Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Kiss of Death, The Glass Key, and The Blue Dahlia are most certainly films noir. They're just not currently available on Blu-ray, so they get overlooked a lot in this thread.

The 1975 version of Farewell, My Lovely, which is, likewise, a noir, is only available on DVD as well.

While it's understandable given the name and mission statement of this site, I hate how DVDs are often overlooked or, even worse, unfairly and severely relegated as being inferior on every level. The fact remains that most catalog titles will never see a Blu release and that DVD still represents a significant quality viewing experience.

This NOIR thread has always been a cut above many of the other threads on Blu-Ray.com and if ever a more democratic approach to physical media formats was called for, it should be here. Of course, I would love for all my favorite noir titles to make it to Blu, but I don't live on wishes. I'm not giving up on DVD and am still purchasing them when the opportunity warrants. I just picked up the lowly Alpha copy of the poverty row noir FOR YOU I DIE and I'll love watching it, even such as it is. Life is way too short to demand and/or expect perfection all the time.

[joie]

There are many DVDs in the database. They can be found like a Blu-ray is found, but before searching change the search object from Blu-ray (the default) to DVD -- up near the top of a page, by selecting the search object from the types displayed just above the search bar. If you go to the top of this page, you'll see where the type of object to search for can be selected just above the search bar.

Just like you can search for DVDs instead of Blu-rays, you can search for Movies by selecting Movies instead of Blu-ray. What you'll find there, if the movie is in the database, is information about the theatrical release.

Perhaps DVD-only movies could be listed with a text-only link to the DVD or placed into a separate, hoped-for-upgrade section of this thread's first post(?)

edit: "Too Late for Tears" is in the database ($35 DVD!), but "For You I Die" is not. So, there is an opportunity to score some contributor points by creating one entry; another opportunity, if the alternative to Image's "Too Late for Tears" DVD were to be added to the database.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

While it's understandable given the name and mission statement of this site, I hate how DVDs are often overlooked or, even worse, unfairly and severely relegated as being inferior on every level. The fact remains that most catalog titles will never see a Blu release and that DVD still represents a significant quality viewing experience.

This NOIR thread has always been a cut above many of the other threads on Blu-Ray.com and if ever a more democratic approach to physical media formats was called for, it should be here. Of course, I would love for all my favorite noir titles to make it to Blu, but I don't live on wishes. I'm not giving up on DVD and am still purchasing them when the opportunity warrants. I just picked up the lowly Alpha copy of the poverty row noir FOR YOU I DIE and I'll love watching it, even such as it is. Life is way too short to demand and/or expect perfection all the time.

The bulk of my own DVD collection (which is linked under my avatar) consists of classic-era films noir that have not yet been made available on Blu-ray. I doubt that most of them will ever make it to high definition, but I've seen quite a few pleasant surprises showing up on Blu-ray lately.

I was simply offering an explanation for the question that was asked, but I personally encourage discussion of DVD noir titles in the thread.

I own a 4K television, and I enjoy watching DVDs on it alongside the Blu-rays. I also continue to support film noir releases on DVD as best as I can.

[DistrictOfMisery]

This past August was when I started to heavily get into Film Noir and have since purchased most of the titles listed on blu ray except for only a few, since then I started going through and buying classics that are only available on DVD, which I am very glad I did because if not I would have been deprived of some of the titles that I rank high up there on my favorites list, for example Detour, Raw Deal, T-Men, In A Lonely Place, The Blue Dahlia, Criss Cross, Gun Crazy, The Woman In The Window, Dark Passage, and The Big Sleep (before the blu ray was announced) just to name a few. If a title is not available on blu ray I definitely don't think it should be over looked or slept on either, I agree one hundred percent with the opinions above on the stance of noir films on DVD, I still enjoy purchasing those just as much as blu rays, of course getting it in high definition is most definitely a bonus! This is slightly off topic and unrelated to the discussion of noir titles on DVD, but purchasing a decent amount of books on this subject and getting into actually studying this subject also prompted me to go out and buy a handful of these titles on DVD so I could use them as a point of reference and really worked out in my benefit again because if I only had stuck to what was available on blu ray I would have missed out completely. I also must say this has been one of the most engaging and rewarding journeys I have ever started its been great and really fun learning as much as I can on this subject, I owe a lot of thanks to The Great Owl for helping me with inquiries on the way, MifuneFan for creating this thread as an incredible starting point into this style of film making and everyone else who posts useful and relevant knowledge and opinions, which is pretty much everything I ever read in here so thanks!

