Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

It counts, and is on the list in the OP. There's quite a number of color noir films on the list. House of Bamboo, Leave Her to Heaven, Violent Saturday, and Vertigo to name a few.

I just watched Desert Fury, another great color Film Noir. Technicolor cinematography is eye popping, and Lizabeth Scott never looked more stunning in all her closeups.

[kingdoxie]

Originally Posted by Kakihara

This brings me to a burning question. Is Kansas City Confidential worth my time as a blind-buy? I've heard of it and read about it being generally well-regarded but I thought I'd ask you guys. I also see there are 3 different U.S. releases with the most recent being from 2016. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Yes, it's excellent. Well worth a blind buy.

[nitin]

Kansas City Comfidential is excellent, but get the MGM DVD rather than any of the current blus.

[MalteseCrow]

Originally Posted by nitin

Kansas City Comfidential is excellent, but get the MGM DVD rather than any of the current blus.

Really? Does the DVD actually look better?

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by MalteseCrow

Really? Does the DVD actually look better?

Yes. The Film Detective release looks good, but the upscaled MGM DVD looks the best. You can see how good it looks here: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCom...nfidential.htm

[MalteseCrow]

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

Yes. The Film Detective release looks good, but the upscaled MGM DVD looks the best. You can see how good it looks here: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCom...nfidential.htm

The MGM does look good, but there doesn't appear to be a comparison to the Film Detective's transfer on DVD Beaver, just the Cinema Classics.

Not saying I doubt your assessment; I would really have no way of knowing since I haven't seen it. Just genuinely surprised that a DVD could look better than a Blu-Ray.

[noiradelic]

Originally Posted by MalteseCrow

The MGM does look good, but there doesn't appear to be a comparison to the Film Detective's transfer on DVD Beaver, just the Cinema Classics.

Not saying I doubt your assessment; I would really have no way of knowing since I haven't seen it. Just genuinely surprised that a DVD could look better than a Blu-Ray.

Kansas City Confidential's public domain, like many other noirs, and if the Blu-ray's released by a company who trafficks in PD films, it may look worse than a DVD put out by the studio who owns the original film elements, like MGM. A Blu-ray's only as good as the restoration or film elements.

NoirJunkie's extremely knowledgeable and if he says the DVD looks better, I'd take his word for it.

KCC's pretty top-tier film noir.

[nitin]

This is one of the few situations where the DVD looks better, MGM clearly has better source elements (looks like an IP maybe) than whatever was used for the blu releases (probably a film print), plus the blus have had lots of DNR applied as a result of the non optimal source.

[MalteseCrow]

I learned something new today. Thanks noirjunkie, noiradelic, and nitin!

Since it is in the public domain what are the chances MGM would bother releasing its own BD of KCC with those original source elements? Or is it more likely that a higher level boutique label that could get its hands on better resources might come along at some point to give it another go?

EDIT: Wait, does MGM even exist anymore?

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by MalteseCrow

I learned something new today. Thanks noirjunkie, noiradelic, and nitin!

Since it is in the public domain what are the chances MGM would bother releasing its own BD of KCC with those original source elements? Or is it more likely that a higher level boutique label that could get its hands on better resources might come along at some point to give it another go?

Most likely a boutique label. I could see a proper restoration being released by Kino.

[LPMA]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

Most likely a boutique label. I could see a proper restoration being released by Kino.

I just did a quick search and found an article listing the 5 'best' public domain noirs. Kino has released 3 of them (Hitch-Hiker, Stranger, Scarlet Street) and Criterion is about to release the 4th (Detour), leaving D.O.A. still unreleased. So I agree Kino seems likeliest.

[Richard--W]

Hopefully D.O.A. will soon be liberated from its "owner" as well and come to blu-ray.

[jrcasey1960]

Don't forget that Olive released THE STRANGER on Blu-ray as well, from a superior MGM source. Kino's source was a Library Of Congress print in rough shape. The Olive isn't perfect, either, but still looks a lot better than the Kino. Olive's cover art is terrible, though!

[jayrobb9]

I'm joining this one a bit late but I own The Film Detective's version of Kansas City Confidential, and can honestly say it looks just fine, definitely not the kind of junk PD titles often get subjected to. I would be EXTREMELY surprised if a DVD looks better.

[Dallasnorthforty]

I have the FD KCC bluray and the disc looks pretty good to my eyes.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by jayrobb9

I'm joining this one a bit late but I own The Film Detective's version of Kansas City Confidential, and can honestly say it looks just fine, definitely not the kind of junk PD titles often get subjected to. I would be EXTREMELY surprised if a DVD looks better.

Well you would be, trust us, some of us have seen both discs!

[nitin]

Originally Posted by jrcasey1960

Don't forget that Olive released THE STRANGER on Blu-ray as well, from a superior MGM source. Kino's source was a Library Of Congress print in rough shape. The Olive isn't perfect, either, but still looks a lot better than the Kino. Olive's cover art is terrible, though!

The Kino is also very unnaturally over sharpened. The Olive has slightly truncated the end credits though (but I still think it’s definitely preferable overall).

[noiradelic]

Originally Posted by MalteseCrow

Since it is in the public domain what are the chances MGM would bother releasing its own BD of KCC with those original source elements? Or is it more likely that a higher level boutique label that could get its hands on better resources might come along at some point to give it another go?

EDIT: Wait, does MGM even exist anymore?

MGM released Kansas City Confidential, The Stranger, The Woman in the Window and A Bullet for Joey on DVD all at the same time in 2007. Kino put out their Blu-ray of The Stranger in 2013 (this release may not have much significance because it was a Library of Congress print), A Bullet for Joey in 2015 (is Bullet for Joey PD?) and Woman in the Window last year. Olive, which also licenses MGM films, of course released another version of The Stranger in 2017.

So it would be logical for Kino or Olive to put out KCC on BD. Since KCC is less famous than Woman in the Window and The Stranger, it may take a while. It's an excellent noir, but it seems like it's been underrated by the public (I remember Amazon having the MGM DVD for $3 for a long time). Can't explain A Bullet for Joey, other than all of the other films except KCC have Edward G. Robinson in them. It may be a PQ issue and Kino or Olive are waiting for a restoration, a licensing snag, or just the vagaries of the labels' production schedules, but there's no way to predict when KCC will get a BD.

MGM does still exist, though Fox handles the distribution of MGM's home media (not sure if it still does), they've gone through bankruptcy, and seem to partner with other companies in almost everything they do.

[MifuneFan]

Fellow member rapta uncovered through BBFC's rating site that Arrow are planning a release of Jacques Tourneur's Nightfal (1957). This will almost certainly be a US/UK title through their Academy line. Will post more when it's official.

In rural Wyoming, James Vanning (Aldo Ray) aids stranded motorists John (Brian Keith) and Red (Rudy Bond). But after James finds out that the men just pulled off a huge bank heist, they try to kill him. When a harsh storm suddenly hits, the crooks lose their loot, and James manages to escape to Los Angeles, where he goes into hiding. He receives an unwelcome visit, however, from John and Red, who believe that James knows more about their lost money than he's letting on.

[mogwai_macabre]

Arrow US Nightfall would be awesome. Been meaning to do a Fargo / Nightfall double feature night.