Inglourious Basterds – LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY

2025 marks six years since Quentin Tarantino’s “Once upon a Time in Hollywood” hit theaters, and as we eagerly anticipate his supposed final film, several of his movies are now available on 4K UHD blu-ray. Among them is the 2009 release, “Inglourious Basterds,” which gives spellcheck quite the workout… or maybe it’s ‘burrsurk’. This was Tarantino’s sixth film and served as a strong comeback after the joint production with Robert Rodriguez, “Grindhouse,” where his movie, “Death Proof,” didn’t fare so well critically and commercially alongside Rodriguez’s superior “Planet Terror.

In this rephrased version, we have:

The film is portrayed as a high-stakes mission, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent), having survived the slaughter of her family by the SS, migrates to Paris and assumes a new identity as the proprietor of a cinema. Simultaneously, a band of Jewish-American soldiers, known as “The Basterds,” led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), are waging a brutal guerrilla war against the Nazis in occupied Europe. Despite their relentless efforts, the Nazi regime continues to hold firm over Europe.

With an audacious plan to bring down the Nazi leadership, they learn that the leaders of the Third Reich will be attending a premiere for propaganda film Nation’s Pride at Shosanna’s very cinema in Paris. With all their enemies gathered in one place, “The Basterds” team up with British Commando Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) and German film star Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), who is secretly an undercover ally, to infiltrate the event. Their objective? To detonate the gathering, effectively dismantling the power of the Nazi regime.

Inglourious Basterds offers a bold, alternate portrayal of Hitler’s regime. Its climactic scene is a dream come true, preceded by many exceptionally crafted scenes, with the introduction of Colonel Hans Landa being one of the standouts. Christoph Waltz played this role flawlessly, earning him international acclaim and his first Oscar – later winning another for his role in Tarantino’s next film, Django Unchained.

This Limited Edition release has a number of terrific bonus features that includes:

2 DISC Inglourious Basterds LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS

Limited edition ‘Operation Kino’ packaging with new art by Dare Creative
• 60-page ‘Films & Filmmakers’ collector’s book with writing by film critics Dennis Cozzalio and Bill Ryan
• Double-sided fold-out poster
• Replica Nation’s Pride Premiere programme booklet
• La Louisianne beermat
• 3 postcard sized double-sided art cards
• Strudel recipe card
• Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Dare Creative

DISC 1 – FEATURE

DISC 2 – EXTRAS

What Would Sally Do?, a new interview with editor Fred Raskin
• Blood Fiction, a new interview with special make-up effects supervisor Greg Nicotero
• Doomstruck, a new interview with actor Omar Doom
• Making it Right, a new visual essay by film critic Walter Chaw, author of A Walter Hill Film
• Film History on Fire, a new visual essay by film scholar Pamela Hutchinson, author of BFI Film Classics Pandora’s Box
• Filmmaking in Occupied France, a new interview with film scholar Christine Leteux, author of Continental Films: French Cinema Under German Control
• Extended and alternate scenes
• Nation’s Pride
• The Making of Nation’s Pride, an archival featurette
• Roundtable Discussion, an archival interview with Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt and Elvis Mitchell
• The Original Inglorious Bastards, archival featurette
• A Conversation with Rod Taylor, archival featurette
• Rod Taylor on Victoria Bitter, archival featurette
• Quentin Tarantino’s Camera Angel, archival featurette
• Hi Sallys, archival featurette
• Film Poster Gallery Tour with Elvis Mitchell, archival featurette
• Trailers

As a cinephile, I must admit that it’s a bit unusual to find Quentin Tarantino absent from the commentary track in this movie. Instead, we get engaging behind-the-scenes featurettes that are truly captivating. One such feature, ‘What would Sally do?’, is a heartfelt tribute to the late editor Sally Menke, who was instrumental in crafting every one of Tarantino’s films, including ‘Inglourious Basterds,’ her final project before her untimely passing. Fred Rusk, who has edited every Tarantino film since then, provides the narration for this piece.

What makes these featurettes even more intriguing are the blooper outtakes where the actors address the camera with a cheerful “Hello Sally!” when things go awry on set. It’s a charming touch that adds a personal note to the making of this iconic film.

Another standout is ‘Doomstruck,’ featuring actor Omar Doom, who played one of the Basterds. Lastly, we have ‘Blood Fiction,’ where make-up effects maestro Greg Nicotero sheds light on how several of the movie’s special effects were brought to life. As a master of his craft, Nicotero is indeed a ‘make-up effects genius.’ These additional features not only enrich our understanding of the film but also offer a unique insight into the creative process that goes into a Tarantino production.

In this bonus material, it’s clear that everyone involved – cast and crew alike – are deeply committed to the director and genuinely enjoy working with him. He, in turn, creates a movie-loving environment on set and fosters camaraderie among the team, making the filmmaking process feel like an exhilarating adventure for all involved, as aptly put by Omar Doom. The last day of work is always bittersweet, signifying the end of this shared experience, but it’s the love of cinema that really stands out here. The archival featurettes further reinforce this sentiment.

Although the featurettes are interesting, they might not be as captivating as the essays penned by critics, theorists, and similar individuals. However, it’s hard to beat the infectious excitement that only Quentin Tarantino can provide when expressing his thoughts.

Regardless of your choice, it’s an excellent investment for any fan’s collection – especially if it isn’t already part of yours. Here’s hoping, Quentin, you’ll soon reveal details about the upcoming tenth film!

Here’s the Inglourious Basterds trailer……

Inglourious Basterds – LIMITED EDITION Blu-ray is available from 13th Jan 2025

2025-01-11 15:24

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