Hammer Films will release The Man Who Could Cheat Death on 4K UHD and Blu-ray on February 22, 2027. Hammer Films restored The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) in 4K from the original film negatives, with optional, originally censored scenes thought lost for years. Terence Fisher directed The Man Who Could Cheat Death from a script by Jimmy Sangster. Anton Diffring, Hazel Court and Christopher Lee star alongside Arnold Marlé and Delphi Lawrence.
About The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
A doctor and dilettante, Georges Bonner’s sculptures are the talk of Belle Époque Parisian society. But Bonner hides a grisly secret: he is over a century old and a serial murderer, kept artificially young by harvesting glands from his unfortunate victims.
The Man Who Could Cheat Death 6 versions, audio and commentaries
The Man Who Could Cheat Death has 6 versions of the film across 3 aspect ratios: 1.37:1, 1.66:1 and 1.85:1. Both censored and uncensored scenes appear across the 6 versions. Each version of The Man Who Could Cheat Death has a new 5.1 mix alongside the original mono film soundtrack.
Kim Newman and Stephen Jones are among 11 contributors to the new and archive commentaries across the 6 versions of The Man Who Could Cheat Death.
The Man Who Could Cheat Death packaging and physical extras
The Man Who Could Cheat Death Limited Collector’s Edition comes in a leather-feel slipcase with debossed foil titling. A digipak in The Man Who Could Cheat Death Limited Collector’s Edition contains 4 discs: 2 UHDs and 2 Blu-rays with the same content on both formats. A rigid inner box in the Limited Collector’s Edition has new artwork by illustrator and artist Lucas Peverill.
A double-sided poster of original one-sheets and 8 art cards also come in The Man Who Could Cheat Death Limited Collector’s Edition. A book in the Limited Collector’s Edition reproduces British make-up artist Roy Ashton’s annotated copy of the original shooting script. Hammer Films also sells a Standard Edition of The Man Who Could Cheat Death.
The Man Who Could Cheat Death 4K UHD and Blu-ray release details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | Hammer Films |
| Format | 4K UHD and Blu-ray (Limited Collector’s Edition: 2 x UHD Blu-ray, 2 x Blu-ray) |
| Edition | Limited Collector’s Edition; Standard Edition also available |
| Video | Restored in 4K from the original film negatives |
| Audio | Original mono film soundtrack and new 5.1 mix for each version |
| Subtitles | English, French, Italian, Spanish, German |
| Aspect ratio | 1.37:1 as-filmed, 1.66:1 UK theatrical, 1.85:1 US theatrical |
| Region | B for Blu-ray, ABC for UHD |
| Runtime | 83 minutes |
| Release date | February 22, 2027 |
The Man Who Could Cheat Death special features
The Man Who Could Cheat Death includes these special features:
- A comprehensive series of new and archive commentaries across the six iterations with contributions and critical perspectives from Lizbeth Myles, Paul Cornell, Kim Newman, Stephen Jones, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Lauren Barnett, John Hamilton, Professor Lucy Bolton, Pamela Hutchinson, Constantine Nasr and Dr. Steve Haberman.
- A new programme with Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey, discussing the making of this classic Gothic horror.
- A Hideous Concoction: an archive featurette featuring actor and horror expert Jonathan Rigby, who discusses the film and source play.
- The Man Who Could Direct Death: an archive featurette with film historian and BFI curator Vic Pratt, who discusses the film’s director, Terence Fisher.
- The Man Who Can Chat Death: an archive interview with Hugh Harlow, a Hammer mainstay and third AD on the film.
- Court in Session: an archive featurette with film historian Melanie Williams, who discusses actor Hazel Court.
- Hazel Court 1999 interview: a candid interview with Hazel Court in front of a live audience at Manchester’s Festival of Fantastic Films.
- Hammer Convention Panel 1999: in addition to the FoFF interview, Hazel Court also appeared on a panel chaired by Wayne Kinsey and featuring writer Jimmy Sangster and award-winning director Freddie Francis.
- A restoration featurette.
- Original censor Card, UK trailer, clapperboard and alternative burning shot.
- Extensive image gallery of stills and publicity material.
The Man Who Could Cheat Death arrives on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from Hammer Films on February 22, 2027.
