155 Secret Ceremony

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MichaelB
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155 Secret Ceremony

#1 Post by MichaelB » Thu Sep 05, 2019 5:01 am

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SECRET CEREMONY
(Joseph Losey, 1968)


Release date: 18 November 2019
Limited Blu-ray Edition (World Blu-ray premiere) - pre-order

Joseph Losey’s lurid and often misunderstood drama stars the great Elizabeth Taylor (Suddenly, Last Summer) as an ageing London prostitute who befriends a young woman (Mia Farrow, See No Evil) that reminds her of her long-dead daughter. As the bizarre relationship between the two evolves, the appearance of Robert Mitchum (Cape Fear), as Farrow’s abusive stepfather, ignites deep emotions and dark passions.

With its exquisite production design, stylish cinematography and elegant score, Joseph Losey’s lost masterpiece finally makes its long-overdue premiere on Blu-ray.

INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES:

• High Definition remaster
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with authors and critics Dean Brandum and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (2019)
• Interview with Joseph Losey (1968): the celebrated director promotes Secret Ceremony in this archival interview from French TV
• The Beholder’s Share (2019): interview with filmmaker Gavrik Losey, son of director Joseph Losey
• Original theatrical trailer
• Trailer commentary (2015): short critical appreciation by Larry Karaszewski
• Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive booklet containing a newly commissioned essay by Neil Sinyard, archival interviews, historic articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses and full film credits
• World premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 3,000 copies
• All extras subject to change

#PHILTD155
BBFC cert: 15
REGION B
EAN: 5037899084038

alacal2
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#2 Post by alacal2 » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:03 am

"Lost masterpiece". I've never seen this (which probably explains the 'lost' bit) but is this just hyperbole from Indicator or a genuine discovery?

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domino harvey
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#3 Post by domino harvey » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:48 am

It’s a weird movie, as you might surmise from the cast and description (though once more Indicator leaves out a huge and memorable element of the film’s narrative from their description), and one well worth seeing, but I think few would dispute that “masterpiece” is pushing it.

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zedz
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#4 Post by zedz » Thu Sep 05, 2019 5:18 pm

Yeah, it's a weird movie with big stars in it. I think that in most cases "lost masterpiece" is marketing speak for "could have been a cult movie but for some reason never became a cult movie," and this fits that bill.

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knives
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#5 Post by knives » Fri Sep 06, 2019 5:20 pm

It's honestly one of my all time favorites and easily my favorite Losey. It's bizarre in just the way that's catnip for me.

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Ovader
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#6 Post by Ovader » Sat Sep 14, 2019 12:43 pm

I was informed there are two versions which are the original theatrical release "monkeyed with" and the restored version now in circulation. Safe to assume the restored version is presented on this blu-ray edition?

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Dylan
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#7 Post by Dylan » Sat Sep 14, 2019 2:59 pm

Several years ago I got really into Joseph Losey and saw everything I could get my hands on, including this. Losey directed many different kinds of films, and this falls under the distinctive "weird Losey" category with Boom!, These Are the Damned, and Modesty Blaise, and like all of those it's quite excellent in its own unique way.

Regarding the alternate version, this is from the Secret Ceremony trivia page on IMDB:
When the film aired on NBC several years later, it was not only heavily edited to sanitize some of the seamier sexual suggestions but also included newly shot footage (none involving any of the actors who appeared in the actual film: Michael Tolan. Paul Rogers), including a prologue and epilogue in which a psychiatrist character discussed the characters' failings and attempted to explain away the truncated film's many plot holes. Among other major changes was the profession of Elizabeth Taylor's character, who somehow morphed from a prostitute in the theatrical release to a wig model in the TV version.
I vaguely recall reading an interview where Losey said that he had nothing to do with the TV cut and that it was a Universal TV director who was hired to make the changes, but I can't locate my source for this at the moment.

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domino harvey
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#8 Post by domino harvey » Sat Sep 14, 2019 3:07 pm

"Wig model" is too good, that's now canon as far as I'm concerned

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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#9 Post by KJones77 » Sat Sep 14, 2019 3:20 pm

Dylan wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 2:59 pm
Several years ago I got really into Joseph Losey and saw everything I could get my hands on, including this. Losey directed many different kinds of films, and this falls under the distinctive "weird Losey" category with Boom!, These Are the Damned, and Modesty Blaise, and like all of those it's quite excellent in its own unique way.
Ha, funny you mentioned that. I'm currently going through a Losey phase myself. As of July, I'd never seen one of his films but I've now seen 8 (The Prowler, Time Without Pity, The Criminal, Eva, The Damned, King and Country, Modesty Blaise, and Boom!). Next up, I can stream The Big Night, The Sleeping Tiger, Accident, The Romantic Englishwoman, and The Trout, while I've pre-ordered this release of Secret Ceremony and Studio Canal's The Go-Between.

He is such a fun director to explore. So eclectic as you said - even when exploring similar themes - and the films tend to be great (or, at the very least, interesting) as well.

