Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Here is a review:
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/art...940s-film-noir
.

Very fair review without resorting to histrionics. The critic blames Paramount and judging by some of the recent Paramount Blus of catalog titles released here, I have no cause to doubt him. Yes, KING CREOLE is great, but one perfunctory extra and a relatively high price tag is crap. TO CATCH A THIEF is an unmitigated disaster.

I have both WRONG NUMBER and MONSTER on preorder from Deep Discount and am considering canceling it. I’m not the fussiest person when it comes to transfers and I do appreciate the extras Imprint is including, but they are not cheap purchases.

The questions are: Will they come out here and from whom? Will they be pressed and not burnt (this is a very important factor for me as I don’t buy BD-Rs)? Will the quality be any better? Will there be any extras? Of course, Criterion would resolve all my concerns, but they sit on titles for years and will they ever get to it while the format is still viable, if indeed they even have them? Lately Criterion for me has been like a favorite uncle. It’s nice when he can visit, but he can never be depended on.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Very fair review without resorting to histrionics. The critic blames Paramount and judging by some of the recent Paramount Blus of catalog titles released here, I have no cause to doubt him. Yes, KING CREOLE is great, but one perfunctory extra and a relatively high price tag is crap. TO CATCH A THIEF is an unmitigated disaster.

I have both WRONG NUMBER and MONSTER on preorder from Deep Discount and am considering canceling it. I’m not the fussiest person when it comes to transfers and I do appreciate the extras Imprint is including, but they are not cheap purchases.

The questions are: Will they come out here and from whom? Will they be pressed and not burnt (this is a very important factor for me as I don’t buy BD-Rs)? Will the quality be any better? Will there be any extras? Of course, Criterion would resolve all my concerns, but they sit on titles for years and will they ever get to it while the format is still viable, if indeed they even have them? Lately Criterion for me has been like a favorite uncle. It’s nice when he can visit, but he can never be depended on.

My guess is Sorry Wrong Number, if released stateside, will not get a huge restoration. I would think that labels ask if a restoration is slated to be done before they license the films and release existing masters. Unless of course someone like Kino or Arrow strike a deal with Paramount and fund the restorations themselves—like Kino did with Charley Varrick, releasing it about a year after Indicator released their's with the dated master.

But maybe I'm wrong and Imprint figures, even if a restorations and new release gets announced in the coming months, they got the drop on it on the market and will be getting worldwide sales, and not just localized ones.

[mogwai_macabre]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Discussion in the Australian section.

Sorry, Wrong Number...it sounds like a pretty bad release. As this was a blind buy for me, I'm going to attempt to cancel my order. Maybe try to pickup the DVD on eBay.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=259

[Aclea]

The Imprint thread on the Australian board. Apparently its DNR-a-go-go.

[waxHead]

Originally Posted by Aclea

I would add that The Crimson Kimono transfer in one of those sets is the worst on the market - like the UK Indicator disc it has very, very low sound and the encode is noticeably worse. Twilight Time's release is the only one with decent sound as well as picture.

Most of the other transfers are more than acceptable.

That's really a shame to read, especially since my UK Indicator "Samuel Fuller at Columbia" set arrived TODAY

I guess I'll grab the TT release before it disappears.

While I'm at it, should I get the TT Underworld USA release as well, or is the Indicator version of that one better than Crimson Kimono?

[Aclea]

Better extras on the Indicator, but you really have to max up the volume on your TV set and even that's less than ideal. I'd check your copy to see what you think.

Underworld USA is fine, thankfully.

[waxHead]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Better extra on the Indicator, but you really have to max up the volume on your TV set and even that's less than ideal.

Yeah, that's definitely not ideal. In most cases, Indicator have top-tier releases, too bad that's not the case here.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Update to my opinion on the noir archive set: just watched Cell 2455, Death Row from Vol. II and I have to say, really good film— borderline great. Definite replay value.

I'm always fascinated by how effectively some films can sympathetically portray pretty unsympathetic characters.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Better extras on the Indicator, but you really have to max up the volume on your TV set and even that's less than ideal.

This is never something that's bothered me, since it has a simple fix: take thumb, press "volume up" button.

[Aclea]

Unfortunately in this case that amplifies what sounds like dirt on the optical track that isn't so prevalent on the TT and is still duller sound quality.

[Aclea]

On a more positive note, I just watched Warner Archive's restored Blu of The Set-Up, and it's an absolutely stunning transfer of a just about perfect movie.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Aclea

On a more positive note, I just watched Warner Archive's restored Blu of The Set-Up, and it's an absolutely stunning transfer of a just about perfect movie.

That will be on my next WAC sale order. One more off the DVR.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by SteelyTom

I'm trying to finalize a Kino sale order, and am forcing myself to chose one of the following three titles:

Cover Up
I Wake Up Screaming
The Scar, aka Hollow Triumph

Any thoughts??

I don't know if this is too late to be of any help, but I watched I Wake Up Screaming yesterday. That's a very strong recommendation on my part.

Betty Grable didn't do a lot of dramatic roles, but she was quite good here as Jill Lynn. Her thoroughly convincing, nuanced performance makes me wish she'd done more Noir.

