Western Approaches

Released: 19th June 2023. Regarded as one of the best British documentaries of the Second World War, Western Approaches pays tribute to the bravery of the Merchant Navy and the perils they faced during the Atlantic Convoys. Directed by Pat Jackson and brilliantly shot in Technicolor by acclaimed cinematographer Jack Cardiff (The Red Shoes, The African Queen), this dramatized Crown Film Unit retelling of an attempted U-Boat attack uses real merchant seamen to re-enact their roles. Both realistic and dramatic, the film carries a powerful authenticity, which is reinforced by its stunning colour imagery. A crowning achievement of the British Documentary Movement that flourished in the 1930s and 40s, this landmark film is presented in a new 2K restoration by Imperial War Museums. Special Features Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition  Audio commentary featuring the Imperial War Museum’s Toby Haggith and director Pat Jackson (2004) Ferry Pilot (1941, 31 mins): film about the Air Transport Auxiliary which provided personnel to fly newly completed aircraft from the factories to the airfields Builders (1942, 8 mins): short film highlighting the importance of builders to the war effort People at War -  A Seaman’s Story (1942, 14 mins): a Newfoundlander recounts being torpedoed four times, typifying the courage and service of the Merchant Navy This is Colour (1942, 18 mins): an ICI-sponsored Technicolor marvel that explores colour theory Colour on the Sea (2023, 8 mins): Craig McCall’s making-of film, with Pat Jackson and Jack Cardiff, filmed aboard HMS Belfast in 1999 Steel (1945, 34 mins): a Technicolor documentary exploring the manufacture of steel and the workings of a foundry  Western Approaches linocut production (2023, 1 min): illustrator and printmaker Mat Pringle shares his process for creating the new sleeve art **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new writing by David Walsh, Toby Haggith, Patrick Russell and Steven Foxon