The Beast

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Streaming Options
Licensor
Argos Films
Directed by: Walerian Borowczyk
Walerian Borowczyk's most notorious and controversial film wildly re-works the classic Beauty and the Beast story into a fairy tale strictly for adults.

Bestial dreams interrupt the venal plans of a French aristocrat attempting to save a crumbling mansion by marrying off his deformed son, Mathurin, to a insatiable American heiress, Lucy. Yet Mathurin seems more interested in his horses than in his bride-to-be, and when Lucy finds out about the story of his 18th-century ancestor Romilda's (Sirpa Lane) relationship with the titular beast it sparks to life one of the most outrageous dream sequences in cinema history.

A huge hit in France that was extensively censored and banned elsewhere, The Beast broke new ground in explicitness and remains a truly startling experience even today.

Technical Specifications

Format: Blu-ray/DVD
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 , 1.66:1 (Anamorphic)
Audio: French 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono , French 1.0 PCM Mono
Resolution:
Subtitles: English
Region: 2/A
Discs: 2 Discs |  DVD-9/BD-50

Supplements

  • Introduction by film critic Peter Bradshaw
  • The Making of ‘The Beast’: camera operator Noël Véry provides a commentary on footage shot during the film’s production
  • Frenzy of Ecstasy, a new visual essay on the evolution of Borowczyk’s beast and the sequel that never was, Motherhood
  • The Profligate Door, a documentary about Borowczyk's sound sculptures featuring curator Maurice Corbet
  • Boro Brunch, a reunion meal recorded in February 2014 reuniting members of Borowczyk's crew
  • Commercials by Borowczyk: Holy Smoke (1963), The Museum (1964) and Tom Thumb (1966)
  • Gunpoint, a documentary short by Peter Graham produced and edited by Borowczyk (11:04)
  • Behind Enemy Lines - The Making of Gunpoint (5:16)
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original poster design
  • Illustrated booklet featuring new writing on the film by Daniel Bird and an archive piece by David Thompson, illustrated with original stills

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