First 4K UHD Release - Machine Gun Kelly (1958)

Krystal Vander Ark

19 hours ago

4 min read

Cannes Festival 2026 Official Selection

Charles Bronson explodes onto the screen in Roger Corman’s hard-hitting crime classic in 4K UHD!

ROCKPORT, Mass. — Hot off its triumphant global celebration as an Official Selection at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Film Masters today announced its explosive entry into the ultra-high-definition market with its very first 4K UHD physical media release: Roger Corman’s Machine-Gun Kelly (1958). Slated for a definitive two-disc UHD/Blu-ray release on December 15th, released for the first time since its original 1958 theatrical window, completely restored to its native, ultra-wide Superscope aspect ration. This landmark project marks a major industry coup for the boutique archival label. Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), the crime drama directed by legendary filmmaker Roger Corman and starring Charles Bronson in a landmark early performance. Based loosely on the criminal exploits of George “Machine-Gun” Kelly, a small-time gangster who became larger than life, the film delivers a tense portrait of ambition, paranoia, and the violent underworld of Depression-era America. This release will include a BD-100 UHD disc, with the feature film and trailer in Dolby Vision HDR, as well as an accompanying BD-50 Blu-ray disc with the film and special features.

Long before he became an international action star, Charles Bronson took center stage as George “Machine Gun” Kelly, a bank robber whose fearsome reputation is matched by a deeply buried insecurity. With his partner-in-crime, Florence “Flo” Becker (Susan Cabot), urging him toward ever more audacious schemes, Kelly finds himself caught in a dangerous cycle of violence and desperation. When his crimes escalate from bank robbery to kidnapping, the stakes rise and the law closes in. As Kelly’s gang fractures and pressure mounts, his carefully cultivated image of a fearless outlaw begins to crumble.

Masterfully directed and produced by Roger Corman, Machine-Gun Kelly exemplifies Corman’s ability to transform lean, independent productions into compelling cinema. Corman and screenwriter R. Wright Campbell look beyond the familiar mythology of the gangster film to explore a criminal driven as much by insecurity as by ambition. The result is a taut crime drama that combines the urgency of a heist thriller with the psychological tension of film noir. Susan Cabot brings a formidable presence to Flo Becker, while Morey Amsterdam co-stars as Michael Fandango, the stuttering criminal whose fortunes become entangled with Kelly’s increasingly desperate schemes.

For Bronson, the film marked a significant turning point, placing him at the center of a feature-length production and foreshadowing the commanding screen presence that would define his later career. With its stark black-and-white cinematography, hard-edged performances, and unflinching view of criminal ambition, Machine-Gun Kelly remains a compelling entry in the crime-film canon—and an essential discovery for fans of Bronson, Corman, classic Hollywood noir, and vintage gangster pictures.

“Stepping into the 4K UHD arena is a massive watershed moment for Film Masters, and there is no project more poetically fitting to lead our expansion than Roger Corman’s Machine-Gun Kelly,” said President Phil Hopkins. “To have Julie Corman personally reach out and entrust our team with this film is the honor of a lifetime. Since launching Film Masters in 2023, we have poured everything into preserving Roger’s unmatched cinematic footprint. Celebrating this breathtaking new transfer on the global stage at Cannes was an unforgettable tribute to Roger’s genius, and we are thrilled to bring the absolute definitive physical media presentation of this crime classic to his many fans.”

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Full-length audio commentary by film historians C. Courtney Joyner and Mark Jordan Legan.
New documentary, Micro Budget Maverick: Roger Corman At AIP in the 1950s, by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures.
New documentary, This is Superama, by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures.
Original theatrical trailer in Superama aspect ratio scanned from 35mm fine grain elements in 4K.
14 page full-color booklet featuring a new essay by film historian, Don Stradley.

TECH SPECS:

Machine-Gun Kelly (1958) is presented in two aspect ratios, in Dolby Vision HDR and 1080p for Blu-ray. One of the only films shot for Superama presentation (2.00:1), this film is also presented in a more traditional 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The discs are region free and include English SDH. Audio is DTS-HD / Dolby AC3s.

An AMC Networks presentation, in association with Radial Entertainment. Restoration from original 35mm fine grain print by Film Masters. 4K digitization by Jared Gibson at George Blood Audio/Video/Film and technical support by Rick Lombardi of Telefilm. Audio restoration of the original theatrical mono track by John Keegan of Madhouse Productions. Color correction by DI Remastering Colorist: Marc Wielage, CSI. DCP creation by Duplitech. Superama consulting by Jack Theakston and Bob Furmanek. Restoration supervised by Philip Elliott Hopkins and Krystal Vander Ark of Film Masters.

Special thanks to Julie Corman, Jordan Fields, and Scott Randolph.

Film Masters is a consortium of historians and enthusiasts dedicated to the preservation and restoration of films. The company works to safeguard film elements for future generations and revive titles that have been dormant for decades. Through high-definition and 2K/4K scanning, Film Masters gives lesser-known films the presentation they deserve, while producing original bonus materials, including feature-length documentaries, that help audiences contextualize and celebrate these works of art. Visit us online at: www.FilmMasters.com

Machine-Gun Kelly (1958)

Film Masters

Genre: Crime / Film Noir / Drama

Rating: Approved

Format: Blu-ray

Running Time: Approx. 84 Minutes (plus 145 minutes of special features), and additional aspect ratio of film

Suggested Retail Price: $45.95

Preorder: On Amazon

Street Date: December 15, 2026

Catalog #: FM125

UPC Code: 760137225621