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This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Sam Smith) is limited to 5,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Young con man Martin Taylor is out grifting on the streets of London when he happens across Tom Bates, a middle-class family man who, Martin quickly learns, has a disabled daughter at home who’s been left brain-damaged by a hit-and-run accident. Pretending to be an old love interest of the girl, Pattie, Martin soon tricks his way into the family’s countryside home, where he promptly charms mother Norma and convinces her to let him stay for a few days to be close to and care for Pattie - much to the wariness of Tom, who questions Martin’s intentions. As the young man ingratiates himself more and more into their family life, it soon becomes clear that he harbors a much more sinister purpose.
Originally written for British television by legendary dramatist Dennis Potter, the resulting 1976 BBC TV play was deemed so controversial that it was pulled prior to airing and not broadcast until 1987. The 1982 film version of BRIMSTONE & TREACLE, adapted for the big screen by Potter and with director Richard Loncraine (The Haunting of Julia, Richard III) at the helm, is a haunting and deeply disturbing slice of modern British gothic with an electrifying central performance by Sting in the role of Martin Taylor, alongside celebrated actors Denholm Elliott and Joan Plowright. Accompanied by a pulsing score from The Police, BRIMSTONE & TREACLE, at last, arrives on UHD with a brand new 4K restoration from the original negative supervised by Richard Loncraine and cinematographer Peter Hannan, together with a host of revelatory new bonus features.
directed by: Richard Loncraine
starring: Sting, Denholm Elliott, Joan Plowright, Suzanna Hamilton, Benjamin Whitrow, Dudley Sutton, Mary MacLeod
1982 / 87 min / 1.85:1 / English Stereo
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.552381 / 5 from 105 reviews.
This limited edition spot gloss slipcover for the 1982 film 'Brimstone & Treacle' is a unique collectible, featuring a haunting story by Dennis Potter. The UHD release includes a 4K restoration and new bonus features, though opinions on the film itself are mixed.
Review topics: ["colors","looks","packaging","performances","detail","sound","upgrade","work","film","movie","release","sting","transfer","artwork","restoration","slipcover","features","extras","thriller","presentation","cast","flick","humor","atmosphere","play","grain","commentary","acting","buy","ending"].
"Brimstone & Treacle is about a young con man who weasels his way into the home of a family to care for their disabled daughter by claiming to be her former lover. This release features a select scene commentary, interviews and a featurette. It looks great and the score by the Police is notable as is Sting's performance as the con man at the center of the narrative."
"Dennis Potter's infamous teleplay is transported to the big-screen is this fantastic, thought-provoking production, with a great performance from Denholm Elliott and a surprisingly strong turn from Sting. Fantastic package of extras, and one of my favourite art designs for any VS release, just absolutely incredible. An essential purchase, I'd say."
""Brimstone & Treacle" is a unique and unsettling film that balances dark humor, psychological drama, and social satire. Sting delivers a captivating performance that is both charismatic and haunting. This is one of the more sophisticated films in the VS catalogue and could easily have been a Criterion release too. The 4K restoration looks fantastic, with strong detail, natural colors. The audio is equally impressive. The special features include interviews with director Richard Loncraine and the production designer for the film. The most interesting extra however is the featurette about the writer Dennis Potter, on whose work the film is based on. Those extras really made me appreciate the film a lot more. A first-rate release of a challenging and memorable film. Recommended for fans of unconventional British cinema, but not necessarily your typical VS mainline movie. The slipcover is nice, but nothing to write home about. A booklet is included, which is strangenly nowhere mentioned on the back or on the VS website."
"The picture quality on this release is great. Sting is weirdly compelling and Denholm Elliott offers a fantastic supporting performance. Bonus features are interesting as well. The movie itself can feel a little heavy handed in places, but sometimes it takes some big swings that land. Music is quite fun as well."
"This was a blind buy for me, and I ended up loving the film. Great performances all around and an awesome score. The 4k disc looked excellent. Highly recommended."
"I hadn't seen this in 40 years. It held up surprisingly well. Nastier than I remember it being. It's pretty dark stuff. The soundtrack by The Police is great. I Burn for You will be stuck in your head for days after watching. A great release from Vinegar Syndrome."
"The artwork is amazing, the features very informative. The film itself is something you wouldn't immediately expect from VS, what with its slew of British character actor, singer Sting and high profile writer/director at the helm. An intriguing film that keeps you guessing about the motivations of the main character, great acting all around."
"A nasty, uncomfortable piece of British Gothic, with Sting weaponizing every ounce of his charm. Dennis Potter’s material certainly does not go down easily, which is rather the point. The Dolby Vision presentation is rich, film-like, and beautifully detailed."
"Finally took the chance when on sale. It was good, but definitely glad I waited. Very good release though."
"The peerless VS restoration process was on full display with stellar sound and picture! Thank you, VS, for continuing to lovingly restore and release so many wonderful films from every conceivable genre! You are keeping physical media alive in this streaming world we now live in! Highly recommended!"
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