In the early 1970s, the Pemini Organisation, formed by three film school graduates, released a short set of distinctive and very British movies. Key to their success was the partnership between the talents of screenwriter Michael Sloan and director Peter Crane. Made available for the first time on any home media, Powerhouse Films’ Blu-Ray boxset brings together this long-neglected trio of films.
The company’s first film Hunted (1972) is a tense and claustrophobic real-time thriller, lit up by excellent performances from Edward Woodward and June Ritchie. Assassin (1973) is the tale of a hard-bitten killer (Ian Hendry, on superb form) assigned a complex and morally murky London hit. A bigger production than Hunted, Pemini stepped up the scale even further for their final film Moments (1974), an acutely observed exploration of longing, nostalgia and lost hope. Moments features expertly judged performances from Keith Michell, as an accountant overwhelmed by grief following his family’s death, and Angharad Rees, as the vivacious young woman who interrupts his plan to take his own life. If there’s any theme unifying the three films, it’s that of a flawed middle-aged man wrestling with his personal demons as he grips a loaded gun.
The twin-disc set also offers an exhaustive list of well-produced special features exploring the short-lived Pemini phenomenon. These bring together the perspectives of cast, crew and critics, and track the careers of some of the industry talents for whom Pemini was a springboard. Painstakingly restored and beautifully presented, this package will only have niche appeal. But for enthusiasts of 1970s independent British cinema, this is a limited release not to be missed.
THE PEMINI ORGANISATION (1972-1974) is out now as a limited edition Blu-ray in the UK.