The film was released only two weeks after The Maltese Falcon, but I Wake up Screaming had the Noir template down cold. You had the femme fatale in Vicky Lynn (Carole Landis) and the "good girl" in Grable, who played Vicky's sister. Landis is picked out of a diner by manager/promoter "Frankie" Christopher (Victor Mature), cleaned up, and shown off to high society at a New York nightclub. Soon, she is dubbed the "it girl", and has men eating out of the palm of her hand, with promises of fame and fortune dancing in her head. I find this development interesting, as Vicky clearly didn't have the typical aspirations of the femme fatale. That aspect of her personality was created. Still, Grable's character is urging her not to quit her job chasing a dream. She's unsure of Victor Mature's motivations early on, and throws a cold shoulder his way. She's grounded, careful...the voice of reason. And, the cinematography is gorgeous. D.O.P. Edward Cronjager caught some beautiful shadows, reminiscent of The Asphalt Jungle, and made great use of rear projection on more than one occasion.

If you ask me, though, it's Laird Cregar's film. There's one flash back scene of the two sisters coming out of the diner where they work, and Cregar is lurking around the corner in the shadows. He's a towering, menacing presence, and he has a way of showing up everywhere. There's an interesting cat and mouse game going on between Cregar and Mature, and to simply categorize Cregar's Ed Cornell as "the heavy" would be a mischaracterization.

[SteelyTom]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I don't know if this is too late to be of any help, but I watched I Wake Up Screaming yesterday. That's a very strong recommendation on my part.

Betty Grable didn't do a lot of dramatic roles, but she was quite good here as Jill Lynn. Her thoroughly convincing, nuanced performance makes me wish she'd done more Noir.

The film was released only two weeks after The Maltese Falcon, but I Wake up Screaming had the Noir template down cold. You had the femme fatale in Vicky Lynn (Carole Landis) and the "good girl" in Grable, who played Vicky's sister. Landis is picked out of a diner by manager/promoter "Frankie" Christopher (Victor Mature), cleaned up, and shown off to high society at a New York nightclub. Soon, she is dubbed the "it girl", and has men eating out of the palm of her hand, with promises of fame and fortune dancing in her head. I find this development interesting, as Vicky clearly didn't have the typical aspirations of the femme fatale. That aspect of her personality was created. Still, Grable's character is urging her not to quit her job chasing a dream. She's unsure of Victor Mature's motivations early on, and throws a cold shoulder his way. She's grounded, careful...the voice of reason. And, the cinematography is gorgeous. D.O.P. Edward Cronjager caught some beautiful shadows, reminiscent of The Asphalt Jungle, and made great use of rear projection on more than one occasion.

If you ask me, though, it's Laird Cregar's film. There's one flash back scene of the two sisters coming out of the diner where they work, and Cregar is lurking around the corner in the shadows. He's a towering, menacing presence, and he has a way of showing up everywhere. There's an interesting cat and mouse game going on between Cregar and Mature, and to simply categorize Cregar's Ed Cornell as "the heavy" would be a mischaracterization.

Thanks for the review! Cregar's involvement pretty much sells me on this one, a shame he was unable to enjoy a long career.

[CBHampson]

Originally Posted by SteelyTom

Thanks for the review! Cregar's involvement pretty much sells me on this one, a shame he was unable to enjoy a long career.

I just rewatched this one this morning, and yeah, it's pretty great. Except for that damned score

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by SteelyTom

Thanks for the review! Cregar's involvement pretty much sells me on this one, a shame he was unable to enjoy a long career.

I agree. Much of that film’s cast died young. Carol Landis committee suicide, and I don’t think she reached 30. Betty Grable, IIRC, was only in her early 50s when she died of breast cancer if my memory serves me correctly (I just woke up, my head is a bit fuzzy). Thankfully this film, and others, are left behind to remember them by, and appreciate their gifts as performers.

Originally Posted by CBHampson

I just rewatched this one this morning, and yeah, it's pretty great. Except for that damned score

Ha, agreed! I love the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow, but I don’t need to hear it again for a while.

[GeoffOliver]

The Scar/Hollow Triumph is public domain, so you can just find a decent YouTube upload, and view it for free before you buy. The movie's a lot of fun, but you kinda have to throw logic to the wind.

The Film Detective released a BD-R if you miss Kino's edition (which is officially licensed from Paramount).

[crazednoir]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

The Scar/Hollow Triumph is public domain, so you can just find a decent YouTube upload, and view it for free before you buy. The movie's a lot of fun, but you kinda have to throw logic to the wind.

The Film Detective released a BD-R if you miss Kino's edition (which is officially licensed from Paramount).

I would just like to point out that the Film Detective BD-R is missing a scene near the end where Paul Henried's character explains part of the plot to a old washerwoman. (seriously!)

Get the Kino version, it is complete, much better quality.

[GeoffOliver]

I own the Kino edition, so I had no idea.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by CBHampson

I just rewatched this one this morning, and yeah, it's pretty great. Except for that damned score

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Ha, agreed! I love the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow, but I don’t need to hear it again for a while.

On a fairly recent TCM showing even Eddie Mueller seemed unsure as to why it was so overused in the film.

I had a similar reaction after seeing Chungking Express: If I never hear California Dreamin’ in this life or the next, it’ll be too soon.