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Film charting the travails of the Jones family Amos (Bob Peck), Mary (Gemma Jones), and their three children the heart of the story is the intense relationship between their sons, identical twins Benjamin and Lewis (played by real-life brothers Mike and Robert Gwilym).

Sharing a unique bond, the brothers journey through eight decades of life, death and hardship together, all the while tied to the land on which they were raised. The epic sweep of the film takes in two world wars, exploring themes of nationalism, class, community, faith and pacifism. Though unrelenting in its portrayal of the raw experiences of rural life, On the Black Hill celebrates the people of the Black Mountains and its landscape, made transcendent by the magnificent cinematography of Thaddeus O'Sullivan.

Set in the stunningly dramatic Welsh Borders, Andrew Grieve's evocative adaption of Bruce Chatwin's novel is presented with a fascinating selection of new and archival extras.

Director: Andrew Grieve
Cast: Aled Baker, Rhys Baker, Iona Banks
Country: UK
Genre: Drama

BD50, DVD9 | 1080p AVC, PAL | 01:56:17 | 38.7 Gb + 7.54 Gb + 3% rec
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:

-- An Introduction by Andrew Grieve (19:18)
This is a new 2016 interview with the director of the film. Grieve talks about his early days in film and television such as working with Tony Richardson, followed by discussion on “On the Black Hill”. How he felt about the book, getting the financing, location scouting, the difficulty finding actors to play the twin brothers, and the complicated and difficult release of the film.

-- "Special Collections Gallery" featurette (7:06)
Featuring stills in color and black and white, letters, pressbooks, poster, and flyer for the film.

-- "Shadow on the Mountains" 1931 short film directed by Arthur Elton (20:06)
This 1931 silent short film is a day in the life of a sheep farmer, directed by Arthur Elton for the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit. Rather than a simple educational film or a newsreel, there are some extraordinary shots reminiscent of European avante-garde cinema, with its use of editing, framing, and pacing. The gorgeous landscapes are intercut with closeups of the plants the sheep farmer also tends to, and interestingly there are no intertitles for explanation - it’s purely visual. The new musical score is by Neil Thomas.

-- "O'er Hill and Dale" 1932 short film directed by Basil Wright (16:00)
This 1932 short film is another day in the life of a sheep farmer, also made by the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit but this one is directed by Basil Wright and features narration by Andrew Buchanan. The farmer’s work includes taking care of the sheep and the area, rescuing a baby lamb that gets stuck in a stream, dealing with a death of a lamb, and watching out for sudden weather changes. Again this film features some very artistic shots and is close to the films by documentarian Robert Flaherty - who happened to direct “Industrial Britain” for Empire Marketing.