The Blockhouse

[dylan]

I'm going to watch The Blockhouse (1973) tonight. This is the one about the group of men trapped for years in a WW2 bunker in France - loosely based on a real incident.



Does anyone know why this was never released in the cinema? I vaugely recall that in Lewis's biography of Sellers he claimed this was one of PS's finest performances but it couldn't be shown for contractual reasons.

[filmusicuk]

How on earth did you find a copy of this movie? I've been on it's track for a decade

and there was every indication it was a completely lost film - I am staggered.

Did you view it? did it live up to expectations??



Al Gleason

Originally posted by dylan@May 25 2005, 10:18 AM

I'm going to watch The Blockhouse (1973) tonight. This is the one about the group of men trapped for years in a WW2 bunker in France - loosely based on a real incident.



Does anyone know why this was never released in the cinema? I vaugely recall that in Lewis's biography of Sellers he claimed this was one of PS's finest performances but it couldn't be shown for contractual reasons.

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[joegib]

Its being released on DVD by MGM in Region 1 on 7/6/05 -- see here:



http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=410849

[ollie]

Originally posted by joegib@May 26 2005, 08:28 PM

Its being released on DVD by MGM in Region 1 on 7/6/05 -- see here:



http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=410849

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It's been available as pal r4 for a while now here.

http://www.devoteddvd.com.au/shop/product_...oducts_id=13059



cheers Ollie. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[dylan]

Originally posted by filmusicuk@May 26 2005, 07:07 PM

How on earth did you find a copy of this movie? I've been on it's track for a decade

and there was every indication it was a completely lost film - I am staggered.

Did you view it? did it live up to expectations??



Al Gleason

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I rented the DVD from Tesco.



A hugh disappointment as the subject (7 slave labourers trapped for years in a WW2 bunker) totally evades transfer from cult novel to film. It would have worked well as a stage play but the low budget and confined set doomed it from the start. Sellers had a few good moments, including an obviously improvised scene in which he teaches Jeremy Kemp to play dominoes. Kemp is the only actor in the film who rises above its limitations to create a credible, sympathetic character. Only recommended to Sellers completists.

[PAULBATTERSON]

:ee

Originally posted by dylan@May 25 2005, 10:18 AM

I'm going to watch The Blockhouse (1973) tonight. This is the one about the group of men trapped for years in a WW2 bunker in France - loosely based on a real incident.



Does anyone know why this was never released in the cinema? I vaugely recall that in Lewis's biography of Sellers he claimed this was one of PS's finest performances but it couldn't be shown for contractual reasons.

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[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/eek.gif[/img] YOU ARE RIGHT, CONTRACTUAL REASONS BLOCKED THE BLOCKHOUSE BEING SHOWN, MANY LAW SUITS WHERE THREATENED AGAINST ANYONE ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE IT.. SAME AS "THE GHOST SHIP US/1943" ITS A SHAME THAT ONLY WHEN SOME ONE DIES,IS THIER BEST WORK APPRECIATED.. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY STARS... THAT THEY DONT GET THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE UNTIL ITS TOO LATE... [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/angry.gif[/img]