Under
the Volcano 2-disc Special Edition from Criterion
in October
5
August 2007
Based
on the novel by Malcolm Lowry, John Huston's 1984
Under the Volcano follows the final
day in the life of self-destructive British consul
Geoffrey Firmin on the eve of World War 2, reduced
to a state of alcoholic despair and living in obscurity
in a small Mexican town. Against the backdrop of
the the Mexican Day of the Dead fiesta, Firmin attempts
to reconnect with his estranged wife Yvonne (Jacqueline
Bisset) but only ends up further alienating himself
from those around him. Featuring a powerhouse central
performance from Albert Finney as Firmin, Under
the Volcano is one of the most compelling
cinematic studies of alcoholic depression that received
numerous award nominations, and won two for it's
never-better star.
Criterion
have announced a 2-disc Special Edition release
of the film for October with the following features:
- New,
restored high-definition digital 1.85:1 anamorphic
transfer, supervised by film editor Roberto Silvi;
- Audio
commentary featuring executive producer Michael
Fitzgerald and producers Wieland Schulz-Keil and
Moritz Borman;
- Theatrical
trailers;
- New
video interview with Jacqueline Bisset;
- New
audio interview with screenwriter Guy Gallo;
- 1984
audio interview with John Huston conducted by
French film critic Michel Ciment;
- Notes
from "Under the Volcano"
(1984), a 59-minute documentary by Gary Conklin
shot on the set during the film's production,
featuring interviews with Huston, cast, and crew;
- Volcano:
An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm
Lowry (1976), filmmaker Donald Brittain's
99-minute, Academy Award–nominated documentary,
narrated by Richard Burton, examining the connections
between Under the Volcano author Malcolm Lowry's
life and that of his novel's main character;
- A
new essay by film critic Christian Viviani;
- More!
Release
date is set for 23rd October 2007 at the SRP of
$39.95.
