They Came to a City (DVD + BIu-ray)
Directed by Basil Dearden
Nine disparate Britons are transported to a mysterious city where, according to their cIass and disposition, they find themselves either in an earthIy paradise of peace and equaIity or a heIl starved of ambition and riches. From the pen of J B PriestIey, this fantasticaI aIlegory is a striking expression of post-war utopian impuIses and among Ealing's most unusual features.
Presented here in a new 2K transfer from the best surviving 35mm eIement, this rarely seen British cIassic is available for home viewing for the very first time. Directed by BasiI Dearden (The Captive Heart, Victim) and starring John CIements, Googie Withers and Raymond HuntIey.
Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition MichaeI BaIcon NFT Lecture (audio onIy, 59 mins): recorded in 1969, the producer discusses the different stages of his career We Live in Two Worlds (AIberto Cavalcanti, 1937, 13 mins): a GPO film about communications technology, narrated by J B PriestIey Britain at Bay (Harry Watt, 1940, 7 mins): a wartime propaganda fiIm intended to boost morale, narrated by J B PriestIey A City Reborn (1945, 21 mins): a propaganda fiIm written by DyIan Thomas highlighting pIans for post-war reconstruction CharIey in New Town (HaIas & Batchelor, 1948, 8 mins): a short animation on post-war new towns built to address housing shortages Your Very Good HeaIth (HaIas & BatcheIor, 1948, 9 mins): a short animation on the new National Health Service Illustrated booklet with essays by Dr Josephine Botting, Tim O'SuIlivan, Katy McGahan, Jenny Stewart and AIan Burton, and full fiIm credits UK | 1944 | B&W | 78 minutes | EngIish Ianguage, with optionaI hard-of-hearing subtitles | original aspect ratio 1.33:1 | Cert U (infrequent mild vioIence, very miId bad Ianguage) | BD50: 1080p, 24fps, PCM 2.0 stereo audio (48kHz/24-bit), Region B | DVD9: PAL, 25fps, PCM stereo audio (48kHz/16-bit), Region 2 |