THE BLACK PANTHER * 1977 * Directed by Ian Merrick * 102 minutes * In English

Over the years, this British flick has become an urban legend, but an under-seen one. It was so controversial it was effectively banned, and there were only a few public screenings before it was ripped off the screens. The film critics that saw it praised it and considered it one of the best British movies of the 70s. But the mainstream media were so outraged by it they conducted a witch-hunt, buried it, and made it impossible to see for the next 35 years. The result was that it has become a searing cult gem, and one that captured the zeitgeist of the times like no other.

Based on a scandalous true story that occurred a year before this movie was made, It follows the madcap killing spree of Donald Neilson, a former soldier in the British army. In the 1950s Neilson had participated in the mass-slaughter of the Mau-Mau population in Kenya for the British Empire. But what happens when these trained killers return to civil life? In this case—as depicted in this movie—Neilson wanted a lot of money fast, so he kidnapped a 17-year old heiress named Lesley Whittle in January 1975. The results were tragic.

The beauty of this film is that it is visceral and hard-hitting without resorting to cheap thrills or gore—it is non-sensationalist—almost everything is done with editing, timing and mood. The events that unfold are shot in a stripped-down minimalist style... and although they are certainly harrowing, they are also somehow irresistibly fascinating. Once you enter its maze you are drawn into its world entirely, without any visible exits. It's the kind of film that grips you, and you can't shake it off. One unexpected aspect of the story is seeing how inept the killer actually was, but also how stupid the cops were. It's amazing.

The mood is so strong and exact, it led one critic to conclude "If you want to see what Britain was really like in the 1970s, look no further than The Black Panther. And another viewer aptly concludes "Simply shot, yet tense and unnerving throughout, Merrick’s The Black Panther is one of British cinema’s forgotten cult gems, a dark, nihilistic thriller that deserves its place with The Wicker Mans and Straw Dogs of this world."

Now we can finally take a look at this very dark gem that was suppressed for more than three decades.

This will be a high-definition projection.