To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1970s swashbuckling classic, STUDIOCANAL have announced a brand-new 4K restoration of the star-studded THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Directed by Richard Lester (A Hard Day’s Night, Help!),the film will be available to own on4K UHD for the very first time, onBlu-Ray, DVD and Digital from May 8th. To accompany the release, the equally thrilling sequel, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS , has also enjoyed the same 4k treatmentand will be available to own on the same day.
Starring Oliver Reed (Women in Love), Richard Chamberlain (The Towering Inferno) and Frank Finlay (Othello) as the titular Musketeers with Michael York (Logan’s Run) as D’Artagnan,THE THREE MUSKETEERS and T HE FOUR MUSKETEERS boast exceptional supporting casts featuring many of the most lauded stars of the era includingCharlton Heston (Ben-Hur),Raquel Welch (One Million Years BC), Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man),Faye Dunaway (Bonnie and Clyde),Roy Kinnear (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory) and Spike Milligan (The Goon Show).
Both films come complete with a host of new special features and are a welcome addition to the ever-expanding Vintage Classics collection .
THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1973)
50th anniversary release
In 17th Century Paris, young, naïve and energetic D’Artagnan (Michael York)
leaves home to seek his fortune as a swordsman. Making friends with the
three
musketeers: world-weary Athos (Oliver Reed), comically arrogant Porthos
(Frank Finlay) and chivalric Aramis (Richard Chamberlain), he is invited to
join them in their efforts to thwart the aristocratic schemer Cardinal
Richelieu (Charlton Heston), who plots to prove the infidelity of the Queen
(Geraldine Chaplin) to King Louis XIII (Jean-Pierre Cassel) in order to
increase his own power.
Whilst attempting to foil the Cardinal’s plans, D'Artagnan finds himself also juggling affairs with both the charming Constance Bonancieux (Raquel Welch) as well as the passionate Milady De Winter (Faye Dunaway), a secret agent for the Cardinal….
Originally conceived as a vehicle for The Beatles, it was ultimately decided that the Fab Four‘s personalities risked overshadowing the characters and the idea was shelved. Throughout production, Richard Lester insisted on secrecy from cast and crew for fear that his ideas may be stolen by any of the four other adaptations of the book that were also in production at the time. However, the film was both a critical and commercial hit on release and garnered Raquel Welch a Best Actress Golden Globe.
SPECIAL FEATURES
New
Neil Sinyard on The Three Musketeers
The Saga of the Musketeers Part 1
The Making of The Musketeers vintage EPK
Original US trailer
Original UK trailer
Running Time: 107 mins / Cert: 12
THE FOUR MUSKETEERS (1974)
With D’Artagnan (Michael York) now officially enrolled in the King’s service, his army besieges the rebels at La Rochelle and Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) is determined to prevent any meddling by the English before the city falls. He dispatches Milady de Winter (Faye Dunaway) to London with orders to assassinate Buckingham (Simon Ward) If necessary. But she has a price — carte blanche to dispose of D’Artagnan and Bonacieux as she sees fit. Our heroes, in between dodging musket balls at La Rochelle, must once again outwit the Cardinal’s henchmen to save the day. But this time the stakes are higher… And tragedy is in the offing.
The film was received as enthusiastically as its predecessor and garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design - marking the first time that a sequel received a nomination when its predecessor was overlooked
SPECIAL FEATURES
New
Neil Sinyard on The Four Musketeers
The Saga of the Musketeers Part 2
Original Trailer
Running Time: 106 mins / Cert: 12