Sam Peckinpah's War Classic Cross Of Iron Getting A 4K Release

Orson Welles described this film as one of the greatest anti-war films ever made. In July Studiocanal are set to release the 1970s war-action classic Cross Of Iron directed by Sam Peckinpah (Wild Bunch). Release in a new 4K restoration coming to UHD Steelbook, Blu-Ray and DVD and with new bonus material as part of Studiocanal’s iconic Vintage Classics brand.

Boasting a first-rate cast including acting stalwarts James Coburn , James Mason and David Warner, alongside international stars Maximilian Schell as the standout Battalion Commander and Senta Berger.

This important anti-war film, based on the 1956 novel of the same name by Willi Heinrich, is a visually captivating and authentic portrayal of the horrors of war, exploring class conflict on the Eastern Front during one of the bloodiest conflicts in the history of mankind.

Based on the novel by Willi Heinrich, Sam Peckinpah’s (THE WILD BUNCH) only war film is an intense and uncompromising affair that brilliantly reflects both the futility of conflict and the director’s fascination with individuals confronted by events beyond their control.

A World War II tale told from the German perspective, CROSS OF IRON follows a platoon of German soldiers in Russia when the German Wehrmacht forces had been decimated and the Germans were retreating along the Russian front. Rolf Steiner (James Coburn) is a German corporal and recipient of the Iron Cross who has grown disenchanted with Hitler’s war machine. When Captain Stransky (Maximilian Schell) assumes charge, the pair are thrown into immediate conflict, the autocratic but ultimately cowardly Stransky coveting the loyalty and honour Steiner commands.

Evocatively shot by John Coquillon (BILLY THE KID) in sombre tones, the superlative lead performances are matched by David Warner and James Mason as war-weary senior officers. Viewed as one of Peckinpah’s most powerful works, it’s an unflinching vision of the Second World War.

4K UHD Steelbook, Blu-Ray & DVD Extras