HARRY PALMER BLU

Fans of the Harry Palmer movies starring Michael Caine are celebrating the release of two titles from the series on Blu-ray. The Ipcress File, the original classic made in 1965 by members of the Bond team, was released by Network on July 28th in the UK. Special features include: interview with Michael Caine, production design interview, director/editor commentary, comedy short, 1969 documentary, and more. Synopsis from Blu-ray: "British scientists are being kidnapped and brainwashed. The group of Major Dalby (Nigel Green) in the Home Office are given the task of finding out who is responsible and Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) is transferred to assist. One of their few leads is an Albanian middleman codenamed Blujay (Frank Gatliff) who seems to know far more about the British Secret Service than he should. As Palmer investigates, he is drawn into a dangerous game where no-one is who they seem. Just who is the beautiful Jean (Sue Lloyd) really working for? What is the role of British spymaster Colonel Ross (Guy Doleman)? Shadowed by the CIA and distrusted by his own side, as the bodies pile up Palmer must keep his wits about him and trust no-one until he can unmask the traitor in British Intelligence and solve the riddle of the Ipcress File." Read a review of the film on my sister site, Double O Section. Read more about the style of the film on Spy Vibe's post, Through the Ipcress File. Original poster below. 

The third Palmer title, Billion Dollar Brain (1967), will be released by Kino Lorber on October 7th. The only special feature listed so far is a theatrical trailer. Synopsis from Blu-ray: "Secret agent Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) is blackmailed into working for MI5 again on his wildest - and most dangerous - assignment yet. An insane oil billionaire, intent on destroying Communism by starting a new world war, is close to achieving his goal with the help of the world's largest, and most powerful, computer. Harry is the only man who may be able to stop him; but as he races from London to Finland to Latvia to Texas and back, he must determine who of his supposed allies (a sexy Russian agent, a Soviet colonel and an American mercenary) is the one he can actually trust!" Kino Blu-ray cover design below. Funeral in Berlin (1966), the second in the series, has not yet appeared on Blu-ray. This elusive title has often been out-of-print, but it's available now in the US in DVD, HD streaming, and download editions. Fans with all-region players can also pick up The Harry Palmer Collection on DVD from Amazon.uk, which includes The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin, Billion Dollar Brain, and the 1990s additions, Midnight in St. Petersburg and Bullet To Beijing. Learn more about Harry Palmer and author Len Deighton on our sister site The Deighton Dossier. 

Enter to win prizes from Spy Vibe, including vintage James Bond, The Saint, and The Avengers paperbacks. Contest ends September 17th. Details here. 

Selected Spy Vibe posts: One Million Prizes, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Blu-Ray, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Diana Rigg at 76, Gerry Anderson Doc, Mr. Hulot's Box Set, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Batman News, Monty Python Fathom Spies, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.