Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by SanCarolina59

I don’t know if this movie counts as film noir or not, but Dragnet (1954) was just announced by Kino Lorber as part of their 2nd Universal deal.

It's not a noir, but plenty of noir fans will be interested in it.

[hoytereden]

Lately I’ve been watching Season 1 of The Fugitive and; to me, this is Noir, Neo-Noir, Post Noir Noir, or however you want to tag it..Noir. This was a series made to be seen in B&W and it’s genuinely jarring to see Season 4 “In Color!” (As the intro used to proclaim). William Conrad’s narration at the beginning and end which usually set up the storyline with some hope but concludes with Kimble narrowly avoiding capture and moving on “In lonely desperation” as Conrad puts it. Good stuff.

TCM’s recent broadcast of Crossfire during its annual 31 Days of Oscar caused me to remember fondly that it was one of the first Noirs I ever saw back in the late ‘50s-early ‘60s on one of those Late Show movie slots that showed a lot of RKO films under the C&C Television banner that often replaced the original opening and end credits with their own. The three Roberts heading the cast are excellent but lately I’ve been appreciating Robert Young’s Captain Finlay character more than ever. An excellent film that I hope will get a Blu-ray upgrade one of these days.

[Modman]

In the absence of a blu-ray release of D.O.A, any ideas as to what's currently the best dvd release?

[AloneAlive]

Originally Posted by Modman

In the absence of a blu-ray release of D.O.A, any ideas as to what's currently the best dvd release?

I own the Image Entertainment version and it’s is pretty sufficient, just recently gave it a rewatch. It is a shame this title hasn’t been upgraded to blu-ray.

[MifuneFan]

Mill Creek will be releasing a Double-feature of William Castle Film Noir titles, Hollywood Story (1951), and New Orleans Uncensored (1955).

Synopsis:
William Castle Double Feature

While legendary Hollywood filmmaker, William Castle, is commonly referred to as “The King of Gimmicks,” his legacy extended into other film genres, including two crime dramas from the Film Noir era, Hollywood Story and New Orleans Uncensored. This thrilling double feature denotes the high-definition debut of both landmark films filled with danger, death and intrigue.

HOLLYWOOD STORY (1951) stars Richard Conte as a stage producer with dreams of being in the movie business who decides to shoot a documentary about the mysterious death of a silent film director – only to find himself in danger of suffering a similar fate. The film is loosely based on the real-life murder of film director William Desmond Taylor in 1922.

NEW ORLEANS UNCENSORED (1955) is a gritty crime thriller about a newly-discharged sailor who gets a job as a longshoreman in The Big Easy. He swiftly discovers mob corruption throughout the docks, and when a friend is killed by the gangsters, he convinces the police to let him go undercover and take matters into his own hands.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Mill Creek will be releasing a Double-feature of William Castle Film Noir titles, Hollywood Story (1951), and New Orleans Uncensored (1955).

Nice! I’m very interested in seeing the Richard Conte film. I’m sure this will be around $10 👍

[MifuneFan]

I should point out that New Orleans Uncensored has already been released as part of the Noir Archive Volume 2 set. I wouldn't be surprised if we see more titles from those sets show up as Double-feature packs from MC in the future since they're the ones that are distributing them on behalf of Kit Parker Films.

[MifuneFan]

I made a thread for another upcoming release from Mill Creek that includes six films from Universal's Inner Sanctum Mysteries series. I'm not personally familiar with the films, but I looked them up, and they're all described as " film noir mystery horror". Would some that have seen any of them say they count as noir titles, or does it lean more towards mystery/horror? I think either way, many noir fans will probably be interested in it, I know I am.

[lemonski]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I made a thread for another upcoming release from Mill Creek that includes six films from Universal's Inner Sanctum Mysteries series. I'm not personally familiar with the films, but I looked them up, and they're all described as " film noir mystery horror". Would some that have seen any of them say they count as noir titles, or does it lean more towards mystery/horror? I think either way, many noir fans will probably be interested in it, I know I am.
y

They sound great, I’m in. Can’t go wrong with a title like “Pillow of Death”

[Kakihara]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Nice! I’m very interested in seeing the Richard Conte film. I’m sure this will be around $10 👍

I loved Conte in The Big Combo, the only other noir I've seen him in so I'm intrigued.

[crazednoir]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I made a thread for another upcoming release from Mill Creek that includes six films from Universal's Inner Sanctum Mysteries series. I'm not personally familiar with the films, but I looked them up, and they're all described as " film noir mystery horror". Would some that have seen any of them say they count as noir titles, or does it lean more towards mystery/horror? I think either way, many noir fans will probably be interested in it, I know I am.

