Hard to believe but Sir Sean Connery turns 90 years old today. The Great Scot is honored in this rather superficial tribute segment that mucks up a few facts. (i.e Connery's early roles in TV shows can not be construed as "blockbusters".) However, the segment does include some tantalizing and rare James Bond-related footage from the 1960s.
The BFI has released Sidney Lumet's 1977 film adaptation of Peter Shaffer's acclaimed theatre production of "Equus". The film stars Richard Burton and Peter Firth in Oscar-nominated performances. Here is the official press release:
This Oscar® nominated* adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s Tony
Award-winning play, released by the BFI on Limited Edition Blu-ray with a raft
of extras including a new interview withPeter Firth, erupts on
the screen with the same power and passion as the stage original. Richard Burton
gives one of his best performances in this elegant and provocative tale of myth
and mental turmoil.
What would drive Alan Strang (Peter Firth), a troubled
adolescent stable boy, to blind the horses in his care? Psychiatrist Martin
Dysart (Richard Burton) investigates this unspeakable act and delves
deep into Alan’s mind, confronting the mysteries of sexual passion and
psychological pain – as well as the demons buried within his own soul.
*1978
(50th) ACTOR – Richard Burton, SUPPORTING ACTOR – Peter Firth, WRITING
(Screenplay – based on material from another medium) – Peter Shaffer
Special
features (NB. Some extras are on DVD)
Feature presented in High
Definition
Audio commentary by Julie
Kirgo and Nick Redman (2014)
Isolated score
Sidney Lumet Guardian
Lecture (1981,
89 mins, audio only): director Sidney Lumet talks to Derek Malcolm in this
interview recorded at the National Film Theatre
Peter Firth in
conversation with Leigh Singer (2020, 39 mins, audio over stills gallery)
The Watchers (1969, 26 mins):
BFI-produced short film directed by Richard Foster
In From the Cold? A
Portrait of Richard Burton (1988, 121 mins): Tony Palmer’s
award-winning feature-length documentary profile
Religion and the People (1940, 14 mins):
documentary by Andrew Buchanan illustrating a time when faith lay at the
heart of the British experience
The Farmer’s Horse (1951, 18 mins): in a time
of increasing mechanisation, this public information film makes the case
for the sturdy farm horse
Trailer
Illustrated booklet with
new writing by Sidney Lumet’s biographer Maura Spiegel and arts filmmaker
John Wyver; notes on the extras and full credits
Product
details
RRP: £22.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1399 / 15
USA / 1977 / colour / 138 mins / English language, with optional
hard-of-hearing subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.85:1 // Disc 1: BD50,
1080p, 24fps, PCM 2.0 mono audio (48kHz/24-bit) / Disc 2: DVD9, PAL, 25fps,
Dolby Digital mono audio (320kbps)
(This is a Region 2 Blu-ray format release. Click here to order.)