Samuel LoveIn 1961, producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory founded Merchant Ivory Productions, the celebrated company behind such period classics as A Room with a View, The Remains of the Day, Howards End, and many more. Screenbound Pictures have just released two of their lesser-known titles – The Deceivers, starring Pierce Brosnan, and The Ballad of the Sad Café, starring Vanessa Redgrave – in stunning HD. Merchant Ivory Productions are the sort of company seemingly incapable of making an objectively ‘bad’ film. Their wonderful attention to detail and meticulous production design make all of their titles worth a watch, and these two are no exception. Both look and sound great on Blu-ray, and are worth checking out.
The Deceivers (1988)
Nicholas Meyer’s historical drama, loosely based on fact, stars Pierce Brosnan as an agent of the East India Company. One night, he witnesses a murderous assault on a woman and, on investigation, finds the attackers were Thugees, a bizarre cult of killers. Determined to destroy them, he infiltrates their ranks but to gain acceptance, he must adopt their murderous ways.
The Ballad of the Sad Café (1991)
Set during the Depression in the South, Miss Amelia Evans (Vanessa Redgrave) owns the local store and is feared and loathed by most of the town. She kicks her would-be husband out, refusing to consummate the marriage, but accepts his generous wedding present of land. When a hunchback arrives, claiming he is her cousin, the town watches in amazement as she takes him in, dotes on him and turns her store into a cafe for him.
