Eureka Entertainment has announced that it will release on 4K Blu-ray Pascal Laugier's Martyrs (2008), starring Morjana Alaoui, Mylene Jampanoi, Catherine Bégin, Robert Toupin, and Patricia Tulasne. The release is scheduled to arrive on the market on October 27.
Description: The rare film with a reputation that speaks for itself, Martyrs is perhaps the defining film of the New French Extremity movement and director Pascal Laugier's masterpiece. Horrifying and thought-provoking in equal measure, it is a deeply philosophical and challenging work of extreme cinema – and undoubtedly one of the finest horror films produced in the twenty-first century.
In 1971, a young Lucie Jurin (Jessie Pham) manages to escape from a slaughterhouse in which she has been subjected to unspeakable torture. Placed in an orphanage, she forms a strong bond with Anna (Erika Scott), who tries to help her to recover from her trauma. Fifteen years later and now in adulthood, Lucie (Mylène Jampanoï) breaks into the isolated home of the Belford family, believing that they were involved in the horrific abuse she suffered in childhood. When she receives a call from Lucie, Anna (Morjana Alaoui) rushes to her aid – but soon comes to regret ever having set foot in the Belford house, where she will experience things beyond human comprehension.
Featuring heartbreaking performances by its two female leads and truly shocking imagery that lingers long in the mind courtesy of special effects designer Benoît Lestang, Martyrs has risen above debates surrounding "torture porn" to emerge as one of the truly great works of extreme cinema. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present the film on 4K Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from a stunning brand new 4K restoration, accompanied by a wealth of new and archival extras.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
TWO-DISC (4K BLU-RAY/BLU-RAY) COMBO PACK
EXCLUSIVE NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE by Eureka Entertainment
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTAITON OF THE FILM
NEW audio commentary with Nia Edwards-Behi, co-director of Abertoir Horror Film Festival
NEW Revisiting the Belford House – interview with lead actor Mylène Jampanoï
NEW Beauty and Brutality – interview with New French Extremity expert Alice Haylett Bryan
NEW Over Her Flayed Body – video essay on Martyrs and body horror by Xavier Aldana Reyes, author of Contemporary Body Horror
Organic Chronicles – archival feature-length documentary on the making of Martyrs
Archival interview with director Pascal Laugier
Archival interview with special effects designer Benoît Lestang
Stills Gallery
Trailers
Original French audio (5.1 and stereo options)
Optional English subtitles, newly revised for this release
Limited edition hardcase featuring new artwork by Nick Charge
Limited edition 100-page book featuring new cover artwork by Nick Charge and writing on Martyrs by film critic Anton Bitel and horror scholars Reece Goodall, Steve Jones, Mary Going and Laura Mee
Limited edition fold-out poster featuring new artwork and original poster art