It Couldn't Happen Here (Limited Dual Format Edition)

Originally conceived as an hour-long video based on the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 album Actually, It Couldn’t Happen Here turned into a full-scale feature film directed by Jack Bond (The Blueblack Hussar).

The first feature-length film starring the Pet Shop Boys alongside Joss Ackland, Gareth Hunt and Barbara Windsor finds Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe on an extraordinary adventure from the coast to London, encountering a curious array of eccentric characters along the way. Pop surrealism meets classic road movie, the film is peppered with hits from the duo’s first two studio albums, including ‘West End Girls’, ‘It’s a Sin’ and ‘Always On My Mind’.

Never less than fascinating, It Couldn’t Happen Here is a truly unique film and one that has sadly been long unavailable. Newly remastered by the BFI from a 4K scan, we are delighted to present the worldwide Blu-ray and DVD debut.

Please note that due to the available rights, this BFI Dual Format Edition is encoded only for Blu-ray region B / DVD region 2. It will play on machines coded for these regions, and multi-region players.

• Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition
• Limited Edition 48-page Digi-book includes a new interview with Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys and previously unseen excerpts from his personal on-set production diary, as well as an introduction to the film by director Jack Bond and writing on the film by Anthony Nield, Jason Wood, Omer Ali, John Ramchandani, William Fowler and Vic Pratt
• Comprehensive feature commentary by Jack Bond, James Dillon and Simon Archer (2020)
• West End Boy: Jack Bond (2020, 27 mins): the director discusses his eclectic career as a filmmaker and his enterprising approach to the making of It Couldn't Happen Here 
• It Can Happen Here: Arlene Phillips (2020, 26 mins): the renowned choreographer reflects upon a life in dance - and the trials and tribulations of working on It Couldn't Happen Here
• Always on My Mind (1987, 5 mins): the full-length promotional video for the Pet Shop Boys’ acclaimed ‘Christmas Number One’ hit, featuring Joss Ackland and footage from It Couldn’t Happen Here
• Actually: an unfilmed early version of the script for the film, included here in its entirety for the first time anywhere
• As it Happened: Image galleries including the complete final version of the script, the director’s shot lists, Pet Shop Boys reference lyric sheets and promotional materials for It Couldn’t Happen Here 
• Original theatrical trailer (digitally reconstructed for this release)