extras that inform and educate too, then a new audio commentary with author Neil Sinyard, of 'British Cinema In The 1950's : A Celebration' maybe well 'float your boat' too! It's a neat and interesting extra too. I have always personally preferred, enjoyed packages of extras, that contain, what I haven't seen before, different. It doesn't have to be another menu of often seen press stills the size of postage stamps or another chance to see THAT grubby trailer that has sat on Youtube for the last eight years. No, give me, that grainy end segment of an film interview, found in a dusty vault or some long gone film collectors garage . . 'and you only have the last three minutes, out of the 20 that were shot? Fine. Let me SEE it!' I am your man! Which is why, I leaned closer to my TV when I came across the option for ' A vintage Horlicks malted-hot-drink commercial . . directed by Losey too! It's great 😀😃😉     Next is film maker, Gavrik Losey, son of Joseph Losey in a new 15 minute video interview entitled 'The Sins of the Father' where he details the making of 'Time Without Pity' and it's place in his father's impressive body of film work as a director, of reputation and who created often a different persective. The Indicator blu ray package also has a LIMITED EDITION and EXCLUSIVE  40-page booklet, with a new essay by Robert Murphy, Joseph Losey on Time Without Pity, Jeff Billington on the MacMahonists and Time Without Pity, an overview of critical responses, and film credits. This is LIMITED to just 3,000 copies.
 

SO IN CONCLUSION ..  The Indicator Blu Ray release of 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' ticks the box for very good 1950's tense drama, it's quality Brit Noir, it possess an excellent cast, Leo McKern and Michael Redgrave, are at different ends of a career, and BOTH fill that screen, with talent you just don't see today. This release also stands as a more than worthy addition to your Peter Cushing collection, this is a VERY good example of why critics 'kicked off a long running, biting their pencils and punching their type-writers' in what was a what they saw as a justified mega-strop, stating that Cushing had copped out of quality work, and slipped into the fantasy cinema market'! THIS was what Cushing actually excelled at, and what's more, he knew that too. Choices huh? If you have never, for whatever reason, never experienced a Joseph Losey directed movie, THIS is a very good place to start. Lastly, if you already own the dvd of the film, this is a very commendable upgrade... that I can assure you, won't be around long. Nope it's not a hard sell, it's a fact. Indicator is very lucky but deservedly so, to have earned themselves quite a LARGE and quite dedicated clientele . . collector's who buy in bundles, out of choice, predominantly just Indicator releases. Why? Check out their website or facebook page and you'll see past releases of very interesting releases in limited runs and copies. They SELL. 

PACKAGING is always of a very good standard, matching other releases . . collectors LOVE matching or colour coded spines of great quality cases and above all, specific and well researched sleeve notes and COVER ARTWORK. They very rarely drop the ball in their remastering, they are often exclusive but always... quite classy! 😉 That's why this release comes highly recommended . .

Marcus Brooks

 

TIME WITHOUT PITY: THE SPEC: 

Release date: 28 October 2019
Limited Blu-ray Edition (World Blu-ray premiere)

Following his blacklisting in the McCarthy HUAC hearings, director Joseph Losey (Eva, The Damned, Secret Ceremony) moved to the England in the 1950s. The gritty British suspense thriller, Time Without Pity was the first film he made in the UK under his own name.

In a BAFTA-nominated performance, the great Michael Redgrave (Goodbye Gemini, Connecting Rooms, Dead of Night) stars as an anguished father whose son is convicted of murder and languishing on death row. In a desperate race-against-time, he attempts to prove his son’s innocence whilst bringing the real murderer to justice.

With photography by Freddie Francis (The Elephant Man), and a superb supporting cast including Ann Todd (Taste of Fear), Leo McKern (X the Unknown), and Peter Cushing (Corruption, The Beast Must Die), Time Without Pity is brilliantly accomplished slice of Brit-noir, and a potent cry against capital punishment.

INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY 

EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES:

• High Definition remaster
• Original mono audio
• The John Player Lecture with Joseph Losey (1973, 80 mins): the celebrated filmmaker in conversation with film critic Dilys Powell at London’s National Film Theatre
• New and exclusive audio commentary with Neil Sinyard, co-author of British Cinema in the 1950s: A Celebration
• The Sins of the Father (2019, 16 mins): filmmaker Gavrik Losey, son of Joseph Losey, discusses Time Without Pity
• Horlicks: Steven Turner (1960, 1 min): vintage commercial for the malted milk drink, directed by Joseph Losey
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive 40-page booklet with a new essay by Robert Murphy, Joseph Losey on Time Without Pity, Jeff Billington on the MacMahonists and Time Without Pity, an overview of critical responses, and film credits
• World premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies
  #PHILTD154
  BBFC cert: PG
  REGION FREE 
  Blu-ray Release Date: October 28th, 2019
  Transparent Blu-ray Case
  
  YOU CAN ORDER YOUR COPY of Indicator's  'TIME WITHOUT PITY'
  Blu Ray HERE! 

