Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[CBHampson]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Revisited I Wake Up Screaming Last Night...pretty terrific early noir (came out almost the same time as The Maltese Falcon), with the great Laird Cregar being a real stand-out.

But the music...ugh. Nothing but repetitions and variations of Sidewalk Scene and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Not enough to bring the movie down, but enough to make you cringe and wonder what the hell they were doing.

I have to watch this again after everyones raves since it aired on Noir Alley this week. I own it, and watched it once....but literally only remember Over The Rainbow lol

[nitin]

Checked out Drive a Crooked Road from my Columbia Noir set and it’s a pretty underrated and unheralded noir.

Mickey Rooney and Dianne Foster excel in the two main roles (but the supporting cast is also well cast and performed) and the movie has a terrific buildup and one of the all time great final shots in noir. Where it falters a little and stops short of being a truly great noir is in the execution of the payoffs for the long buildup (trying to avoid spoilers).

Richard Quine’s direction is pretty solid, with great attention to character, and good use of space in his framing. It’s primarily a sunlit LA noir but when the mood gets darker in the last third, the cinematography follows suits.

Sony’s DVD looks pretty good and if the same underlying HD master is upgraded to blu, it should look even better. I was surprised it was not in the Noir Archive sets by Kit Parker so maybe Arrow have it for a release later.

[GeoffOliver]

I may have asked this question a while back, but does anyone know about how many Sony noirs are still missing on Blu-ray? I would imagine the vast majority from them, Universal, Warner, and MGM should be out at this point (or scheduled to be).

[nitin]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

I may have asked this question a while back, but does anyone know about how many Sony noirs are still missing on Blu-ray? I would imagine the vast majority from them, Universal, Warner, and MGM should be out at this point (or scheduled to be).

Heaps of Warner noirs missing from blu (probably longer than the Sony list below) and quite a few Universal ones too (although at least with Universal, Kino has a major deal with them).

Re Sony, from my own collection, the following are missing from blu:

An Affair in Trinidad
Bad for Each Other
Between Midnight and Dawn
The Brothers Rico
Convicted
Drive a Crooked Road
Framed
The Garment Jungle
The Glass Wall
Johnny O’Clock
Knock on Any Door
The Mob
Murder by Contract
Night Editor
One Girl’s Confession
Over-Exposed
Pushover
The Sniper
Tight Spot
Two of a Kind
The Undercover Man
Walk a Crooked Mile

[noirjunkie]

Just announced on Facebook: Robert Siodmak's The Suspect (1944) is coming to blu-ray via Kino.



Credit to Dailyan.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by nitin

Heaps of Warner noirs missing from blu (probably longer than the Sony list below) and quite a few Universal ones too (although at least with Universal, Kino has a major deal with them).

Re Sony, from my own collection, the following are missing from blu:

An Affair in Trinidad
Bad for Each Other
Between Midnight and Dawn
The Brothers Rico
Convicted
Drive a Crooked Road
Framed
The Garment Jungle
The Glass Wall
Johnny O’Clock
Knock on Any Door
The Mob
Murder by Contract
Night Editor
One Girl’s Confession
Over-Exposed
Pushover
The Sniper
Tight Spot
Two of a Kind
The Undercover Man
Walk a Crooked Mile

Maybe Kit Parker can do another deal with them and continue the Noir Archive sets...

[leonmarks]

Not trying to be morbid or insensitive, but given what we're all dealing with right now, I'm aware of two noirs that deal with outbreaks, or the threat of outbreaks.

"Panic in the Streets" is gorgeous and fantastic IMO.

"The Killer That Stalked New York" is pretty close to awful if I remember correctly.

Are there any others?

[GeoffOliver]

Does anyone know which Warner noirs are missing? I can only think of a handful.

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Maybe Kit Parker can do another deal with them and continue the Noir Archive sets...

I think those sets were only supposed to run for three volumes because the films were in order by release date.

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Does anyone know which Warner noirs are missing? I can only think of a handful.



I think those sets were only supposed to run for three volumes because the films were in order by release date.

