Win one of two copies of the classic thriller Primal Fear featuring Ed Norton’s Oscar-nominated debut performance

Edward Norton gets nabbed in Primal Fear
Edward Norton gets nabbed in Primal Fear

On Tuesday March 10, 2009, Paramount Home Entertainment will release Primal Fear: The Hard Evidence Edition on DVD and Blu-ray. This classic legal thriller is filled with amazing talent including Edward Norton (Fight Club, The Incredible Hulk), Richard Gere (Chicago), Laura Linney (The Savages) and many more. The deluxe release is packed with special features including a new interview with Edward Norton and commentary by director Gregory Hoblit.

To celebrate the release, Paramount is releasing two copies of the DVD edition for FilmFetish.com readers to enjoy.

In order to be entered in the random drawing, here’s what you need to do:

  1. As always, you need to be a member of, or sign-up for our eNews, if you’re not already. CLICK HERE to do that. It’s totally free.
  2. Reply to this post, and tell us the name of the best legal thriller ever made. This could be U.S. or foreign. If it is an obscure title, please share a few plot details for the film.

I’ll be running this contest through March 10, 2009 – the release date of the new special editions. Good luck!

More about the release
A high-profile slaying becomes the case of an ambitious attorney’s career in this legal thriller based on the novel by William Diehl. Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a famed defense lawyer who volunteers his services to Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder of a Chicago archbishop.

Primal Fear Hard Evidence Edition DVD coverCovered with blood, Aaron was captured after a foot chase broadcast live on TV, making a gleeful Vail certain that he could raise his profile by defending the obviously guilty suspect. Assigned to prosecute is Assistant District Attorney Janet Venable (Laura Linney), who is Vail’s ex-girlfriend. Vail’s case becomes more complicated than he expected when a psychologist, Dr. Molly Arrington (Frances McDormand) concludes that Stampler suffers from multiple personality disorder.

Vail also uncovers evidence that the archbishop was involved in a corrupt land scheme and may have molested young parishioners. Now the cynical, opportunistic attorney is faced with a daunting prospect, a client who may actually deserve his best defense. Its shocking, twist ending made Primal Fear a big box office hit and earned Norton, in his screen debut, an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Original Release Year: 1996
DVD/Blu-ray Release: March 10, 2009

Director: Gregory Hoblit (Frequency, Hart’s War, Fracture, Untraceable)
Cast: Richard Gere, Edward Norton, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormond, Laura Linney, Clarence Williams III

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller