The 1957 film is considered to be one of the best legal dramas ever made.
The 4K format has become extremely popular in the physical media market over the last number of years. One of the exciting aspects of it has been seeing our favorite classic films restored for the stunning format. Now, thanks to Kino Lorber, the next classic film coming to 4K is 1957’s 12 Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet. The famous boutique label announced that the new edition will be released on March 28, 2023.
This 4K Blu-ray will come with a brand new HDR/Dolby Vision Master, and audio commentary by Film Historians Gary Gerani and Drew Casper, a making-of documentary, the film’s theatrical trailer, and a featurette titled “Inside the Jury Room”. If that wasn’t enough this release will also come with The Exorcist’s director William Friedkin’s 1997 television remake of 12 Angry Men. The film itself follows 12 jury members who are tasked to make a final decision on a teenager charged of murder. It was a unique film for its time depicting a group of people from very different walks of life trying to come to an agreement on a single issue. As one would expect, that doesn’t come easy as the title of the film becomes a literal statement quickly. There’s a lot of arguing and sweating, given the summer backdrop, as the day goes on. To this day it remains such a rich, well written, story that eerily mirrors today’s nasty political climate.
However, how the film highlights people working out their issues through meaningful communication and humans having more in common than we like to admit is a hopeful message that rings even louder in our modern day world. It also helps that 12 Angry Men has one of the best ensemble casts in film history. Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, and Jack Warden lead a cast that glues you to the screen and never lets you go till the final verdict. They would help lead the film to three Oscar nominations which included Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