I have the earlier DVD version of the same Inner Sanctum series,starring Lon Chaney Jr. and they would classify as mystery/horror and they are fun to watch as such.

[usuallee]

Originally Posted by Kakihara

I loved Conte in The Big Combo, the only other noir I've seen him in so I'm intrigued.

Thieves' Highway starring Conte is excellent. I enjoyed the unique plot which hinges on, wait for it...apples! Need to rewatch that one. Can't speak to the Blu-ray as I watched it years ago on DVD, but the review on this site is positive. Also, Cry of the City is quite good. He also stars in Highway Dragnet, which I haven't seen.

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Mill Creek will be releasing a Double-feature of William Castle Film Noir titles, Hollywood Story (1951), and New Orleans Uncensored (1955).

Checking Wikipedia, it seems he has directed a lot of Noirs that haven’t been released on Blu-ray. Namely, Undertow, Johnny Stool Pigeon,The Fat Man, The Houston Story. Any of these any good?

[BlueRagtop]

Conte is one of my favorite noir actors. In addition to The Big Combo and Thieves' Highway, some of my favorites featuring him are Cry of the City, New York Confidential, Call Northside 777 and The Blue Gardenia.

Unfortunately, Hollywood Story isn't all that great. It's an OK programmer, but don't expect more than that. It's certainly not an undiscovered noir gem. In fact, though there's a mystery, it's barely a noir at all. Instead, it's really rather light and breezy, with little in the way of dread, doom, or darkness.

Hollywood Story clip - YouTube

[SeanJoyce]

I love how Conte made a name for himself in all of these B-noir movies before finding himself in arguably the greatest American film of all time.

[MifuneFan]

Kino has posted their upcoming schedule, and it has some exciting stuff for Noir fans. First, the British Noir films, Pool of London, and Brighton Rock (previously released on BD in the UK) are coming out on May 5th. Next, the second volume of their Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema series is dated for May 12th, no word on what's included there yet. There's also a Barbara Stanwyck collection coming, which could have some relevant goodies too.

Originally Posted by Kino Lorber Insider

5/5
A Thousand Clowns (1965)
Me, Natalie (1969)
Brighton Rock (1948)
Pool of London (1951)
An Inspector Calls (1954)
5/12
Barbara Stanwyck 3-Film Collection
Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema II (3-Film Collection)
5/19
The Pink Panther Cartoons Complete Collection (6-Disc Set)
The Captive Heart (1946)
The Night My Number Came Up (1955)
The Long The Short And The Tall (1961) aka Jungle Fighters
1930s Universal Film
Lonely Are the Brave (1962)
5/26
In Search of Dracula (1975)
The Chicken Chronicles (1977)
A Man, a Woman and a Bank (1979)
Old Boyfriends (1979)
1980s Universal Film
Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) 3-D

Attachment 235544

[MifuneFan]

Kino have now announced the Hungarian film Budapest Noir (2017) for an April 21st release. I hadn't heard of it, but the trailer looks right up my alley.

Based on the Best-Selling Novel

Budapest, 1936. The Hungarian prime minister returns from Germany in a coffin, his dream of making Hungary into a fascist state snuffed out—for now. Crime reporter Zsigmond Gordon has other things on his mind. A cynic who thinks he has seen it all, a tip leads him to an unusual crime scene in a seedy part of the city - a beautiful, well-dressed young woman is dead, with only a Jewish prayer book in her purse...Investigating the mystery girl's murder, Gordon enters a world of pornographers, brothels and Communist cells leading to the highest echelons of power.

BUDAPEST NOIR Trailer | WFF17 - YouTube

[Modman]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Mill Creek will be releasing a Double-feature of William Castle Film Noir titles, Hollywood Story (1951), and New Orleans Uncensored (1955).

I didn't realise that Hollywood Story was loosely based on the murder of silent era director William Desmond Taylor and the Desmond in Norma Desmond came from .......

[leonmarks]

Hollywood Story is pretty enjoyable, but personally, I can't stand box sets or double features on blu ray. Call me anal retentive, but I like one blu ray case for each title, shelved in alphabetical order. ; )

[leonmarks]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Kino has posted their upcoming schedule, and it has some exciting stuff for Noir fans. First, the British Noir films, Pool of London, and Brighton Rock (previously released on BD in the UK) are coming out on May 5th. Next, the second volume of their Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema series is dated for May 12th, no word on what's included there yet. There's also a Barbara Stanwyck collection coming, which could have some relevant goodies too.

An Inspector Calls is an excellent film, by the way. Merely noir-adjacent, but quite well-done however you want to categorize it.