Studiocanal has sent us a review copy for the new 4k restoration release of the 1963 film Billy Liar; directed by John Schlesinger.
This 1 hour and 38 minute British New Wave classic film stars Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie, Helen Fraser, Wilfred Pickles and Mona Washbourne.
Billy Liar is directly what ‘it says on the tin’; which is about Billy Fisher (Tom Courntenay), a working class lad in the North who has been lying and fantasizing his way through life, and Courntenay is brilliant as he delivers his comedic scenes in a psychological and satirical way, like a darker inverse Nothern version of Norman Wisdom’s comedy.
Film editor Roger Cherrill’s quick jump cuts are blended well between Billy’s real life and egotistical fantasies, which are mainly war centric, or putting himself in other positions of respect and power compared to where his character’s own life lacks the respect of both his parents and friends.
There is another interesting aspect to these classic films which documents the redevelopment of Bradford and Leeds cities, many buildings being demolished for future housing and commercial buildings, as well as the different parts of British culture at the time with a brief glimpse at Rockers on bikes, and the life of a family in the North.
A great part about restorations is when the studio hasn’t just upscaled from an existing inferior transfer, I would always avoid buying something like that. That’s why this restoration is worth it, as there has been great care taken to present the film in its best condition.
This film has been incredibly restored by a company called Silver Salt Restoration, with fresh scans from the original 35 mm negatives: to remove the crackles, sparkles, missing frames. It’s not noticeable at all that frames were missing, although there are the occassional out of focus frames mainly due to the focus pullers (Mike Rutter & Neil Binney) as well as the original camera operator Jack Atcheler. The lighting in these classic films are always so beautiful compared to many recent films with LED lighting. Billy Liar also remains graded in black and white instead of being colourized.
Bonus features
There are many features included however, uut of these features, the ‘Remembering Billy Liar with Tom Courtenay and Helen Fraser’ is one of my favourites; as Tom and Helen share their experiences with being film sets, and what they liked and didn’t like about the film, as well as the advice Courntenay’s long-time actor friend Albert Finney gave him… Finney first played Billy on West End stage before the film’s adaptation.
- New Billy Liar: Alice Lowe and Danny Leigh in Conversation
- New The More Things Change: Samira Ahmed on Billy Liar
- Audio commentary with John Schlesinger, Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie
- Audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
- Remembering Billy Liar with Tom Courtenay and Helen Fraser
- Interview with Richard Ayoade
- A look through the Keith Waterhouse Archive with British Library Curator Zoe Wilcox
- Interview with Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley
- Stills Gallery
- Trailer
When is the Billy Liar releasing on 4K?
The restoration of Billy Liar (1963) is set to release on UHD and blu-ray physical media, on August 24.
Leave a Reply