Eureka Entertainment has released Nicolas Roeg’s unsung masterpiece, EUREKA, featuring Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, Rutger Hauer, Joe Pesci and Mickey Rourke, on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK, in a Dual Format edition as part of The Masters of Cinema Series.
It’s been many years since I first saw Eureka, the film was released in only two cinemas in the UK back in the 80s, before coming out on video (which is where I first saw the movie), before it was quickly withdrawn, which in my personal point of view was a damn shame.
But now, after over 30 years, we finally get to see Nicolas Roeg‘s movie in a new restored high-definition presentation, which let’s face it looks so much better than the days of video.
Eureka tells the story of Jack McCann (played by Gene Hackman) who has settled in the Caribbean after uncovering an unimaginable bounty of gold in the Klondike twenty years earlier, he also finds both his wealth and soul at stake among a sinister web of nefarious influences, spiritual malaise and criminal elements.
A saga of almost cosmic proportions, headlined by an exceptional cast including Gene Hackman, Rutger Hauer, Theresa Russell, Mickey Rourke, Joe Pesci and Joe Spinell, Eureka is as powerfully acted, formally audacious, thematically layered and emotionally complex as any of Roeg’s work.
The high-definition restored picture does look good, not overly brilliant, a little grainy in parts, but this really doesn’t distract you from the story telling and cinematography of the movie.
The colours are vibrant, especially in the scenes set in the Caribbean, with a softer palette used earlier in the movie when McCann is in the Klondike before he strikes gold and his troubles begun.
Eureka comes with its original 2.1 sound, but it still works well, Stanley Myers orchestral soundtrack gives the film the atmosphere that it deserves.
[bctt tweet=”‘He found his fortune…but at what cost?’ #Eureka” username=”blazingminds”]Claude van Horn: “You didn’t earn the gold Jack, you took it from Nature. You raped the Earth.”
Eureka is enjoyable and somewhat strange film to watch, a movie that sadly never got the release that it deserved back in the 80s, if you are a fan of Roeg’s work and Gene Hackman, then is certainly a movie that you will want in your collection.
Eureka Special Features
The release of Eureka not only features a High-definition digital transfer, but also several other special features that will add to the excitement of owning the movie, such as:
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Isolated music & effects track
- Original theatrical trailer
- A booklet with archival interviews, new writing and archival images
Eureka is available now and has an 18 certificate and is available to pre-order now from Amazon.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
