The Man in Black 4K Blu-ray Arrives from Hammer Films Later This Year
Hammer Films releases The Man in Black in a beautiful Limited Collector’s Edition set with a new 4K restoration.
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The Man in Black (1950), directed by Francis Searle and starring Betty Ann Davies, Sheila Burrell, and Sidney James - arrives on 4K Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack from Hammer Films. The film will be presented in native 4K with HDR10 - sourced from the original film negatives that have been restored by Hammer.
The plot centers on a man who suspects his second wife is gaslighting his daughter to inherit the family estate. Using his yoga skills, he fakes his own death to expose her motives. The picture was adapted from John Dickson Carr's popular British radio series Appointment with Fear - featuring Valentine Dyall who graces us with an on-screen introduction to the film.
The Man in Black (1950), directed by Francis Searle and starring Betty Ann Davies, Sheila Burrell, and Sidney James - arrives on 4K Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack from Hammer Films. The film will be presented in native 4K with HDR10 - sourced from the original film negatives that have been restored by Hammer.
The plot centers on a man who suspects his second wife is gaslighting his daughter to inherit the family estate. Using his yoga skills, he fakes his own death to expose her motives. The picture was adapted from John Dickson Carr's popular British radio series Appointment with Fear - featuring Valentine Dyall who graces us with an on-screen introduction to the film.
The two-disc set includes both a UHD Blu-ray and a standard Blu-ray, each containing identical content and offering optional English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German subtitles. Audio options include English 5.1 and mono tracks.
Special features offer a deep dive into the film’s background, with two newly recorded commentaries: one by Hammer House of Podcast creators Lizbeth Myles and Paul Cornell; another by Will Fowler and Melanie Williams of the BFI Flipside series. Additional extras look at the radio origins of the story, interviews with author Martin Edwards and academic Richard Hand, plus a rare Hammer archive short titled Yoga and You.
Accompanying these is an illustrated booklet, featuring new articles by Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey, Andrew Pixley, Sarah Morgan, Gayle Sequeira, Philip Kemp, and Denis Meikle. It covers production history, radio adaptation details, cast insights, psychological themes, and more.
Release Contents:
- New commentary with Lizbeth Myles and Paul Cornell: Creators of Hammer House of Podcast discuss the film.
- New commentary with Will Fowler and Melanie Williams: BFI Flipside series co-creators provide insight.
- Men in Black: Martin Edwards and Andrew Taylor discuss John Dickson Carr and the Detection Club.
- Panic Stations: Richard Hand examines the rise of horror radio and its popularity.
- This is Your Storyteller: Jonathan Rigby and Vic Pratt discuss Valentine Dyall’s career.
- Francis Searle Interview: Excerpt from a 1988 interview covering his time at Hammer.
- Suspense: Three original US wartime radio shows scripted by John Dickson Carr.
- Yoga and You: A Hammer archive self-help short film.
- Stills and publicity gallery: Includes selections from Frank Spencer’s score.
- Booklet Articles: New writings on production history, radio ties, Sid James, gaslighting theme, John Gilling’s career, Anthony Hinds’s influence, and Oakley Court studio.
Release Date: Fall 2025
The two-disc set includes both a UHD Blu-ray and a standard Blu-ray, each containing identical content and offering optional English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German subtitles. Audio options include English 5.1 and mono tracks.
Special features offer a deep dive into the film’s background, with two newly recorded commentaries: one by Hammer House of Podcast creators Lizbeth Myles and Paul Cornell; another by Will Fowler and Melanie Williams of the BFI Flipside series. Additional extras look at the radio origins of the story, interviews with author Martin Edwards and academic Richard Hand, plus a rare Hammer archive short titled Yoga and You.
Accompanying these is an illustrated booklet, featuring new articles by Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey, Andrew Pixley, Sarah Morgan, Gayle Sequeira, Philip Kemp, and Denis Meikle. It covers production history, radio adaptation details, cast insights, psychological themes, and more.
Release Contents:
- New commentary with Lizbeth Myles and Paul Cornell: Creators of Hammer House of Podcast discuss the film.
- New commentary with Will Fowler and Melanie Williams: BFI Flipside series co-creators provide insight.
- Men in Black: Martin Edwards and Andrew Taylor discuss John Dickson Carr and the Detection Club.
- Panic Stations: Richard Hand examines the rise of horror radio and its popularity.
- This is Your Storyteller: Jonathan Rigby and Vic Pratt discuss Valentine Dyall’s career.
- Francis Searle Interview: Excerpt from a 1988 interview covering his time at Hammer.
- Suspense: Three original US wartime radio shows scripted by John Dickson Carr.
- Yoga and You: A Hammer archive self-help short film.
- Stills and publicity gallery: Includes selections from Frank Spencer’s score.
- Booklet Articles: New writings on production history, radio ties, Sid James, gaslighting theme, John Gilling’s career, Anthony Hinds’s influence, and Oakley Court studio.
Release Date: Fall 2025
Source: Blu-ray.com