  
  

  
  

  

DRACULA : 130 YEARS SINCE HARKER WALKED INTO THE VAMPIRE LAIR

This month, One Hundred and Thirty years ago, Jonathan Harker first walked into the place where angels feared to tread... Castle Dracula! Here illustrated with a little seen press photograph of John Van Eyssen as Jonathan Harker and a colour transparency of Christopher Lee as Count Dracula from Hammer films, 'Dracula / Horror of Dracula (1958) Starring Peter Cushing as Van Helsing.

WHEN LIZA ALMOST DID A NUMBER FOR DRACULA : HAMMER FILMS 1972

Sorting through some Cushing Clippings this morning, I came across this very odd snip from an issue of Films Illustrated dated 1972.... was the 'groovy' Cavern Coffee bar originally going to be 'The Kit Kat Klub??? Van Helsing and The Count dancing on the tables singing the numbers 'Money, Money' and 'Sitting Pretty'??? Or maybe Minelli were going to do  a duet? Either way, it didn't happen..

#ONTHESETSATURDAY: FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN #HAMMERFILMS

Large scans of Peter Cushing, Thorley Walters and director Terence Fisher, during the making of #hammerfilms 'Frankenstein Created Woman' at Bray Studios in 1967

STAR WARS: PETER CUSHING SMOKING TARKIN : THE DISAPEARING CIGARETTE REAPPEARS!

Do you remember the Star Wars behind scenes photograph that we posted for the first time a few months ago, featuring Peter, Mark Hamill and Dave Prowse? The one that looked as if '..someone, somewhere in the cut and paste shop had deliberately painted out the cigarette that Peter was holding in his gloved left hand? Well, we managed to find an original of the photograph...and guess what?

COUNTDOWN TO THE COUNT: HAMMER FILMS BLU RAY : DRACULA (1958) PETER CUSHING VAN HELSING

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO THE OFFICIAL RELEASE OF HAMMER FILMS 'DRACULA' / 'HORROR OF DRACULA' RELEASE ON BLU RAY!

KB ZORKA ON THE LIFE AND CAREER OF PRUDENCE HYMAN: DEAR PRUDENCE :THE GORGON: HAMMER FILMS 1964

"No living thing survived and the spectre of death hovered in waiting for her next victim."

  -'The Gorgon,' (1964)

It's only natural that when we think of the ladies of the classic Hammer Horror films, we think of the countless, beautiful women that will forever be as associated with the studio's name as that of Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing. We think of names such as Ingrid Pitt or, First Lady of Hammer: Hazel Court. However, the first woman to become anything but beautiful for the studio, was the unknown, Prudence Hyman. Subsequently, it was after the release of The Gorgon,  that Hammer would begin a long legacy of these dangerous females. And all of it began with an ex-ballerina and ENSA performer named, Prudence Hyman.

Long before she would become Hammer's Gorgon, 'Megaera,' Prudence Hythe was born in London, England on February 2, 1914. She was a classically trained ballerina who studied in England and  Paris and made her dancing debut at the age of seventeen in 'Twelfth Night.'  Between 1934-1935, she toured with various ballet companies, and during the second World War, she was a member of  ENSA; a traveling group of artists whose purpose was to entertain the troops. It was while she was a member of the ENSA group, that Prudence and her fellow members were once flown to safety during a harrowing adventure through a horrible storm. The group's hero was a young, Royal Air Force Lieutenant that, interestingly, she would manage to meet-up with many years later: None other than Christopher Lee.

In 1960, Prudence played a small, uncredited role alongside the once brave pilot in Hammer's, The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll. She played the part of a tavern woman, while Paul Massie took on the dual role of the mad scientist. However, it would be four years later that Prudence Hyman would make horror history: She would be the first female monster in Hammer's long, Gothic-style film legacy.

