9 Oscar nominations and 7 BAFTA wins: All Quiet On The Western Front will be released as a high-quality home theatre edition! On April 24th, capelight pictures in collaboration with Netflix will release Edward Berger’s masterpiece as a 2-disc Limited Collector’s Edition in a mediabook format with the film in 4K Ultra HD on UHD Blu-ray and in HD on Blu-ray in the UK and Ireland.
The 4K UHD features the original German audio (with English subtitles) in Dolby Atmos audio of the original and 4K Dolby Vision image for the perfect picture and sound quality. The mediabook packaging comes with a 24 page booklet that includes “SHARING THE GERMAN PERSPECTIVE“ – a conversation with director Edward Berger and “A MACHINE OF DEATH UNLIKE ANY EXPERIENCED BEFORE” – an interview with historian and professor Daniel Schönpflug on the historical background of All Quiet On The Western Front.
The Netflix film recently made history: For the first time ever, a production from Germany has been nominated for an Oscar in the most important category, Best Picture. In addition, Edward Berger’s film was nominated in eight other Oscar categories, including Best International Film, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography and Production Design. All Quiet On The Western Front has also been the big winner at this year’s BAFTAs, taking home seven of Britain’s most important film awards, among them Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. The German Film Academy has also shortlisted the film for the German Film Awards.
The Story
All Quiet On The Western Front tells the poignant story of a young German soldier on the Western Front during World War I.
Spring 1917. 17-year-old Paul Bäumer and his friends are extremely eager to go to war, to beat the French soundly and march to Paris victorious. This is how the boys imagine it. This is the war they are promised by their principal in a rousing speech. With jubilation, fanfare and song, the “youth of iron” marches off – for Emperor, God and Fatherland.
The enthusiasm, however, does not last long. When they arrive at the Western Front after days of marching. It’s pouring rain. The trenches are filling up and fast becoming a swamp. But the French do not wait to attack. Flares rise up, brightening no-man’s land with a surreal beauty. Until all hell breaks loose again and the French bombard the trenches.
What follows portrays Paul and his comrades’ first-hand experience of how the initial euphoria of war turns into horror, suffering and fear as they desperately fight for their lives in the trenches.
The Screenplay
The screenplay was written by Edward Berger, Ian Stokell and Lesley Paterson. The film is produced on behalf of Netflix by Malte Grunert (Land of Mine, A Most Wanted Man) together with his company Amusement Park Film, Daniel Dreifuss (Sergio, Guernica) and Edward Berger. Cinematography helmed by James Friend, who previously worked with Edward Berger on Patrick Melrose and Your Honor. Christian M. Goldbeck (Ich und Kaminski) is responsible for the production design, Lisy Christl (John Rabe, Anonymous, A Hidden Life) for the costume. Music is by Volker Bertelmann (Lion).