Yes, that’s correct. However, it doesn’t mean that they can’t decide to continue. My guess would be that they sold pretty well.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Does anyone know which Warner noirs are missing? I can only think of a handful.

If you're asking which WB noirs haven't made it to blu-ray, the answer is well north of 100, especially if you include the titles originally produced under other studios like RKO but that are now under WB control.

[LordSummerIsle]

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

If you're asking which WB noirs haven't made it to blu-ray, the answer is well north of 100, especially if you include the titles originally produced under other studios like RKO but that are now under WB control.

And even more if you include the crime films of the 30s.

[kaseaver]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Does anyone know which Warner noirs are missing? I can only think of a handful.

I have a list of classic film noir titles based on imdb rankings. Included only titles from 1940-59. Excluded all "gangster" titles and all Hitchcock except 2.

1. 24 of the top 25 have been released on bd region a. Missing #24 Nightmare Alley.

2. For titles ranking 26-50, 16 are on bd. Criterion has 5 of the missing titles.
29. Fallen Idol, The - Criterion (may not have license)
30. Pick-Up on South Street - Criterion
31. Narrow Margin, The - WAC
32. 5 Fingers - Fox
38. Detective Story - Paramount
41. Thieves' Highway - Criterion
42. Naked City, The - Criterion
45. Brute Force - Criterion
50. The Harder They Fall - Columbia

3. 90 out of the 150 have been released on bd.

4. Out of the missing 60, Warner has 25.
4 companies have 45 of the 60.
Warner - 25 titles (avg rank 114)
Columbia - 7 titles (avg rank 99)
Fox - 7 titles (avg rank 80)
Criterion - 6 titles (avg rank 46)

[jayrobb9]

Originally Posted by kaseaver

I have a list of classic film noir titles based on imdb rankings. Included only titles from 1940-59. Excluded all "gangster" titles and all Hitchcock except 2.

1. 24 of the top 25 have been released on bd region a. Missing #24 Nightmare Alley.

2. For titles ranking 26-50, 16 are on bd. Criterion has 5 of the missing titles.
29. Fallen Idol, The - Criterion (may not have license)
30. Pick-Up on South Street - Criterion
31. Narrow Margin, The - WAC
32. 5 Fingers - Fox
38. Detective Story - Paramount
41. Thieves' Highway - Criterion
42. Naked City, The - Criterion
45. Brute Force - Criterion
50. The Harder They Fall - Columbia

3. 90 out of the 150 have been released on bd.

4. Out of the missing 60, Warner has 25.
4 companies have 45 of the 60.
Warner - 25 titles (avg rank 114)
Columbia - 7 titles (avg rank 99)
Fox - 7 titles (avg rank 80)
Criterion - 6 titles (avg rank 46)

Would you be willing to upload that list here?

And which Hitchcocks? I'd assume the Wrong Man and Shadow of a Doubt.

Actually, Vertigo.

[XhcnoirX]

Originally Posted by kaseaver

I have a list of classic film noir titles based on imdb rankings. Included only titles from 1940-59. Excluded all "gangster" titles and all Hitchcock except 2.

1. 24 of the top 25 have been released on bd region a. Missing #24 Nightmare Alley.

2. For titles ranking 26-50, 16 are on bd. Criterion has 5 of the missing titles.
29. Fallen Idol, The - Criterion (may not have license)
30. Pick-Up on South Street - Criterion
31. Narrow Margin, The - WAC
32. 5 Fingers - Fox
38. Detective Story - Paramount
41. Thieves' Highway - Criterion
42. Naked City, The - Criterion
45. Brute Force - Criterion
50. The Harder They Fall - Columbia

3. 90 out of the 150 have been released on bd.

4. Out of the missing 60, Warner has 25.
4 companies have 45 of the 60.
Warner - 25 titles (avg rank 114)
Columbia - 7 titles (avg rank 99)
Fox - 7 titles (avg rank 80)
Criterion - 6 titles (avg rank 46)

The Fallen Idol, Pickup on South Street, Thieves' Highway, The Naked City and Brute Force are all available on (region B) blu-ray.