The Gorgon was one of the last films to have been produced by Hammer during their six-year distribution deal with Columbia Pictures. Seeing as their last two films had been shelved by the distributor, the studio needed something new and exciting that would bring audiences back to the theater. To do so, they went straight to the public itself. An advertisement was placed in 'The Daily Cinema' magazine, in which the film company was soliciting stories from anyone with a good idea.The last line of the advertisement read as follows: "Because good, compulsive selling ideas with the right titles are what Hammer are looking for right now." Of the many submissions, a story by J. Llewellyn Divine was selected. It was a rather involved and lengthy story. But, after a bit of re-writing and initially naming the script, "Supernatural", the script was rewritten a second time and given the name, The Gorgon.

Shooting began in December of 1963 at Bray Studios,where The Evil of Frankenstein had just wrapped production. Due to budget and time constraints,as well as to give the set the look and feel of 1910, many of the same interior sets from The Evil of Frankenstein were redressed and used for The Gorgon. The film starred Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Hammer's most famous female star of the time.The "First Leading Lady of British Horror," Barbara Shelley. On board as director was, in my humble opinion, the man who made Hammer Horror what it is: The legendary Terence Fisher (February 23, 1904-June 18, 1980).

In the role of 'Carla Hoffman', Barbara Shelley had wanted to simultaneously play the role of the title character. As the film's possessed, amnesiac heroine, she felt that the dual role would make the storyline more sensible and fluid; that it should be she who "gorgonized" the film's victims. She also had a few ideas for producer Anthony Nelson Keys on how to make Megaera more frightening and realistic as well. Her idea consisted of using real garden snakes, and to find a way to humanely weave them into a special wig. However, due to the film's budget and short production schedule, Nelson rejected her idea, and chose instead to use another actress to play the part: Prudence Hyman. Nelson also felt that with a different actress playing the part, it would help to conceal the Gorgon's alternate, "human" identity. Although, after seeing The Gorgon herself on screen, the producer had regretted his decision about Shelley's wig idea. It's difficult to say if it was Hyman herself, or the costume which disappointed Nelson. Nonetheless, Christopher Lee's opinion of Megaera was also less-than-flattering: "The only thing wrong with The Gorgon, is The Gorgon!" Fortunately, fans today are less forgiving.

To create the look of The Gorgon and her snakes, makeup man Roy Ashton applied the hideous skin and makeup to Hyman, while special effects engineer, Syd Pearson, had a bit more of a challenge by creating the snakes themselves. Pearson had twelve plaster moulds made, and from each mould he cast latex rubber snakes. Cables were then placed through each of the snakes' bodies for movement, and were then woven through the actress' wig. Each snake was then individually attached to cables which ran down Hyman's back. The cables trailed approximately twenty-five feet behind her where they were controlled by a large contraption which contained pegs. As the pegs were turned, the tension gave the effect of each snake moving individually. 

The Gorgon finished production in January, 1964, and was double-billed with Curse Of The Mummy's Tomb. Although we only see The Gorgon herself for less than twenty minutes throughout the entire film, each shot of Prudence Hyman's 'Megaera' is a treat, to say the least. The cinematography of Michael Reed is simply superb and, in true Hammer form, the sets are gorgeous. Hyman herself moves with a grace and elegance that one would expect from a former ballerina. Incredibly, she went back to playing uncredited roles for the studio. She was given small parts in Rasputin: The Mad Monk, and The Witches, which were both were released in 1966.

It is truly interesting to know that an unknown actress with no starring roles, or major parts, made horror film history as one of it's first female monsters; and the first for Hammer. Sadly, the name Prudence Hyman remains rather unknown, and The Gorgon has only recently become appreciated as one of Hammer's lesser known and hidden gems. Very little has been written about Prudence Hyman, or her incredible contribution to the horror genre. As is normally the case with so many important people throughout history, it is not in their lifetimes that they are appreciated, or even understand what they have accomplished while they're alive: such was the case with Prudence Hyman. She died at the age of 81 on June 1, 1995 and was put to rest in her birthplace of London, England.

FEATURE: KB ZORKA@http://theoblongbox10.blogspot.co.uk/

IMAGES: MARCUS BROOKS 

INGRID PITT AND PETER CUSHING AT 1975 NEW YORK CONVENTION : PHOTOGRAPH.

VINCENT PRICE: MADHOUSE INTERVIEW FILMS ILLUSTRATED 1973

A very nice vintage piece from October 1973 Films Illustrated magazine. An interview with Vincent Price promoting MADHOUSE (1974) or as they refer to it here, by it's pre release title 'THE REVENGE OF DR DEATH also starring Peter Cushing and Robert Quarry.

PETER CUSHING: AT HOME IN HIS STUDY. WHITSTABLE. KENT.

THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED: PETER CUSHING AND GEORGINA WARD (1963)