Joseph Losey's M (Columbia 1951) on blu-ray

[Richard--W]

I recommend Sidonis's blu-ray of Joseph Losey's M (1951). No reservations.

It comes in a thin blu-ray case inside a top / bottom loading slipcover that has the
same black cover-art.

The hi-def scan is excellent if not outstanding. Solid blacks, a broad range of shadow
detail and a resolute textured image. No complaints about the transfer. Losey's
version is almost entirely a location shoot. He makes the most extensive use of
Bunker Hill streets, Angel's Flight rail, the Santa Monica Pier and the Bradbury building
that I've seen in a single film.

The only language is English. French subtitles are burned in. Small white letters at the
bottom of the screen flash by quickly. Sometimes the white letters are faint against
bright white shirts and white walls etc. I don't find them bothersome. Losey's mise en
scene is so intense I didn't notice them half the time.

Singing, crowd noise and ambient background speech are not subtitled.

The film runs 88 minutes and 17 seconds. It appears to be uncut so far as I can tell.
The cover art says 85 minutes, but that's wrong.

The aspect ratio is correct at 1.37-1

The cover art and disc state region B. It loads easily in my region-B player, but it also
loads easily in my region A Panasonic and my region A JVC. This blu-ray is region-free.

If anyone has been put off buying this because of subtitles, I recommend you take a
chance. The film is too compelling and the blu-ray too good to pass by over a minor
imperfection.