Western Approaches (Dual Format Edition)

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.

• Restored in 2K by Imperial War Museums and presented on Blu-ray and DVD
• Audio commentary featuring the Imperial War Museum’s Toby Haggith and director Pat Jackson (2004)
• Colour on Sea (2023, 8 mins): a making-of featurette by Craig McCall featuring writer and director Pat Jackson and cinematographer Jack Cardiff
• Builders (1942, 8 mins): short film by Pat Jackson highlighting the importance of builders to the war effort
• Ferry Pilot (1941, 35 mins): Pat Jackson's account of the Air Transport Auxiliary which provided personnel to fly newly completed aircraft from factory to service airfield.
• People at War: A Seaman’s Story (1942, 7 mins): interviewed in his room as he packs for his next trip, a Newfoundlander whose been torpedoed no less than four times, typifies the courage and service of the Merchant Navy
• This is Colour (1942, 18 mins): This Technicolor marvel sponsored by ICI explores colour theory and its application to the material world around us. Produced by Basil Wright with direction by Jack Ellitt, narration by Dylan Thomas and photography by Jack Cardiff
• Steel (1945, 34 mins): this Technicolor masterpiece shot by Jack Cardiff explores the manufacture of steel and the workings of a foundry.
• Western Approaches linocut production (2023, 2 mins): illustrator and printmaker Mat Pringle shares his process for creating the new Western Approaches sleeve art
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new writing by David Walsh, Toby Haggith, Patrick Russell and Steven Foxon.