[mogwai_macabre]

I've also recently gotten into film noir. Most of what I've watched has been DVD, because so many titles haven't made it to Blu-ray. A lot of them look pretty good for DVDs too, especially the Warner and Fox releases. I think because the majority of film noir was released later on in the life of DVD. There's a big difference between early and late DVD releases as far as picture quality imo. Obviously I would choose HD for any affordable release if given the option.

Since Kiss of Death was mentioned, I'll say I really enjoyed that one. Richard Widmark killed it.

[rkida2000]

It is My hope that by posting about more of these dvd titles on the blu-ray forum that We can create a buzz about them and maybe get others to chime in so that someone will release them on blu-ray. I know that The Blue Dahlia must have been transferred to HD because TCM showed it marked HD the last time it was aired. I believe that at least some of posts on this thread should be about what We would like to have on blu-ray and not just the ones WE already have or have already been released on blu-ray.
I watched "Man In The Dark" (Twilight Time) last week in 3D and both the picture and the 3D effects looked outstanding.

[stlcards]

This is a great thread! It's really interesting.

[lemonski]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

This NOIR thread has always been a cut above many of the other threads on Blu-Ray.com and if ever a more democratic approach to physical media formats was called for, it should be here. Of course, I would love for all my favorite noir titles to make it to Blu, but I don't live on wishes. I'm not giving up on DVD and am still purchasing them when the opportunity warrants. I just picked up the lowly Alpha copy of the poverty row noir FOR YOU I DIE and I'll love watching it, even such as it is. Life is way too short to demand and/or expect perfection all the time.

I think in some cases poor picture quality can even enhance the experience. I love wading through old B noirs looking for hidden gems, it doesn't bother me in the slightest if they're not Blu-Ray or even DVD quality, and if you do find something really great, it's almost like you've dug up some ancient relic....to have it looking pristine would be kind of weird.

Anyway, thanks for the tip on FOR YOU I DIE, I'll check it out.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was simply offering an explanation for the question that was asked, but I personally encourage discussion of DVD noir titles in the thread.

I know, I was only quoting you as a springboard for a comment about supporting DVDs and that the titles you and the poster above you mentioned are ones I would enjoy discussing from time to time regardless if they are on Blu or not.

So glad to see others feel the same way! As usual, this thread

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by lemonski

I think in some cases poor picture quality can even enhance the experience. I love wading through old B noirs looking for hidden gems, it doesn't bother me in the slightest if they're not Blu-Ray or even DVD quality, and if you do find something really great, it's almost like you've dug up some ancient relic....to have it looking pristine would be kind of weird.

Not to stray too far off topic, but I feel that exact same way about many exploitation and grindhouse films. When I saw a lot of them in theaters they were usually pretty battered from old timer projectionists who lost a bit of their skills over the years or just stopped caring and then later on crummy VHS where everything looked focus and tracking challenged. I don't know, but seeing some of these films in a mint Blu transfer takes me out of the experience rather than in.

[oildude]

While searching online for something else, I came across this interview with Eddie Muller from 2010. The article begins with Muller discussing his locating of Woman on the Run in a high quality print at Universal studios vault and the subsequent story of what happened to it.

Interviewer: You’ve unearthed a lot of overlooked movies over the years. Is there one that stands out in particular for you?

Muller: Woman on the Run. Have you seen it?

Interviewer: No.

