The Nightcomers (Avco Embassy, 1971), Custom Embossed Presentation Album of (25) Oversized Production P...

Description

The Nightcomers (Avco Embassy, 1971), Custom Embossed Presentation Album of (25) Oversized Production Photos of Marlon Brando with Cast and Crew. Vintage original blue/green leather, 4-ring binder/ photo album, with custom gilt embossing on front cover and spine, "STILLS FROM THE NIGHTCOMERS", and inscribed inside front cover, "For Jay [Kanter]/ with love and appreciation/ Michael Winner/ can we do the sequel for $650,000 though?". Contains (25) custom-printed oversize (11" x 14") gelatin-silver semigloss production photos of Marlon Brando, Stephanie Beacham, Thora Hird, Harry Andrews, Verna Harvey, Christopher Ellis and Anna Palk, plus other cast, and a few crew members including Director Michael Winner and producer Jay Kanter, each within (13) clear heavy-vinyl sleeves. Brando appears on all but one photo, and that one is a wonderful shot of Winner and Kanter on set, in deep discussion. This extraordinary, arguably unique custom presentation album was lovingly archived in Jay Kanter's personal library, and was obtained directly from his estate after his recent passing at age 97. Binder covers show sunning at spine and around cover perimeter, with scuffing, small surface losses and stains, and indentations from occasional handling and storage, though all photos remain safely protected within their vinyl pages, virtually free of age or handling (being likely unique custom prints, they have varying borders with occasional uneven edges). Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions. From the estate of producer Jay Kanter.

More Information: Winner was just on the cusp of his budding career, about to strike gold in Hollywood with a string of highly successful Charles Bronson action vehicles including Death Wish I, II, and III among others. Nightcomers, a prequel/ tribute to Henry James' legendary gothic horror novella Turn of the Screw, couldn't possibly be farther in style, artistic quality and sentiment to Winner's later action flicks, with Brando's extraordinary idiosyncratic depiction of a rebellious, independent game-keeper on the countryside estate of wealthy orphaned children. He not only influences the highly-quirky and curious children in most unusual directions, at night he submits their rather ravishing tutor Miss Mary Jessel (Beacham) to increasingly explicit sessions of bondage and discipline, and passionate lovemaking. The children take matters into their own hands after observing their elders' unusual interactions, doing what their poisoned young minds imagine is best in the name of "romance". An extremely significant, and largely-overlooked film which bridges the lingering repression of censorship still affecting many 1960s films, into the opening of the floodgates toward post-censorship 1970s.


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