Richard Loncraine’s Full Circle: The Haunting Of Julia Blu-ray Release

This highly regarded, long-vanished and eerily evocative cult chiller Full Circle: The Haunting Of Julia (1978), at last makes its long-overdue return. Based on Peter Straub’s haunting novel Julia, now fully restored in 4K resolution and approved by its director, Richard Loncraine for release by the BFI in UHD and standard Blu-ray in April.

Bereaved mother Julia (Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby) flees her controlling husband Magnus (Keir Dullea, Black Christmas), re-establishing herself in an old house in leafy west London and befriending antique dealer Mark (Tom Conti). Yet Julia finds herself troubled by apparitions of a ghostly, blonde-haired child, sending her on a strange journey of self-discovery – with dreadful consequences.

The BFI have sent us this clip, check it out…

Special features

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Audio commentary by director Richard Loncraine and film historian Simon Fitzjohn
• A Holland Park Haunting (2023, 24 mins): director Richard Loncraine reflects upon his artistic career and the making of Full Circle
• Park Life (2023, 16 mins): Simon Fitzjohn revisits the film’s London locations
• What’s That Noise? (2023, 25 mins): soundtrack composer Colin Towns on one of his earliest film works
• Coming Full Circle (2023, 11 mins): Tom Conti recalls his role
• The Fear of Growing Up (2023, 10 mins): Samantha Gates looks back on the production Joining the Circle (2023, 7 mins): producer Hugh Harlow recalls making the film
• A Haunting Retrospective (2023, 25 mins): film critic Kim Newman revisits Full Circle
• Images of a Haunting (2023, 13 mins): Full Circle aficionado Simon Fitzjohn talks us through his extensive collection of memorabilia
• Rare stills and transparencies from the BFI National Archive’s collections
• ***First pressing only*** illustrated booklet with a new Director’s Statement, an essay by film historian Simon Fitzjohn, a biography of Richard Loncraine by Dr Josephine Bottting; credits and notes on the special features

 Canada, UK / 1978 / colour / 97 minutes / English language with optional subtitles for the Deaf and partial hearing original aspect ratio 2.40:1 // Disc 1: UHD100, 2160p, 24fps, LPCM 2.0 mono audio (48kHz/24-bit) / Disc 2: BD50, 1080p, 24fps, LPCM 2.0 mono audio (48kHz/24-bit)

Full Circle: The Haunting Of Julia will be released on Blu-ray on 24th April. There will also be a a screening of the film at BFI Southbank on 19th April with a Q&A  [more info].