Although probably best remembered for the controversial and groundbreaking dramas Scum, Made in Britain and The Firm, the breadth of Alan Clarke’s radical, political, innovative, inspirational work, along with his influence on generations of filmmakers, such as Gus Van Sant, Paul Greengrass, Andrea Arnold, Harmony Korine, Clio Barnard, Shane Meadows, should see him rightly regarded as one of Britain’s greatest ever filmmaking talents.

This long-overdue collection finally brings together all twenty-three of the surviving stand-alone BBC TV dramas that Alan Clarke directed between 1969 and 1989, including such neglected classics as To Encourage the Others, Horace, Penda’s Fen, Diane, Contact, Christine and Elephant, and also includes Scum and the first ever presentation of Clarke’s original Director’s Cut of The Firm, assembled from his personal answer print, discovered in 2015.

Among the extensive extras, which include David Leland introductions, extracts from BBC discussion shows Open Air and Tonight and newly-produced documentaries and audio commentaries, this Limited Edition 13-Disc Box Set also includes a bonus DVD of Clarke’s Half Hour Story episodes, made for Associated Rediffusion during the late-60s.

Extras:

• All BBC TV filmed productions newly remastered in HD; all VT productions newly remastered in SD
• Alan Clarke: Out of His Own Light (2016): multi-part documentary, featuring actors, writers and producers
• Arena ‘When is a Play Not a Play?’ (1978): archive BBC TV documentary exploring the impact of then-new TV plays that blurred the lines between documentary and drama
• Plus: Audio commentaries; Extracts from BBC TV discussion programmes Open Air and Tonight; David Leland introductions; previously-unseen Clarke material
• Extensive booklet with new essays by writers including Richard Kelly, David Rolinson, Lizzie Francke, Nick Wrigley, Ashley Clark and Kaleem Aftab, with an introduction by Danny Leigh and a foreword by Molly Clarke
• Bonus DVD including seven of Alan Clarke’s Half Hour Story episodes made for Associated Redifussion: Shelter (1967), The Gentleman Caller (1967, previously considered lost), George’s Room (1967), Goodnight Albert (1968), Stella (1968), The Fifty Seventh Saturday (1968) and Thief (1968, previously considered lost)