A must-see for silent cinema fans, Shooting Stars is the brilliant and assured debut from British filmmaking legend Anthony Asquith which offers a fascinating insight into the workings of a 1920s London film studio. Newly restored by the BFI National Archive it was premiered as the Archive Gala screening at last year’s BFI London Film Festival. It will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in a Dual Format Edition on 21 March 2016 with many accompanying special features including rarely seen short films and footage from the 1920s.
Boasting a boldly Expressionist shooting style, dramatic lighting and great performances from its leads (Annette Benson, Brian Aherne and Donald Calthrop) involved in a classic romantic love-triangle, Shooting Stars is a sophisticated morality tale and an affectionate critique of the film industry, teasing its audience with its revelations about how the fantastic world of the photoplay conceals irony and hidden truths.
