Kino Lorber are preparing a 4K Blu-ray release of Paul Thomas Anderson's
Hard Eight (1996), starring Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, and F. William Parker. The release is expected to arrive on the market early next year.
Description: Before hitting the big time with his second film,
Boogie Nights, young filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson impressed critics with this deftly conceived, low-budget film noir chamber piece. With its minimalist plot, deliberate pacing, and brief, but shocking bursts of violence,
Hard Eight won't please everyone, but Anderson and his first-rate cast were clearly working on the same authentic wavelength.
It's a mystery at first why a solemn professional gambler (Hall in a captivating performance) cares for a down-and-out loser (Reilly) and a dimwit, Reno cocktail waitress (Paltrow). But his motivations become clear--and the movie packs a quietly effective punch--when the gambler faces blackmail by a small-time crook (Jackson).