New releases from renown pictures: Cuckoo patrol, hindle wakes, scarlet thread

[renownpictures]

Dear B Movie Fans

Hoping you are all well and at least the current weather is perfect for film watching!

We have THREE exciting releases to tell you about this month and two next month.
Our first release for this month, is Cuckoo Patrol

The First Ever Release
of This Classic British
Film on DVD.
Digitally Re-mastered &
Restored.

Directed by
Duncan
Wood
Cuckoo Patrol
Starring: FREDDIE GARRITY, KENNETH CONNOR,
VICTOR MADDERN, JOHN LE MESURIER and ARTHUR MULLARD

The late Freddie Garrity (of Freddie and the Dreamers) stars in this 1967 Eternal films comedy.
Directed by Duncan Wood
who produced “Hancocks Half Hour”, “Steptoe and Son” and “Oh Brother” amongst many others.

A good British cast, Kenneth Connor, Victor Maddern, John Le Mesurier and Arthur Mullard tell the story of a troop
of scout misfits, “The Cuckoo Troop”, led by Garrity on their way to scout camp and all the scrapes they stumble into!
Picture and sound of excellent quality following extensive restoration work by Renown.

“First Ever Release of This Freddie &
the Dreamers Classic.
A Must for all Freddie fans”.

“Duncan Wood is a contender for the title of the
most important and influential comedy
producer/director to have worked in
British television.” BFI

Renowns Second Release for this month is Hindle Wakes

Starring: LISA DANIELY, LESLIE DWYER, SANDRA DORNE,
BILL TRAVERS, BRIAN WORTH and JOAN HICKSON

85 mins approx
The First Ever Release
of This Classic British
Film on DVD.
Digitally Re-mastered
& Restored.

Directed By Arthur
Crabtree

“...Popular Northern drama about
social convention...”
BFI

““...Crabtree quickly gained a reputation
for fast, efficient shooting...” BFI

Arthur Crabtree directed this 1952 Monach/Gell production.
Set in the north of England (Hindle), two mill workers Jenny (Lisa Daniely) and Mary (Sandra Dorne) take off to Blackpool
for the Wakes week holiday. Jenny is attracted to the Mill’s boss’s son (Brian Worth). The two go off together leaving Mary
to give them an alibi. Mary unknown to Jenny - is killed in a freak boating accident and the couples romantic tryst is discovered
by both families causing a moral dilemma.

Our Third release for this month is the long awaited release of Scarlet Thread which follows extensive restoration by Renown over a span of 3 years.

Starring: KATHLEEN BYRON, LAURENCE HARVEY,
SYDNEY TAFLER, ARTHUR HILL andDORA BRYAN

The First Ever Release
of This Classic British
Film on DVD.
Digitally Re-mastered &
Restored.
Directed by
Lewis
Gilbert

This 1951 Nettlefold Production was directed by top British director Lewis Gilbert who directed Alfie, Shirley Valentine,
Moonraker, Sink The Bismark and Reach for the Sky as well as many others..
Scarlet Thread was one of his earliest works and he displays his obvious talent in this production.
Laurence Harvey stars as a small time crook looking for the high life and Sydney Tafler as an educated gang boss living the high
life - both take part in a robbery that goes wrong.
Good scenes of Cambridge and supporting cast Harry Fowler,

Kathleen Bryon and “good time girl” Dora Bryan make for an
enjoyable British crime drama.

“...Unpleasant characters effectively drawn...”
QUINLANS

“...early effort of Alfie director Lewis Gilbert
with Laurence Harvey in one of his early leading
roles. Harvey is convincingly unpleasant as the
skirt-chasing spiv and petty criminal...” RADIO TIMES


Our EXCLUSIVE offer for our club members this month is
Cuckoo Patrol Normal Price £12.99
Hindle Wakes Normal Price £12.99
Scarlet Thread Normal Price £12.99

CLUB MEMBERS PRICE £30.00 for the three!!


With FREE P&P!! (UK ONLY)
SAVING YOU

[orpheum2]

As a matter of interest how long is "Scarlet Thread".it was shown on BBC4 a few years ago with a much truncated ending.

[crunchie]

This new DVD of The Scarlet Thread is 1 hr 16, I just received it so I'll watch it tonight. Picture looks great though, well pleased :)

[orpheum2]

IMDb gives the run time as 85 minutes

[Steve Crook]

IMDb gives the run time as 85 minutes

That's the cinematic run time at 24 frames per second. On TV, at 25 frames per second it will be 84 * 24 / 25 = 81.6 mintes or 1 hour 21.6 minutes

Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

Shame renownpictures only ever stays online long enough to post an advert and doesn't have the courtesy to answer enquiries

[Bernardo]

I have found Renown very good to deal with on line on telephone and the quality of their work is renowned. I suspect that they would find it difficult to enter a dialogue here as they would be conducting their business on 'our' forum they are very approachable and good luck to them for what they do.

[phil]

I am guessing the the 3 year restoration of Scarlet Thread means they found missing scenes, I too remember the very abrupt ending when it was shown on BBC 4, hope so. The Brit B Movie season must have been 4 or 5 years ago now, time for another one?

