From Universal Studios Home Entertainment: The Classic Film Noir Thriller From Legendary Filmmaker Orson Welles as Never-Before-Seen on DVD

                  TOUCH OF EVIL - 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

   For the First Time Ever, All Three Versions of the Controversial Film

   Contained in a Two-Disc DVD Set with the Complete Filmmaker Memo, New

                 Behind-the-Scenes Bonus Features and More

    Available October 7, 2008 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment



    UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Aug. 14 /EMWNews/ -- Orson Welles' film noir

masterpiece celebrates a home entertainment milestone with the release of

the "Touch of Evil - 50th Anniversary Edition" DVD on October 7, 2008 from

Universal Studios Home Entertainment. For the first time on DVD, audiences

can experience this cinematic achievement as never before: All three

versions of the film including the preview version, the theatrical version

and the restored version based on Welles' vision, contained on one two-disc

set for $26.98 SRP.



    Also a specially printed reproduction of the complete 58-page memo

Welles wrote in 1957 to the studio outlining his recommended edits after

viewing the rough cut of the film, is available for the very first time

with the DVD set.



    Headlined by an all-star cast that includes Charlton Heston, Janet

Leigh, Ray Collins, Dennis Weaver, Akim Tamiroff and Welles along with

memorable appearances by Mercedes McCambridge, Zsa Zza Gabor, and Marlene

Dietrich, "Touch of Evil" is the dark cinematic portrait of an intricate

criminal plot that combines in lurid and fascinating detail, a kidnapping,

betrayal, police corruption, drug use and murder. An essential addition to

every movie lover's library, the DVD's bonus features with cast, crew and

film historians, delve deep into the complicated backstage story of what

has become a film, that was misunderstood in its day but is now considered

one of Orson Welles' greatest and lasting achievements.






                THREE VERSIONS OF THE CLASSIC FILM ON ONE DVD

    The two-disc DVD includes three versions of the classic film:



    --  Restored Version: Re-edited in 1998, this definitive cut of the film

        is restored to Orson Welles' vision based on his detailed 58-page memo

        to the studio.

    --  Theatrical Version: This original version of the film was seen by

        U.S. audiences when it was released in theaters in 1958.

    --  Preview Version: Created prior to the theatrical version, this cut of

        the film incorporates some of Orson Welles' requests and was

        discovered by Universal in 1976.



    The original rough cut filmed by Welles in 1957 was re-edited and in

part re-shot by Universal, to trim down the running time and modify some of

the story elements. In late 1957, the director, after viewing that

resulting film cut, issued a 58-page memo to the studio's head of

production Edward Muhl outlining his recommended changes. However, many of

these suggestions were not included in the version eventually released

theatrically in early 1958 with additional scenes added by director Harry

Keller, who had been hired to direct the re-shot material. It was not until

1976 that Universal discovered a preview version in its vaults that

post-dated Welles' memo and included some but not all of the director's

changes and still included Keller's scenes. In 1998, the film was re-edited

by the esteemed Walter Murch based on Welles' memo and working from

available materials. The Murch version adhered as closely as possible to

Welles' instructions including the removal of the credits and music from

the film's opening sequences, one of Welles' biggest complaints. It is this

version that is referred to above as the restored version.



    BONUS FEATURES:



    In addition to the original promotional trailer from the film's

theatrical campaign, "Touch of Evil - 50th Anniversary Edition" includes

these all-new, behind the scenes bonus features:






    --  Bringing Evil to Life:  This never-before-released "making-of" feature

        includes interviews with stars Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh, crew

        members and film historians.

    --  Evil Lost & Found:  A never-before-released documentary explaining the

        various versions of the film and the restoration featuring interviews

        with cast, crew members and film historians.

    --  All-New Audio Commentaries:

        --  Restored Version Audio Commentary:  Featuring Charlton Heston,

            Janet Leigh and restoration producer Rick Schmidlin.

        --  Restored Version Audio Commentary: Featuring restoration producer

            Rick Schmidlin

        --  Theatrical Audio Commentary:  Featuring writer and filmmaker F.X.

            Feeny

        --  Preview Version Audio Commentary:  Featuring Welles historians

            Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore



    SYNOPSIS



    Experience director Orson Welles' masterpiece "Touch of Evil" like

never before in an all-new 50th Anniversary Edition DVD! Starring Charlton

Heston, Janet Leigh and Orson Welles himself, this exceptional film noir

portrait of corruption and morally compromised obsessions tells the story

of a crooked police chief who frames a Mexican youth as part of an

intricate criminal plot. Now for the first time ever, see all three

versions of the film -- the preview version, the theatrical version and the

restored version based on Orson Welles' vision. The "Touch of Evil 50th

Anniversary Edition" commemorates a true cinematic achievement and is an

essential addition to the very movie lover's library!






    CAST AND FILMMAKERS

    Directed By: Orson Welles

    Written By: Orson Welles (Screenplay), Whit Masterson (Novel)

    Produced By: Rich Schmidlin, Albert Zugsmith

    Director of Photography: Russell Metty

    Edited By: Walter Murch, Aaron Stell, Virgil Vogel

    Costume Designer:  Bill Thomas

    Original Music By: Henry Mancini

    Cast: Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Marlene Dietrich, Zsa

    Zsa Gabor, Akin Tamiroff, Dennis Weaver, Mercedes McCambridge, Keenan Wynn



    TECHNICAL INFORMATION

    DVD

    Street Date:  October 7, 2008

    Pre-Order Close: September 2, 2008

    Copyright: 2008 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Price:  $26.98 SRP

    Selection Number:  61103474

    Running Time: Restored Version (1 Hour 51 Mins); Theatrical Version (1

    Hour 36 Mins); Preview Version (1 Hour 49 Mins)

    Layers:  Dual

    Aspect Ratio:  Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85.1)

    Rating: PG-13, Unrated

    Technical Info:  Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English SDH, French and Spanish

    Subtitles



    Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a

division of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com). Universal

Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and

entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of

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Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment

networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television

production operations, a leading television stations group, and

world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric,

with 20% owned by Vivendi.






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