Bernardo Bertolucci's THE CONFORMIST (Il Conformista) Coming To The UK on DVD & BluRay

BERNARDO BERTOLUCCI’S MASTERPIECE ON DUAL FORMAT DVD/BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UK.

Awarded “Five Star” reviews during its theatrical re-release in 2008 by Empire - “Funny and frightening, seductive and satirical, ridiculous and tragic, this remains Bertolucci’s greatest film.”, BBCi Films - “One of the truly great films of the 1970s” , Time Out - “A dazzling film.”  and the Radio Times, amongst others, Bernardo Bertolucci’s undisputed masterpiece The Conformist is released as a dual format DVD/Blu-ray edition on 27th February 2012 for the first time in the UK courtesy of Arrow Academy.

At the peak of his creative powers the 29-year-old Bernardo Bertolucci eschewed the influence of mentor Jean-Luc Godard and partnered up with Vittorio Storaro and developed his own style for one of the most visually dazzling, politically and psychologically intriguing – and possibly greatest – of all Italian films.

Told in a non-linear structure that would go on to influence “The Godfather Part II” (although not the only influence on Coppola’s film), the story begins in Rome, 1938. Marcello (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a young fascist who takes on the job of assassinating his former professor who has fled to Paris. With his wife (Stefania Sandrelli) in tow, he meets the professor and his young wife (Dominique Sanda), with whom he begins to fall in love.

A thriller as well as study of Italian politics and psychological character, Bertolucci’s Oscar nominated adaptation of Alberto Moravia’s novel (an adaptation Moravia greatly admired) has gone on to influence filmmakers such as Paul Schrader, Martin Scorsese and Michael Mann and remains one of the great triumphs of world cinema.

The Conformist (cert. 15) will be released as a dual format Blu-ray/DVD edition (£27.99) by Arrow Academy on 27th February 2012.

Special Features:

• audio commentary by Italian cinema expert David Forgacs
• feature length documentary “Bernardo Bertolucci: Reflections on Cinema” on Bertolucci’s career with on-set archive material and interviews directed by Sandro Lai (Blu-ray only)
• a comprehensive booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by critic Michael Atkinson, a re-printed interview with Bernardo Bertolucci from 1971 and Bertolucci’s thoughts on filmmaking, illustrated with original stills
• High Definition Blu-ray and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the film
• HD restoration supervised by Director of Photography Vittorio Storaro in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio original Mono 2.0 audio
• Italian language with optional English subtitles.

 Pre Order The Conformist [Dual Format Edition - DVD + Blu Ray] [Blu-ray]