Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[John_Drake]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Just noticed Hammett (1982) will be released in Japan on October 9th.



It's from Wim Wenders, but apparently it has a very controversial production history, which is explained in this article, and interview with Wenders:

https://www.indiewire.com/2015/03/wi...ammett-265726/

Thanks for the link.

But what a depressing read...I wonder why he didn't remove his name from the final film.

Apparently Wenders' also made a documentary about the making of this film entitled Reverse Angle--would very much like to see that.

[Jobla]

I really like John Barry's neo-noir score for HAMMETT.

[dougotte]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

There’s a perfectly fine Blu released in the UK:

[Show spoiler]

Thanks for the tip, but I haven't gone region-free.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Thanks. Do you happen to know if the Germany release is region free?

Will check when I get it back in a few days, have lent it out to a friend after my viewing.

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Some other great films missing on blu (that haven't been mentioned) are:

1953 The Blue Gardenia

Does anyone know the status of The Blue Gardenia? The only sourced screenings I can find info about online list 16mm prints sourced from Kit Parker films and a company in Spain, and nothing about rights. I know it was an independent production only distributed by WB, but it seems odd for it to have disappeared like that...

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by JEDGAR1000

What are the best Noir titles that are still DVD only? I know of 'Sorry, Wrong Number', but am trying to find more.

The Window
Deadline At Dawn

Originally Posted by belcherman

And also Brute Force and Naked City.. Sheesh.

Month after month of waiting for Criterion to announce these two was a big reason for me to finally go region free. The Naked City was the first region B disc I ordered.

[leonmarks]

FYI - Brute Force has an excellent Blu transfer from Arrow Films in the UK. (I have region-free.)

[DaBargainHunta]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

The Window

Caught this a few months ago on TCM, and it's good fun.

[EVERYONE LIES]

Is anyone here going to Noir City D.C.?

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by JEDGAR1000

What are the best Noir titles that are still DVD only? I know of 'Sorry, Wrong Number', but am trying to find more.

There are far too many great noirs only on DVD. The five volumes of WB Film Noir box sets have dozens just on their own. Thankfully, all of the films in Volume 1 have hit blu-ray, but all but two from the other four volumes remain on DVD.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

Caught this a few months ago on TCM, and it's good fun.

A very young Ruth Roman. Hubba-Hubba! I was surprised to learn, via Eddie Mueller's intro, that this was filmed a few years prior to being released and actually predates The Naked City as being filmed in NYC. An irony of ironies that Bobby Driscoll's death would take place not far from the tenements in the film.

[Modman]

I don't know whether its been mentioned before but is Cy Endfield's 1957 Hell Drivers worthy of inclusion, its prominent on many UK top ten noir lists and certainly is at least noir stained.

Its a gritty, powerful drama boasting a top notch British cast including Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan, Herbert Lom, Peggy Cummins, William Hartnell, Sean Connery, Sid James, Jill Ireland and Gordon Jackson.

Currently there is only a Region B release available from Network.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hell-...lu-ray/163541/

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Modman

I don't know whether its been mentioned before but is Cy Endfield's 1957 Hell Drivers worthy of inclusion, its prominent on many UK top ten noir lists and certainly is at least noir stained.

Its a gritty, powerful drama boasting a top notch British cast including Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan, Herbert Lom, Peggy Cummins, William Hartnell, Sean Connery, Sid James, Jill Ireland and Gordon Jackson.

Currently there is only a Region B release available from Network.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hell-...lu-ray/163541/

Yes.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Modman

I don't know whether its been mentioned before but is Cy Endfield's 1957 Hell Drivers worthy of inclusion, its prominent on many UK top ten noir lists and certainly is at least noir stained.

Its a gritty, powerful drama boasting a top notch British cast including Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan, Herbert Lom, Peggy Cummins, William Hartnell, Sean Connery, Sid James, Jill Ireland and Gordon Jackson.

Currently there is only a Region B release available from Network.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hell-...lu-ray/163541/

I don't know if I'm convinced enough to deem HELL DRIVERS a full fledged NOIR, though I eagerly agree that it has NOIR elements and that it's an excellent film. THE LONG HAUL, another UK film from the same year that is also about long distance truckers seems more genuine NOIR to me.

[Modman]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

I don't know if I'm convinced enough to deem HELL DRIVERS a full fledged NOIR, though I eagerly agree that it has NOIR elements and that it's an excellent film. THE LONG HAUL, another UK film from the same year that is also about long distance truckers seems more genuine NOIR to me.

Thanks, I know a few movies that I wouldn't consider noir have snuck under the wire and are listed on the front page.

I shall check out The Long Haul.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

I don't know if I'm convinced enough to deem HELL DRIVERS a full fledged NOIR, though I eagerly agree that it has NOIR elements and that it's an excellent film. THE LONG HAUL, another UK film from the same year that is also about long distance truckers seems more genuine NOIR to me.

I think Hell Drivers has enough noir elements to be classified as a fully feathered noir, although it was marketed as an action thriller. Stanley Baker plays an ex-con trying to go straight only to get mixed up in a trucking racket. Here's the best clip I could find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UnpnMDN9qc

Looks like noir to me.

[chas speed]

Originally Posted by Modman

I don't know whether its been mentioned before but is Cy Endfield's 1957 Hell Drivers worthy of inclusion, its prominent on many UK top ten noir lists and certainly is at least noir stained.

Its a gritty, powerful drama boasting a top notch British cast including Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan, Herbert Lom, Peggy Cummins, William Hartnell, Sean Connery, Sid James, Jill Ireland and Gordon Jackson.

Currently there is only a Region B release available from Network.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hell-...lu-ray/163541/

It's a great movie and has the star of Gun Crazy in it. If you have a region free player it is worth getting.

[nitin]

Mifunefan, I tried to play my german disc of In the Cut with my Oppo set to Region A and it would not play. So Region B only.

[silverlakephil]

I just watched some of the Noir film, Trapped(1949), broadcast on TCM's Noir Alley last night. Does anybody who has watched it think it has a bit too much DNR like I do? Flicker Alley will eventually release the film on Blu-ray, btw.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

I just watched some of the Noir film, Trapped(1949), broadcast on TCM's Noir Alley last night. Does anybody who has watched it think it has a bit too much DNR like I do? Flicker Alley will eventually release the film on Blu-ray, btw.

Transfers prepared for broadcast tend to have more DNR applied due to compression issues the broadcast can present; grain can look just as, if not more, problematic on a TV broadcast than a DNR-heavy transfer.

The blu-ray should look better. Did Eddie make any mention of when it might be arriving? It's taking Flicker Alley forever to get around to the noirs they have the rights to release.