The Rank 70th Anniversary
DVD Box Set

If you were ever to asked to name your top ten classic films, it would not be surprising to see some of the coming from the Rank Film Studios.

Throughout the 1930’s right through to the 1950’s the organisation, established by J Arthur Rank was regarded as one of the major players in the European Film industry, producing classics such as Brief Encounter, Matter of Life and Death, The Red Shoes, The 39 Steps.

And next month, fans of the Silver Screen can own their piece of Cinema history with the release of a selection of Rank’s most famous titles in the Rank 70th Anniversary
DVD Box set.

Included in this unique collection include Powell and Pressburger’s Royal Command Film, A Matter of Life and Death, described by Martin Scorsese as one of the best movies of all time, featuring David Niven as the British Airline Pilot Peter Carter, who despite returning from a mission, heading for certain death, finds himself a victim of a “clerical error” from above and receives a bonus time on earth, where he falls in love with an American Radio Operator, Kim Hunter.

But despite their error, Carter faces his toughest challenge yet as he fights for his right for life.

Red Shoes is considered to be the best dance film of all time. Starring Moira Shearer as Vicky Page, a young ballerina who becomes torn between a life in the ballet and her love for her composer husband.

Genevieve won two Oscar Nominations and won a BAFTA for the Best British Film of 1953, it tells the story of a vintage car on the London to Brighton Rally and made stars of John Gregson, Kenneth More and Diana Sheridan.

Also look out for Laurence Olivier’s version of Henry V and Hamlet along with the true blue British Classic, Brief Encounter.

As in any DVD’s this collection comes with an interesting assortment of valuable extras, profiling some of the major characters involved in some of these films in front and behind the camera, including legendary cameraman, Jack Cardiff, who provides us with some of his tricks of the trade.

The short documentaries provide an intriguing insight to a British institution and how some of the classic films did not necessarily grab the attention of J Arthur Rank himself.

This collection is a must for any film historians and is certain not just to bring back memories for those who saw it for the first time around, but thanks to the advancement of digital technology, it is certain to charm new fans for a long time to come

The Rank 70th Anniversary DVD Box Set is released by Granada Ventures on July 18th. RRP £29.99

 

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