Making its eagerly awaited Blu-ray debut this week is Boom! Adapted from the Tennessee Williams play The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore, the 1968 release was a notorious box office dud, bringing in only $2,000,000 on a budget estimated to be upwards of $10,000,000. Part of the problem is that the movie seemed to be a self-indulgent exercise on the part of stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor — who were in the throes of their heavily publicized romance at the time. The plot, if you want to call it such a thing, introduces viewers to Sissy Goforth (Taylor), a rich woman living out her final days in seclusion in the Mediterranean when she encounters Chris Flanders (Burton), a “poet” who may or may not be the Angel of Death. During the film’s 113-minute run time (which is either hours short or 113 minutes too long depending on your feelings on camp), the pair discuss issues relating to love and death. And they drink. It’s all very pretentious and crammed with symbolism that ranges from obvious to esoteric. Supporters of the film, this writer included, love what a glorious mess the entire enterprise is.
Although your mileage may vary.
Curious? Surely by now you must be. So here’s a look at the film’s trailer:
Despite being what some have called the Howard the Duck of its day, Boom! has developed its own enthusiastic cult in the 51 years since it first briefly played theaters. The movie is a strange thing to behold, and even its most ardent of fans will probably have a hard time deciphering just what in the hell it is all supposed to be about. But even as nothing more than a Hollywood curiosity it remains a sought-after release. Fortunately, the movie’s time in home video purgatory has finally come to an end. On May 28th, Shout Factory will release a special edition of the film through its Shout Select label that will include the following special features:
NEW Audio Commentary With Filmmaker John Waters
NEW “The Sound Of A Bomb: Contextualizing Boom!” With Film Critic/Author Alonso Duralde
Original Theatrical Trailer
Vintage Photo Galleries
With this release, Boom! will be introduced to an entirely new audience. We will leave that to you to decide if this is a good thing or not…