Ghost Story (Blu-ray)

Directed by: Stephen Weeks
Country: UK, 1974
Running Time: 87 minutes + Extras
Other Titles: Madhouse Mansion (USA)
Region: All

Stephen Weeks' dreamlike chiller is the absolute definition of a cult British Horror film. Set in 1930s England it tells of three former public schoolmates, Larry Dann (The Bill), Murray Melvin (The Devils) and the enigmatic Vivian MacKerrell (the inspiration for Bruce Robinson's creation 'Withnail', seen here in his only major screen role),  who reunite in a country mansion haunted by the spirit of insane former resident Marianne Faithfull (The Girl on a Motorcycle). The haunting transports us to a surreal world of incest and murder, inhabited by a demonic doll and a sadistic doctor who presides over a corrupt insane asylum.

With Barbara Shelley (Dracula, Prince of Darkness), Leigh Lawson (Hammer House of Horror), Anthony Bate (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Beasts) and Penelope Keith (The Good Life, To The Manor Born). Successfully combining 1970s horror with 1930s charm and realised perfectly by Weeks, with a soundtrack by Pink Floyd collaborator Ron Geesin. Ghost Story has been beautifully restored and is packed with bonus features for this high definition premiere!

"There are scenes which scared the living daylights out of me... it is compelling and often very scary" - Graham Jones, The Guardian

"This is like a vintage P.G. Wodehouse story as it might have been ghosted by Edgar Allen Poe" - Marjorie Billbow, Cinema Today

"A neat, atmospheric horror movie... like Citizen Kane in colour; low angles, bravura cutting, sumptuous gothic interiors" - Nigel Andres, Financial Times

Special Features

• New HD transfer from original film elements
• 2.0 PCM audio
• Audio Commentary with Director Stephen Weeks, Moderated by Professor Samuel Umland
• Newly created optional English subtitles for the hard of hearing
• Theatrical Trailer – HD
• Ghost Stories: The Curious Tales of the Making of Ghost Story - A 73 minute documentary including interviews with director Stephen Weeks, actors Larry Dann and Murray Melvin, British horror icon Barbara Shelley and composer/Pink Floyd collaborator Ron Geesin, with comments from critic Kim Newman – HD
• Alternate Madhouse Mansion opening credits sequence
• 12 of Stephen Weeks' early black and white film commercials
• The Chelsea Cobbler colour commercial – HD
• Previously unseen test footage from Weeks' film Gawain and the Green Knight (1969) - with David Leland (9 mins) – HD
• Previously unseen footage from Weeks' aborted film The Bengal Lancers! (1984) - with Michael York, Miles O'Keeffe, Emma Sutton, Trevor Howard, Christopher Lee and Ronald Lacey (34 mins) – HD
• Gallery
• PDF materials

And the following Stephen Weeks short films, all re-mastered in HD:

• Owen's War (1965 / B+W / 10 mins)
• Deserted Station (1965 / B+W / 7 mins)
• The Camp (1965 / B+W / 4 mins)
• Moods of a Victorian Church (1967 / Colour / 9 mins)
• Two at Thursday (1968 / B+W / 10mins )
• 1917 (1968 / Colour / 35 mins) - with Timothy Bateson, David Leland and Geoffrey Davies
• Flesh (1969 / Colour / 3 mins)

Cast:

Marianne Faithfull, Leigh Lawson, Anthony Bate, Larry Dann, Sally Grace, Penelope Keith, Vivian MacKerrell, Murray Melvin, Barbara Shelley, Elsie Randolph.