Whilst Otto Preminger may have had a formidable reputation of being difficult to work with, highly strung and temperamental, he was also one of the best American filmmakers of his generation. He made his name in film noir through great films such as Laura and Fallen Angel before producing more high-profile work like Anatomy of a Murder and The Man with the Golden Arm. Whilst Bunny Lake is Missing is one of his lesser-known films, it’s also one of his best.
On arriving to collect her daughter Bunny from pre-school, Ann Lake (Carol Lynley), who has recently moved to London from America, finds that she has disappeared. However, the staff at the school can’t remember seeing the girl, and along with her brother Steven (Keir Dullea) they undertake a fruitless search. Superintendent Newhouse (Laurence Olivier) leads the investigation but soon begins to suspect that Bunny may not be real.
Bunny Lake is Missing bares many similarities with some of Hitchcock’s early work. It’s brilliantly written and acted, twisting and turning as suspicious points its finger in myriad directions. Olivier adopts a similar enquiring role as that of Inspector Poole in An Inspector Calls. However, it’s Lynley and Dullea whose performances keep proceedings on-edge. Bunny Lake is Missing is a top-draw mystery and edge-of-the-seat thriller which will keep you guessing until the very end.
Special Features:
• 4K restoration from the original negative
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with film historians Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
• Carol Lynley Remembers (2006, 27 mins): the actress discusses her career and working with Otto Preminger
• Clive Revill Remembers (2017, 14 mins): the celebrated actor discuss his role as Andrews
• Isolated score: experience Paul Glass’ original soundtrack music
• Original theatrical trailers
• Image gallery
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive 24-page booklet with a new essay by Chris Fujiwara, archival interview material with Otto Preminger, rare colour on-set photography, and a selection of contemporary reviews
• UK Blu-ray premiere
• Limited Dual Format Edition of 3,000 copies
Bunny Lake is Missing is released on Dual Format by Powerhouse Films as part of their Indicator Series on Monday.
