The Honeymoon Killers (1969) (Blu-ray + DVD)

One of the great cult true-crime films, hailed by genre aficionados and highbrow cinephiles alike (François Truffaut said it was his favourite American film), The Honeymoon Killers is a compelling dramatisation of the true story of the notorious Lonely Hearts Killers .

Two mismatched lovers, overweight nurse Martha Beck (Shirley Stoler, Seven Beauties) and con man Ray Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco, God Told Me To), concoct a plan to lure unsuspecting victims via lonely-hearts ads. But this is no lip-smacking killing spree but a memorably intense study of loneliness and the lengths to which desperate people will go to keep what they once thought they d never have.

The only film directed by opera composer Leonard Kastle (with additional material by an uncredited Martin Scorsese), shot in stark black and white and incongruously scored by Gustav Mahler, The Honeymoon Killers is a complete one-off in American cinema. Veteran critic Derek Malcolm wrote At that time, we d not seen that kind of film, a super-realist depiction of the banality of evil. It came like a clap of thunder.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of a brand new 4K restoration

Original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Love Letters, a video piece by Robert Fischer featuring actors Tony Lo Bianco and Marilyn Chris and editor Stan Warnow

Folie à Deux: Todd Robinson, director of Lonely Hearts, explores the true story of the Lonely Hearts Killers

Body Shaming: Todd Robinson explores the film

Beyond Morality: Fabrice du Welz, director of Alleluia, discusses the film that inspired him

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw

Illustrated collector s booklet featuring No Average Killers, Johnny Mains extensive new essay on the film and its real-life inspiration, plus archive materials