The Blue Lamp (Vintage Classics)

[bigshot]

Screened this last night... what a well made movie this is! It's a crime drama focusing on detectives and the police on the beat in London right after WW2. The location shooting was amazing with chase scenes through crowded post war streets and lots of beautifully photographed scenes in poor neighborhoods and bombed out buildings. Lots of spectacular downtown night scenes and even a music hall sequence too. The acting was subtle and expressive, and the editing created a lot of energy and tension. The cinematography tended towards high contrast images with deep blacks and stark whites with lots of textures. It looked very good projected. Well worth getting.

[Desk.]

Originally Posted by bigshot

Screened this last night... what a well made movie this is! It's a crime drama focusing on detectives and the police on the beat in London right after WW2. The location shooting was amazing with chase scenes through crowded post war streets and lots of beautifully photographed scenes in poor neighborhoods and bombed out buildings. The acting was subtle and expressive, and the editing created a lot of energy and tension. The cinematography tended towards high contrast images with deep blacks and stark whites with lots of textures. It looked very good projected. Well worth getting.

It's a great film, as I recall, and of course also served as the inspiration for the Dixon of Dock Green TV series which also starred Jack Warner. Because of that, I have to say I was a bit thrown by elements of the film the first time I saw it.

Great to hear it looks so good; I may have to consider picking this up at some point.

Desk

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by bigshot

Screened this last night... what a well made movie this is! It's a crime drama focusing on detectives and the police on the beat in London right after WW2. The location shooting was amazing with chase scenes through crowded post war streets and lots of beautifully photographed scenes in poor neighborhoods and bombed out buildings. Lots of spectacular downtown night scenes and even a music hall sequence too. The acting was subtle and expressive, and the editing created a lot of energy and tension. The cinematography tended towards high contrast images with deep blacks and stark whites with lots of textures. It looked very good projected. Well worth getting.

Doesn't the commentary come to an abrupt halt halfway through the film?

[XhcnoirX]

Originally Posted by bigshot

Screened this last night... what a well made movie this is! It's a crime drama focusing on detectives and the police on the beat in London right after WW2. The location shooting was amazing with chase scenes through crowded post war streets and lots of beautifully photographed scenes in poor neighborhoods and bombed out buildings. Lots of spectacular downtown night scenes and even a music hall sequence too. The acting was subtle and expressive, and the editing created a lot of energy and tension. The cinematography tended towards high contrast images with deep blacks and stark whites with lots of textures. It looked very good projected. Well worth getting.

Agree completely, I was really taken in by this movie, it is beautifully shot. Still need to go over commentary track & locations featurette, but I'm sure I will revisit the movie before too long. Bogarde's portrayal/character reminded me a bit of Pinkie/Richard Attenborough from Brighton Rock.

[harry o]

Those familiar Paddington locations take me back to my childhood lived down the road from that infamous cinema shooting of George Dixon !

[BluPat]

Is this Region Free? I know Kino Lorber released it in the USA as well, but I'm just curious.

[DavidGallow]

Originally Posted by BluPat

Is this Region Free? I know Kino Lorber released it in the USA as well, but I'm just curious.

No. Studiocanal are almost always locked.

[javi92]

Ordered and received this, but haven't yet watched. Sounds like I need to move it up my watch pile list.

[DVD Phreak]

One can't help but feel that in the hands of Carol "The Third Man" Reed, the wonderful English locations would have been shot much more beautifully, photogenically, and dramatically. This film, as wonderful as it is, makes me want to watch "Odd Man Out," in which the English locations are shot in a manner that evokes "The Third Man."

[justwannaboogie]

Originally Posted by DVD Phreak

One can't help but feel that in the hands of Carol "The Third Man" Reed, the wonderful English locations would have been shot much more beautifully, photogenically, and dramatically. This film, as wonderful as it is, makes me want to watch "Odd Man Out," in which the English locations are shot in a manner that evokes "The Third Man."

I have to disagree and say that the very underrated Dearden's direction is excellent and very stylish for a British noir, as is Pool of London. Reed may have been more interesting visually but would have distanced us from the documentary style realism that the film is going for.