Film
Regarded as a British classic, The Dam Busters (1955) was directed by Michael Anderson (Logan’s Run, Around the World in 80 Days), who died on 25th April, aged 98, this year. Based on the legendary true story of Commander Guy Gibson and his squadron, The Dam Busters captures all the thrilling action and suspense of the magnificent exploits of a group of young pilots and their crews, charged with taking out the supposedly impenetrable Ruhr river dams of Germany with an ingeniously designed bouncing bomb. Starring Richard Todd as Gibson and Michael Redgrave as scientist and engineer Dr Barnes Wallis, the film also immortalised composer’s Eric Coates’s masterpiece, The Dam Busters March. The impact of The Dam Busters on modern filmmakers spans the decades: director George Lucas hired the film’s special effects photographer Gilbert Taylor to work his magic on the original Star Wars; and The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has long been attached to a remake, based around a screenplay by Stephen Fry. The new restoration of The Dam Busters also premiered as one of the official
opening events for Lincoln’s International Bomber Command Centre on April 14th this year. n A brand new Collector’s Edition is released on DVD/Blu-ray from STUDIOCANAL’S Vintage Classics label on 4th June. Extras include an exclusive Making of The Dam Busters documentary
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