Muller: It’s absolutely fantastic. It really is one of those undiscovered, great films. Sometimes, you find these things and it’s like, “Well, it’s good,” but you know why it’s not a classic. But Woman on the Run really is a terrific film. Universal [Pictures]…had to go physically look for the film, because it was an independent, and it wasn’t in their database. They looked [in their vaults], and said, “I’ll be damned! [laughs] We do have this film.”

The article begins with Woman on the Run and continues with other noir film topics, including his list of top classic noirs and a discussion of neo-noirs. He has high praise for David Lynch and Mulholland Drive. The full text is located here:

http://thesunbreak.com/2010/03/05/no...speaks-part-2/

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The 1975 version of Farewell, My Lovely, which is, likewise, a noir, is only available on DVD as well.

Speaking of this great film, has anyone seen the new DVD release? It has always been one of my favorite neo noir titles and though I was very disappointed to see it didn't warrant a Blu release (I'm hoping it will overseas), the earlier DVD was full frame so this must be an improvement. Has anyone picked it up and watched it yet?

[tallrichard]

Originally Posted by DistrictOfMisery

This past August was when I started to heavily get into Film Noir and have since purchased most of the titles listed on blu ray except for only a few, since then I started going through and buying classics that are only available on DVD, which I am very glad I did because if not I would have been deprived of some of the titles that I rank high up there on my favorites list, for example Detour, Raw Deal, T-Men, In A Lonely Place, The Blue Dahlia, Criss Cross, Gun Crazy, The Woman In The Window, Dark Passage, and The Big Sleep (before the blu ray was announced) just to name a few. If a title is not available on blu ray I definitely don't think it should be over looked or slept on either, I agree one hundred percent with the opinions above on the stance of noir films on DVD, I still enjoy purchasing those just as much as blu rays, of course getting it in high definition is most definitely a bonus! This is slightly off topic and unrelated to the discussion of noir titles on DVD, but purchasing a decent amount of books on this subject and getting into actually studying this subject also prompted me to go out and buy a handful of these titles on DVD so I could use them as a point of reference and really worked out in my benefit again because if I only had stuck to what was available on blu ray I would have missed out completely. I also must say this has been one of the most engaging and rewarding journeys I have ever started its been great and really fun learning as much as I can on this subject, I owe a lot of thanks to The Great Owl for helping me with inquiries on the way, MifuneFan for creating this thread as an incredible starting point into this style of film making and everyone else who posts useful and relevant knowledge and opinions, which is pretty much everything I ever read in here so thanks!

I first started watching Film Noir on the big screen, while I'm old, I'm not that old but in NYC, there was a repertory cinema back in the 80s and a video store named RKO on 49th and Broadway where I started buying Film Noir movies for $10...

I later upgraded them to DVD or Blu ray but I have never cared which format...they aren't polished in content, they do not have special effects, they're just great stories so film quality isn't a big selling point for me.

I will pick up the 2 from Flicker when I can afford them so I can get rid of the old public domain DVDs I have...just like I've upgraded Big Sleep, Key Largo, The Wrong Man and I Confess in the last few days...I do have an appreciation for restored films, I just don't think they're as important as the story.

I too love this thread, it is the reason I joined the site almost 2 years ago...thanks all who contribute.

[tallguy58]

Since Kiss of Death was mentioned, I'll say I really enjoyed that one. Richard Widmark killed it.

No only killed it, but killed her!

The 1975 version of Farewell, My Lovely, which is, likewise, a noir, is only available on DVD as well.

About 6 months ago I wondered about this movie so I searched it online. Lo and behold the entire film was on You Tube. I hadn't seen it in years. As a matter of fact, my dad took me to see it when it came out. He's the main reason I'm into Noir films. In the days before VHS or DVD he'd look at the movie listings in the TV guide and have me watch Noir films with him.

I'd be interested to learn how everyone else caught the Noir bug.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by tallguy58

I'd be interested to learn how everyone else caught the Noir bug.

