OBSESSION (1949 THE HIDDEN ROOM)

A SMOOTH LESSON IN CAUTIOUS MURDER

Starring Robert Newton (Kiss the Blood Off My Hands), Phil Brown (The Camp on Blood Island), Sally Gray (They Made Me a Fugitive), and Naunton Wayne (The Lady Vanishes), Obsession – originally released in the US as The Hidden Room – takes a dark and unsettling journey into the mind of a murderer.

When psychiatrist Clive (Newton) learns that his wife, Storm (Gray), is having an affair, he resolves to take revenge by kidnapping and murdering her lover, Bill (Brown), and dissolving his corpse in acid. As Bill languishes in Clive’s cellar, Detective Finsbury (Naunton) doggedly pursues the case...

Written by Alec Coppel (Vertigo), scored by Nino Rota (8½, The Godfather), and directed by Edward Dmytryk (The Sniper) during his blacklist-induced exile in Britain, Obsession’s original release was delayed due to the ongoing court case of real-life ‘Acid Bath Murderer’ John Haigh.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES 

• New 4K restoration by Powerhouse Films
• Original mono audio
  
• Audio commentary with film historians Thirza Wakefield and Melanie Williams (2024)
  
• The John Player Lecture with Edward Dmytryk (1972, 74 mins): archival audio recording of the prolific director in conversation with author and critic John Baxter, recorded at London’s National Film Theatre
  
• A Man About a Film (2024, 35 mins): academic and author Richard Dyer explores the making of the film, its personnel, and its distinctive tone
  
• The BEHP Interview with Gordon K McCallum (1988, 99 mins): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Obsession’s sound recordist in conversation with Alan Lawson
  
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
  
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  
• Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Fintan McDonagh, archival articles on the making of Obsession featuring interviews with Dmytryk and actor Naunton Wayne, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits
  
• World premiere on Blu-ray
  
• Limited edition of 4,000 copies for the UK and US