A Matter of Life and Death (1946) Criterion 1080p BluRay x265 HEVC AAC-SARTRE + Extras

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Also known as Stairway to Heaven, A Matter of Life and Death is the remarkable British fantasy film that became the surprise hit of 1946. David Niven stars as Peter Carter, a World War II RAF pilot who is forced to bail out of his crippled plane without a parachute. He wakes up to find he has landed on Earth utterly unharmed...which wasn't supposed to happen according to the rules of heaven. A celestial court argues over whether to claim Carter's life or let him survive to wed his American sweetheart (Kim Hunter). During an operation, in which Carter hovers between life and death, he dreams that his spirit is on trial, with God (Abraham Sofaer) as judge and Carter's recently deceased best friend (Roger Livesey) as defense counsel. The film tries to have it both ways by suggesting that the heavenly scenes are all a product of Carter's imagination, but the audience knows better. Among the curious but effective artistic choices in A Matter of Life and Death was the decision to film the earthbound scenes in Technicolor and the heaven sequences in black-and-white. The film was a product of the adventuresome team known as "The Archers": Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

Extras

• Introduction by Martin Scorsese - In this video piece, Martin Scorsese introduces A Matter of Life and Death and discusses the unique artistic style of its creators. The piece was filmed in 2008. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

• Thelma Schoonmaker - In this new video interview, Thelma Schoonmaker, widow of director Michael Powell, discusses the history of A Matter of Life and Death and the socio-political environment at the time, as well as some of the film's special qualities. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in March, 2018. In English, not subtitled. (33 min, 1080p).

• The Colour Merchant - Presented here is a short documentary about the life and legacy of the great cinematographer Jack Cardiff which was created by Craig McCall while he was working on Cameraman: The Life & Work of Jack Cardiff in 2010. The documentary features clips from an excellent archival interview with Cardiff in which he discusses his work on A Matter of Life and Death. In English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080p).

• Special Effects - In this new video program. special effects supervisor and film historian Craig Baron and visual effects artist Harrison Ellenshaw discuss the visual style of A Matter of Life and Death and the use of some very specific special effects, as well as the contribution of production designer Alfred Junge. In English, not subtitled. (32 min, 1080p).

• The South Bank Show: "Michael Powell" (1986) - This archival documentary was directed by David Hinton and hosted by Melvyn Bragg. It features archival interviews in which director Michael Powell discusses his passion for cinema and the evolution of his work over the years. In English, not subtitled. (55 min, 1080p).

• Restoration Demonstration - This visual demonstration highlights some of the many dramatic improvements that were made during the recent 4K restoration of A Matter of Life and Death. (5 min, 1080p).

• Audio Commentary - This audio commentary was recorded by film historian Ian Christie in 2009 and also appeared on the North American DVD release of A Matter of Life and Death. There is an abundance of information that addresses the film's production history, its composition and visual style, the legacy of The Archers, etc.

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