Kino Lorber and their sublabels have revealed that they are planning to bring to Blu-ray four titles: Howard Higgin's
Hell House (1932), John Cromwell's
Of Human Bondage (1934), Alan Clarke's
Scum (1979), and Nicolo Dominick Gullo and Jameel Saleem's
Fear Not (2011).
Hell's House
An orphan (Durkin) is pushed to the limits of suffering when he is sent to a juvenile detention hall. Jimmy is sentenced to a term of hard labor after taking the rap for a bootlegger. Greeted at the reformatory gates by the howls of punished boys and the frail bodies of teenage laborers, he soon learns that there are even worse horrors in store for him. The severe treatment threatens the life of his friend Shorty, and Jimmy risks his own safety to save him. After making a daring escape, Jimmy pleads with Matt Kelly (O'Brien) and Peggy Gardner (Davis) to expose the brutality of juvenile hall and free his dying friend.
Hell's House, one of the first drams to portray the real-life horrors of prison life, is uplifted by strong performances from Bette Davis and Pat O'Brien. Davis, at the height of her talent, was loaned from Universal specifically for this film. Starring Bette Davis, Pat O'Brien, Junior Durkin, Frank Coghlan Jr., and Charley Grapewin. Street date: June 18th.
Of Human Bondage
Considered to be the best filming of M. Somerset Maugham's poignant novel, the film tells of the ill-fated romance between a well-to-do-club-footed medical student and a vulgar waitress. Starring Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Frances Dee, and Kay Johnson. Street date: June 18th.
Scum
Scum refers to the label slapped upon reform-school inmate Carlin (Ray Winstone,
Sexy Beast). When he isn't being beaten up by the other inmates, Carlin is being beaten down by the system. He rebels against this treatment and ''wins'' by becoming more vicious than any of his oppressors. Harrowing, claustrophobic, and deeply tragic,
Scum was originally banned by the BBC for graphic brutality (and, quite likely, criticism of the justice system), leading director Alan Clarke to remake this chilling and groundbreaking thriller for all to see. Starring Ray Winstone, Mick Ford, Julian Firth. Street date: June 4th.
Fear Not
Jason Petal, a student filmmaker, stumbles on a 70's era 8mm camera containing the footage of a grisly murder, and in order to film his own feature he convinces friends to break into the abandoned historic home where the tragedy occurred. Planning to scare them at every turn, he quickly realizes too late that the thing their cameras will record are their own deaths. Starring Aaron Perilo, Dustin Fitzsimons, and Jennifer Simmons. Street date: June 11th.