[kaseaver]

Originally Posted by XhcnoirX

The Fallen Idol, Pickup on South Street, Thieves' Highway, The Naked City and Brute Force are all available on (region B) blu-ray.

I did say region a releases

[kaseaver]

Originally Posted by jayrobb9

Would you be willing to upload that list here?

And which Hitchcocks? I'd assume the Wrong Man and Shadow of a Doubt.

Actually, Vertigo.

Actually 4 Hitchcocks - Strangers on a Train, Notorious, Spellbound and The Wrong Man. They were the ones on the list. I know, you could add more. Or you could exclude all of them.

I did add a few titles that were glaring omissions imo:
Leave Her to Heaven, The Suspect, Odds Against Tomorrow

I'll try to upload list in separate post

[kaseaver]

Originally Posted by jayrobb9

Would you be willing to upload that list here?

And which Hitchcocks? I'd assume the Wrong Man and Shadow of a Doubt.

Actually, Vertigo.

Here's a link to the imdb list. https://www.imdb.com/search/title?ti...1&ref_=adv_nxt

Tried to post excel file as an attachment but got file error message.
If you want you can send your email address in private message and i'll send file attachment that way.

[jayrobb9]

Originally Posted by kaseaver

Here's a link to the imdb list. https://www.imdb.com/search/title?ti...1&ref_=adv_nxt

Tried to post excel file as an attachment but got file error message.
If you want you can send your email address in private message and i'll send file attachment that way.

Thanks for the link.

Was watching Nightmare Alley last night (have only seen it once before). What an outstanding movie it is.

[XhcnoirX]

Originally Posted by kaseaver

I did say region a releases

Ah yes you did, I didn't spot it originally. Sorry

[Hoke Moseley]

From The Criterion Channel's April schedule:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8



Columbia Noir
Featuring an introduction by film scholars Farran Smith Nehme and Imogen Sara Smith

One year ago, the Criterion Channel launched with a journey into the dark side of the Columbia Pictures catalog, and we’re pleased to bring it back with an expanded lineup of classic noir deep cuts. The Columbia lot was where auteurs like Fritz Lang, Nicholas Ray, and Orson Welles realized pulp-poetry perfection in masterpieces like The Big Heat, In a Lonely Place, and The Lady from Shanghai. It was also where resourceful genre specialists could overcome budgetary constraints through sinister, stylized atmosphere and directorial vision in killer Bs like the gothic mystery My Name Is Julia Ross, the minimalist-cool hitman thriller Murder by Contract, and the lurid taboo-buster The Crimson Kimono. Starring genre icons like Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, Gloria Grahame, and Glenn Ford, these shadowy gems epitomize the hard-boiled essence of noir.

Featuring: Blind Alley (Charles Vidor, 1939), My Name Is Julia Ross (Joseph H. Lewis, 1945), Gilda (Charles Vidor, 1946), So Dark the Night (Joseph H. Lewis, 1946), Dead Reckoning (John Cromwell, 1947), Johnny O’Clock (Robert Rossen, 1947), The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles, 1947), In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950), The Mob (Robert Parrish, 1951), Affair in Trinidad (Vincent Sherman, 1952), The Sniper (Edward Dmytryk, 1952), The Big Heat (Fritz Lang, 1953), Drive a Crooked Road (Richard Quine, 1954), Human Desire (Fritz Lang, 1954), Pushover (Richard Quine, 1954), Tight Spot (Phil Karlson, 1955), 5 Against the House (Phil Karlson, 1955), Nightfall (Jacques Tourneur, 1956), The Harder They Fall (Mark Robson, 1956), The Brothers Rico (Phil Karlson, 1957), The Burglar (Paul Wendkos, 1957), The Lineup (Don Siegel, 1958), Murder by Contract (Irving Lerner, 1958), The Crimson Kimono (Samuel Fuller, 1959), Experiment in Terror (Blake Edwards, 1962)