I was a huge fan of The Val Lewton Horror Collection when it first came out on DVD, particularly the three films that were directed by Jacques Tourneur (Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Leopard Man). In the months that followed my purchase of that box set, I started seeking out other Tourneur films, including The Night of the Demon/The Curse of the Demon and Out of the Past.

I loved Out of the Past when I first saw it, and I appreciated how Jacques Tourneur applied his the visual aesthetic of his horror movies to this film noir.

Around the same time that I had the above epiphanies, circa about 2005 and 2006, I was also full-tilt into buying films from The Criterion Collection. I was absolutely blown away by the 1967 French film, Le Samouraï, which is a neo-noir of sorts, so I started seeking out a lot of French crime dramas and French New Wave films. Breathless, Touchez Pas Au Grisbi, Le Trou, and other such flicks are all pretty noir-stained.

Finally, as a Stephen King fan, I had always heard about how great The Night of the Hunter is as a horror film, mostly thanks to King's recommendation of the film in his non-fiction book, Danse Macabre. I finally had the chance to see it about 10 years ago, courtesy of a DVD, and I was overwhelmed by its awesomeness.

All of the above discoveries compelled me to work backwards and get into American film noir with enthused vigor.

[Gerby]

Originally Posted by tallguy58

No only killed it, but killed her!





About 6 months ago I wondered about this movie so I searched it online. Lo and behold the entire film was on You Tube. I hadn't seen it in years. As a matter of fact, my dad took me to see it when it came out. He's the main reason I'm into Noir films. In the days before VHS or DVD he'd look at the movie listings in the TV guide and have me watch Noir films with him.

I'd be interested to learn how everyone else caught the Noir bug.

I caught the bug when I did a blind buy of 'The Big Sleep' on VHS back in '94. Even though I didn't fully understand what was going on, I was captivated by the characters & the dialogue. It also started my Humphrey Bogart obsession.

[Professor Echo]

I was a teenager in the 70's when I found a back issue of Film Comment that was devoted to noir., which was very little known then. I think I bought it because Bogart was on the cover and he was my second favorite actor. The first article I read was by Paul Schrader wherein he listed all the great noir titles and even elaborated on other ideas for the genre, by including other titles like THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, something that really made me want to delve deeper. Prior to that I had seen the term NOIR, but never really understood what it meant until I read that magazine. And even then a lot of it was still over my head. I was pronouncing it "NOOR" until I finally heard someone say it the proper way. But I took to it and it's been a love affair for over 40 years!

[mogwai_macabre]

Originally Posted by tallguy58

No only killed it, but killed her!





About 6 months ago I wondered about this movie so I searched it online. Lo and behold the entire film was on You Tube. I hadn't seen it in years. As a matter of fact, my dad took me to see it when it came out. He's the main reason I'm into Noir films. In the days before VHS or DVD he'd look at the movie listings in the TV guide and have me watch Noir films with him.

I'd be interested to learn how everyone else caught the Noir bug.

I've always enjoyed movies with a dark tone, whether they are considered neo-noir or not. And I've seen a lot of movies considered neo-noir without thinking them in those terms. Within the last year or so I began to reach a little further back than the 60s/70s era to find movies. Some big name classics, and some noir.

But what really hooked me was the TCM noir summer class a few months ago. I really enjoyed taking that course and going through the reading and material. So while I am new to classic noir, I have been watching a bunch of them within the last 6 months or so. If I had to guess, I've watched somewhere around 30-40 from the classic era since the summer. They are very addicting!

[tallguy58]

That was a great course. A very good overview of the themes if you are new to Film Noir.

[Le Samourai]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Speaking of this great film, has anyone seen the new DVD release? It has always been one of my favorite neo noir titles and though I was very disappointed to see it didn't warrant a Blu release (I'm hoping it will overseas), the earlier DVD was full frame so this must be an improvement. Has anyone picked it up and watched it yet?

I have the UK Park Circus DVD which is the 'new' release and it's now in its original aspect ratio at last.