The Hop Pickers Blu-ray

British label Second Run is preparing a Blu-ray release of Ladislav Rychman's The Hop Pickers (1964), starring Vladimir Pucholt, Ivana Pavlova, Miloš Zavadil, and Irena Kacirkova. The release is scheduled to arrive on the market on November 25.

Descirption: The first ever Czechoslovak film musical, Ladislav Rychman's sumptuous The Hop-Pickers was a sensation upon release. Its popularity has since endured for generations of Czech viewers with its sympathetic portrayal of youthful rebellion, romance, flamboyant production numbers, and catchy songs.

Tapping into the Swinging 60s with a uniquely Czech perspective on the big-screen musical, The Hop-Pickers vibrantly fuses music, dance, and a New Wave-style authenticity with an untypical attitude to prescribed norms and sexual freedoms.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 4K RESTORATION by the Czech National Film Archive
• Gift of the Earth (1932): A rare archival silent film on the Czech hop-picking industry
• One-Hundred and Ten Years of the Pilsen Brewery (1952): A silent promotional film directed by the great Karel Zeman
• The Processing of Hops (1964): A contemporary information film directed by Josef Suran
• Trailer
• 24-page booklet featuring an expansive new essay by author Jonathan Owen
• REGION-FREE