Product Details

• Actors: Jim Stugess, Vera Drake, Noel Clarke
• Directors: Philip Ridley
• Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: MPI Home Video
• DVD Release Date: April 12, 2011
• Run Time: 114 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B004JWWT7W
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,584 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Acclaimed visionary director Philip Ridley ("The Reflecting Skin," "The Passion of Darkly Noon") returns to the screen after a fourteen-year absence with this chilling tale of supernatural forces unleashing "a delirious London nightmare" (Cath Clarke, The Guardian). Jamie Morgan (Jim Stugess, "Across the Universe") is a talented young photographer whose disfiguring birthmark makes him feel an outsider in the rough patch of East London he calls home. Developing pictures he s taken in an abandoned lot, Jamie sees a hooded figure peering from behind a window. Investigating, he stumbles into a horrific world of reptilian monsters posing as street gangs, violence inflicted on the most innocent, and a demon (Joseph Mawle) with the power to offer Jamie everything he s ever dreamed of -- at a deadly price. This dark "urban fairy tale" (Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice) offers echoes of both "Donnie Darko" and Michelangelo Antonioni s "Blow-Up." The superb British cast includes Ruth Sheen ("Vera Drake"), Timothy Spall ("The King s Speech"), Eddie Marsan ("Happy-Go-Lucky"), and Clemence Poesy ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"). This "bracingly ambitious mixture of Faustian fantasy and graphic urban thriller" (Allan Hunter, The Daily Express) is like nothing else, heartstopping and darkly beautiful.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Chaos Reigns--If You Deal With The Devil, You'd Better Be Prepared To Pay February 11, 2011

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

Philip Ridley, the mind-boggling auteur behind "The Passion of Darkly Noon" and "The Reflecting Skin," has been missing in action from the cinematic world for too many years. Divisive and perplexing, these two films were declared brilliant in some camps and incomprehensible in others. But, I think that's why I like Ridley--you'll definitely have an opinion on his work. I was excited by the prospect of a new Ridley piece, and "Heartless" met most of my expectations. In some ways, "Heartless" is perhaps the most accessible of Ridley's films. A interesting commingling of urban horror, Faustian drama, and dementia--"Heartless" is a dark and brooding take on the world in decline. Shot from an almost apocalyptic world view, there is an unrepentant bleakness to "Heartless" that makes the case that violence and chaos are necessary evils to keep society in check.

Jim Sturgess plays London photographer Jamie Morgan. Morgan has a large heart-shaped birthmark covering half his face, and this affliction has kept him somewhat insulated from a traditional social life. The first third of "Heartless" plays most conventionally as horror as the city is besieged by attacks that might be otherworldly in nature. After a traumatic personal loss, things take a shift when Morgan has the opportunity to make a "deal with the devil" for a chance at normalcy. And as grand as that may seem, it comes at a cost he may be unable to pay. Becoming a more active participant in life may make him complicit in its grotesqueries. As with other Ridley films, there are elements of fantasy and surrealism and different viewers may interpret things differently.

I've remained purposely vague about most of the film's plot, it's best to let it unfold naturally. I suspect many may not like "Heartless" with its shifts in tones and its open-endedness. I, however, thought the film took some familiar concepts (like the aforementioned Faustian drama) and presented them in visually interesting ways. London has never looked so scary, and the unsettling art design throughout is a major selling point to establishing a nightmarish mood. Sturgess is perhaps the film's strongest asset--believable at every stage of Morgan's harrowing journey. Gorgeous, dark and intense--"Heartless is definitely not for everyone, but I think those that enjoy it will enjoy it very much. I hope there isn't another fifteen year interval before we see Ridley directing again! KGHarris, 12/10.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Weird, scary & yes, it does have heart... June 12, 2011

By David Keppel

Format:DVD

Watching Heartless I couldn't help but be reminded of Angel Heart & Jacob's Ladder, 2 other occult horror masterpieces. This is not to say that Heartless imitated those movies in any way. I just think that there is a very short list of quality supernatural horror movies and this is certainly one of them. The acting was excellent and Jim Sturgess shined as the tormented main character. The special effects were subtle but effectively grotesque and horrifying. The take on Beezelbub was very well done and a nice companion piece to Robert DeNiro's version of Satan in Angel Heart. I won't go on and on giving a play-by-play of what happens in the movie because that will only spoil it for anyone considering watching this for the first time. I will only say that this film makes an interesting argument that good people are sometimes capable of doing very bad things. I found myself sympathetic towards the main character and hoping that he would somehow find his way out of his horrible predicament.
If you like intelligent, psychological horror that leaves some things open to the viewer's interpretation, this might be a film that you really appreciate.
Great stuff for discerning horror fans.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Jim Sturgess is excellent in this movie! March 6, 2011

By Summer

Format:DVD

I saw the trailer for 'Heartless' before a movie and I immediately looked on amazon to see if they had it. They didn't at the time, and now the dvd release is set for April. So I went on Amazon.uk and it was available there. 'Heartless' isn't your everyday horror movie and can't be compared to anything else I've seen. It's dark, has lyrics, most sung by actor, Jim Sturgess, that really make you feel the pain of the main character. The movie takes you on a wild ride inside Jamie's (Jim Sturgess) mind. At times you don't know what's real or not. It's definitely a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, anticipating what will happen next. The ending is a complete surprise which made me want to watch it again to see if I could notice any hints of what was to come. Even after watching it a second time, I wouldn't hesitate to see it again. It's got a certain appeal to it - I can't think of a way to describe it, it's just a feeling. I would definitely recommend buying it, especially if you like Jim Sturgess or movies set in the UK.