Grindhouse Releasing’s new special edition Blu-ray/DVD of the 1968 Burt Lancaster classic THE SWIMMER is available now from stores and online retailers everywhere!
Buy THE SWIMMER at Diabolik DVD
Hailed as “brilliant!” (Ain’t It Cool News), “a sensational package that’s an early candidate for the year’s best” (Film Score Monthly) and ”a spectacular Blu-ray/DVD release” (DVD Savant), THE SWIMMER hit #1 on DVD Empire’s sales charts this week, outranking Scorsese’s WOLF OF WALL STREET. The new SWIMMER Blu-ray/DVD combo includes the debut of Oscar-winning film editor Chris Innis’ all-new 2 1/2 hour documentary THE STORY OF THE SWIMMER, praised as “miraculous” (Blu-ray.com) and “a fascinating Hollywood story.” (Mondo Digital)
“If you have a favorite cult film, you should only hope that it gets on Grindhouse Releasing’s radar, as they have done exceptionally well by The Swimmer. A fascinating film, it’s been matched by a tremendous presentation, both in terms of the audio/video quality and the depth and quantity of the bonus content, especially the hugely enlightening documentary,” says DVD Talk.
“FIVE STARS! Continues Grindhouse’s exemplary work in the BD realm, with a gorgeous filmic offering…THE SWIMMER looks fresh and inviting on this disc, preserving the moods and mystery of the original cinematography. Scoring (from the late Marvin Hamlisch) stands out as clean and rich with instrumentation, providing bold orchestral support to the picture without drowning out the on-screen action. As with the visual experience, everything here is freshly prepared, delivering what was originally designed without distortion. It’s bold work and a forgotten film that deserves a fresh audience, with this exemplary BD providing a perfect opportunity to discover its numerous treasures.” – Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com
“‘The Story of ‘The Swimmer’ is a miraculous five-part documentary from Innis that dissects the feature in full, with specific attention to Lancaster’s star power and the BTS strife that almost prevented the movie from being released. Enthusiastic interviews are richly detailed with anecdotes and memories…the candor put forth here is outstanding, generating a riveting tale of a Hollywood tug of war…It’s an exhaustive documentary, but there’s never a dull moment.” – Brian Orndorf, Blu-ray.com
Based on the famous story by John Cheever, THE SWIMMER stars Lancaster as Ned Merrill, a man who confronts his destiny by swimming home, pool by pool, through the suburban nightmare of upper-class East Coast society. The film was directed by Frank Perry from a script by Eleanor Perry.
Glenn Erickson of DVD Savant calls THE SWIMMER “a dynamite package that’s my favorite release so far in 2014. Unquestionably recommended!”
“THE SWIMMER is a knockout punch of a film and one of the great dramas of the 1960s…a terrific package!” says DVD Verdict.
Nathaniel Thompson of Mondo Digital writes, “The much-needed special edition by Grindhouse easily eclipses them all both in terms of technical presentation and supplements…in HD, it really looks fantastic. There hasn’t been any ridiculous digital manipulation, either; it still looks like film all the way. Audio options include a DTS-HD mono track (which sounds great) and, in a nice gesture, an isolated stereo presentation of the music score by Marvin Hamlisch (his film debut).”
The Story of The Swimmer documentary includes interviews with composer Marvin Hamlisch, Joanna Lancaster, Michael Hertzberg (first assistant director), Ted Zachary (second assistant director), actresses Janet Landgard, Marge Champion, and Joan Rivers, Bob Horn (UCLA swim coach), and editor Sidney Katz.
The disc also includes a vintage audio recording of author John Cheever reading his short story “The Swimmer”, originally published in The New Yorker in 1964; extensive still galleries, storyboards, deleted scenes, artwork from around the world, the complete screenplay, a 12-page booklet with insightful essays by Innis and director Stuart Gordon (RE-ANIMATOR).
Praise for THE SWIMMER:
“Burt Lancaster is superb in his finest performance. Four stars.” – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
“Totally engrossing, thanks to its very strangeness, and to the superb performances and vivid location photography. Five stars.” – Geoff Andrew, Time Out New York
“Grim, disturbing and sometimes funny…the film has the shape of an open-ended hallucination.” – Vincent Canby, The New York Times
“A strange, stylized work, a brilliant and disturbing one “- Roger Ebert
More reviews of THE SWIMMER Blu-ray/DVD:
“Grindhouse Releasing gives THE SWIMMER a fantastic Blu-ray debut. The presentation is up to the high standards set by their past releases as are the supplements which prove to be both comprehensive and genuinely interesting. The story behind this one is just as interesting as the movie itself. A fantastic package through and through.” – Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!
“The new Grindhouse Releasing of THE SWIMMER looks marvelous…I love this film, which has elevated to a cult status in certain circles. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.” – Flicker Alley
“The new high definition digital restoration created from 4K scans brings this movie back to its original gleaming glory. THE SWIMMER is a beautifully photographed film and you will get to see all the spectacular imagery with this special edition. The superbly produced Blu-ray/DVD package is jammed with extra features that will give new and old fans of the movie a very complete view of the production from start to finish. Recommended!” – Furious Cinema
“An emotionally draining experience. THE SWIMMER is a very effective, and sometimes surreal drama. The freshly restored print alone would likely warrant a purchase from most fans of the film, but as to be expected with Grindhouse Releasing, there are a wealth of incredible bonus features that make this truly essential. The highlight of the package would have to be THE STORY OF THE SWIMMER, a brand-new 2 1/2 hour documentary by Oscar winner Chris Innis.” – Brain-Hammer.com
“A BIZARRE MASTERPIECE…This remarkable restoration of THE SWIMMER is not to be missed.” – Mack Blankenship, SSS Horror Reviews
“It isn’t every day that a movie such as The Swimmer is released to the screen, but thankfully Grindhouse Releasing has realized the glory of this film, and how its impact can continue to be felt, so many years after its original theatrical run. The Swimmer is simply one of the must-see home video releases of 2014.” – George Pacheco, 10K Bullets
Press and publicity contact: David Szulkin, info@grindhousereleasing.com
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