Paula Hammond - Features EditorPaths of Glory is a curious beast. It’s a war film whose battles are mostly fought in a court room. It’s a Kubrick epic, that feels like a small, claustrophobic indie movie. It’s a Kirk Douglas vehicle that contains none of the usual Douglas bombast. It’s a political film that’s anti-politics. It’s a film about man’s inhumanity, that relies on our compassion to work. And it’s a breathtaking film that, having watched, you’ll never want to rewatch.
On the French front lines of World War I, after giving the order for an impossible and disastrous mission to capture a nearby stronghold, the upper ranks move to save face by having three randomly selected soldiers held and tried for cowardice under pain of death. Their leader, Colonel Dax (in a powerhouse performance by Kirk Douglas), a former lawyer in civilian life, handles their defence against overwhelming odds.
A stylistically astonishing, emotionally overwhelming anti-war drama, Paths of Glory is one of the screen’s most brilliant condemnations of the power structures guiding warfare.
Presented on 4K ultra-HD blu-ray for the first time ever in UK, as part of The Masters of Cinema Series, this is a shattering masterpiece by one of the medium’s greatest artists.
Special features include:
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Scott Saslow.
- 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation, presented in Dolby Vision HDR from a 4K scan of the original camera negative.
- Audio commentary with film scholar Adrian Martin.
- Video interview with Kubrick scholar, Peter Kramer,
- Video interview with filmmaker, Richard Ayoade.
- Interview with critic / author Richard Combs.
- Optional English SDH.
- Original theatrical trailer.
- Isolated music & effects track.
- A collector’s booklet featuring writing by Glenn Kenny and Colin Young, illustrated with archival imagery.