[Film Man]

Shame renownpictures only ever stays online long enough to post an advert and doesn't have the courtesy to answer enquiries

I'm with you Captain...why use Britmovie just for advertising...renown have released some great movies with excelent transfers...surely they can spare a few minutes to answer questions on the forum?
Film Man.

[Harbottle]

I'm with you Captain...why use Britmovie just for advertising...renown have released some great movies with excelent transfers...surely they can spare a few minutes to answer questions on the forum?
Film Man.

Agreed, seems bad form to me just to use the site as a free advertising medium without entering into dialogue regarding queries or comments.

[Nick Beal]

I have watched the Renown release of SCARLET THREAD and can confirm that it is the truncated version shown recently on
the BBC. I did email Renown to raise the issue and ask if the complete version was 'lost'. This was the (pretty inconclusive) reply:
".........glad you liked the Restoration we did on" thread" which was difficult as I believe the 16mm print we worked on was the BBC
version and appears to be the only elements in existence whether the beeb cut it down or my guess is thats what they were supplied so
until something shows up from somewhere this is the best there is in fact the beeb print has bad sprocket damage but I managed to use some sound from a dvd we will of course see if the missing minutes ever turn up" kind regards noel ( The reply wasn't punctuated!)
I think we should be appreciative of the work they do, but Renown definitely aren't Criterion or MOC and their interest in film restoration seems fairly perfunctory. Just like their interest in interacting on this Board. SCARLET THREAD is IMO vastly underrated and remains a favourite Britflick
and it deserves to be presented properly. Kathleen Byron is just wonderful in this!

[phil]

Thanks Mr. Beal. Sadly it seems unlikely that a full version will turn up.

[renownpictures]

I am sorry that you feel that we ignore the bloggers on here, i assure you thats not the case - the fact is we are a very small family run company there are two of us that do everything me and dad and we do try to get back to everyone as quickly as we can - sadly its not always the case - feel free to pick up the phone and call us anytime 01923 290555.

as Noel said this version is the only version in existance it was this or the film would be forever lost ...which would you prefer? personally i love the restoration work on this title and I was glad that we were finally able to release it
best wishes and many thanks for your support
sarah

[renownpictures]

I have watched the Renown release of SCARLET THREAD and can confirm that it is the truncated version shown recently on
the BBC. I did email Renown to raise the issue and ask if the complete version was 'lost'. This was the (pretty inconclusive) reply:
".........glad you liked the Restoration we did on" thread" which was difficult as I believe the 16mm print we worked on was the BBC
version and appears to be the only elements in existence whether the beeb cut it down or my guess is thats what they were supplied so
until something shows up from somewhere this is the best there is in fact the beeb print has bad sprocket damage but I managed to use some sound from a dvd we will of course see if the missing minutes ever turn up" kind regards noel ( The reply wasn't punctuated!)
I think we should be appreciative of the work they do, but Renown definitely aren't Criterion or MOC and their interest in film restoration seems fairly perfunctory. Just like their interest in interacting on this Board. SCARLET THREAD is IMO vastly underrated and remains a favourite Britflick
and it deserves to be presented properly. Kathleen Byron is just wonderful in this!

Dear Mr Beal, if you arent happy with your purchase, please do get in touch for a full refeund or a replacement, I apologise for the lack of punctuation in your reponse from Noel but Noel is nearly 70 and has only recently learnt to use a comupter - his passion and love is films...not computers. I can also tell you that our love of the restoration of our titles is absoutely NOT perfunctory we spend over 6 months researching and restoring all elements of each film and we use ITFC one of the most advanced Film labs in the world.
I hope this helps you query?
yours
sarah

[crunchie]

@renownpictures

Thank you Sarah, I've bought many of your titles over the past few years and I really appreciate yours and Noel's efforts to bring old British films back to life: http://www.itfc.com/index.php/itfc-news/99-news16

[Bernardo]

@renownpictures

Thank you Sarah, I've bought many of your titles over the past few years and I really appreciate yours and Noel's efforts to bring old British films back to life: http://www.itfc.com/index.php/itfc-news/99-news16

And me

[renownpictures]

And me

thank you crunchie and bernardo that cheered me up! :)

[Nick Beal]

Hello Sarah - I didn't say that I was disappointed with your restoration work on SCARLET THREAD, there was just
a little frustration that this 'official' release of a title that has been fairly readily available in the 'grey' market for some time now
didn't turn out to be the complete version. As a point of fact, I buy virtually every Renown release and I think you provide an
excellent service to lovers of vintage British pictures such as myself. Many of your titles I never would have dreamed would become
available in such pristine condition.
You might also tell Noel that my Mum is 81 and she is a wizard on the computer keyboard and still does my company's invoicing. There is hope!

[Grant]

Hope you and your Dad keep up the good work Sarah! its great to see and have some of these old films again. Thanks!

[dicky2006]

Hello Sarah & Noel
Keep up the good work. Hope you can locate "The Toff" films starring my old friend John Bentley. I know that many Britmovie members will be well impressed if you release these.