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Dylan
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#10 Post by Dylan » Sat Sep 14, 2019 3:29 pm

KJones77 wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 3:20 pm
Ha, funny you mentioned that. I'm currently going through a Losey phase myself. As of July, I'd never seen one of his films but I've now seen 8 (The Prowler, Time Without Pity, The Criminal, Eva, The Damned, King and Country, Modesty Blaise, and Boom!). Next up, I can stream The Big Night, The Sleeping Tiger, Accident, The Romantic Englishwoman, and The Trout, while I've pre-ordered this release of Secret Ceremony and Studio Canal's The Go-Between.

He is such a fun director to explore. So eclectic as you said - even when exploring similar themes - and the films tend to be great (or, at the very least, interesting) as well.
That's awesome. Yes, Losey's cinema is wonderfully eclectic and exciting. I had a blast going through his filmography. You have some great Losey ahead of you, but I must recommend my favorite which you have not mentioned, The Servant, which in addition to being my favorite Losey is also one of my all-time favorite films.

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knives
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#11 Post by knives » Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:04 am

That old English boxset is a great resource featuring as well Mr. Klein which I'd label one of his best. There's a decent edition of his first feature. The Boy with Green Hair, as well that's worth seeking out.

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MichaelB
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#12 Post by MichaelB » Sun Sep 29, 2019 8:36 am

Dylan wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 2:59 pm
Regarding the alternate version, this is from the Secret Ceremony trivia page on IMDB:
When the film aired on NBC several years later, it was not only heavily edited to sanitize some of the seamier sexual suggestions but also included newly shot footage (none involving any of the actors who appeared in the actual film: Michael Tolan. Paul Rogers), including a prologue and epilogue in which a psychiatrist character discussed the characters' failings and attempted to explain away the truncated film's many plot holes. Among other major changes was the profession of Elizabeth Taylor's character, who somehow morphed from a prostitute in the theatrical release to a wig model in the TV version.
I vaguely recall reading an interview where Losey said that he had nothing to do with the TV cut and that it was a Universal TV director who was hired to make the changes, but I can't locate my source for this at the moment.
I didn't want to say anything until I'd witnessed it with my own eyes on the actual disc encode, but I'm delighted to confirm that the Indicator edition will include the prologue and epilogue of the TV version - newly scanned in HD from Universal's film master.

And yes, this material is pretty jaw-dropping. The wig-model rewrite is particularly amusing if you're already familiar with the Losey version, because its motives are so utterly transparent.

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MichaelB
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#13 Post by MichaelB » Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:06 pm

Final specs:

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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#14 Post by MichaelB » Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:50 am


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therewillbeblus
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#15 Post by therewillbeblus » Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:38 am

Well this was a strange one alright, but like Losey's other 60s surrealistic identity films it's a wonderful kind of sensational reality-twist for the viewer as fish-out-of-water. Though this one is not a Pinter, it certainly echos his thematic vision including the flexibility of role adoption and questionability on the degrees of subjective reality, though Losey uses relaxed spatial narrative and physical planes to insert confusion and neuroses to flourish through isolation apart, like Pinter does by bringing people closer together with vocal confrontation in physical claustrophobia, but both beget the same feeling. I loved every minute of Mia Farrow's offbeat performance, and the silence that spans across long portions of the film, including the opening ten minutes, is smart and creative in delivering the restraint and the bizarre surge all at once, so that when we get information whether a ton or a small piece, we can relish every bit and soak it in. I'll be interested to delve into the features on this disc to get a better handle on the material. Losey seems like a perfect fit for Indicator's surplus of extras and I'm glad they're giving him the attention he deserves.

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The Elegant Dandy Fop
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#16 Post by The Elegant Dandy Fop » Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:41 pm

I'm surprised about the light praise this film has gotten in this thread. Joseph Losey is a director I'm very unfamiliar with outside of The Boy with Green Hair and The Damned, but if his English period is marked by films like this, I'm not sure he's someone I want to further explore. I found this to be insufferable and an absolute slog punctuated by silly dialogue and meandering scenes that attempt to use their spaciousness as artful direction. It's not even campy fun in the way I've heard people speak of Losey's later work. It's like a parody of an art house film of the era with it's modernist score and semi-hallucinogenic imagery that ultimately amount to meaningless through the film's own incomprehension. In feels like it would pair well with 3 Women as that film is the good version of this and touches upon many similar themes like mixed identity, unexplored sexuality, hints of lesbianism, and imaginary family dynamics.

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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#17 Post by NABOB OF NOWHERE » Thu Jan 09, 2020 6:08 pm

. Elegant Dandy Fop wrote:
Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:41 pm
Joseph Losey is a director I'm very unfamiliar with outside of The Boy with Green Hair and The Damned, but if his English period is marked by films like this, I'm not sure he's someone I want to further explore.
I suggest you keep marching and take in The Servant, Accident and King and Country -all masterpieces- before hanging up your boots.

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therewillbeblus
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Re: 155 Secret Ceremony

#18 Post by therewillbeblus » Thu Jan 09, 2020 7:36 pm

I agree with Nabob but also would suggest Time Without Pity if you want something more accessible in a noirish drama, but incredibly inspired all the same. The Servant and Accident are great Harold Pinter collabs that venture into those themes/style of Secret Ceremony though more effectively, grounded, and even - even if I personally really enjoyed this film for similar and different reasons as those.

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