Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I just want to announce that we have officially surpassed 1 Million Views for this thread!

Great news! It's been wonderful to see the thread help out both newcomers and noir veterans alike over the last several years.

[crazednoir]

"These seem strong films with great PQ, supplements, etc."

They are worth the extra price, like Criterion.

[alexrinse]

Originally Posted by lemonski

I'm pleasantly shocked by the way FA are cranking out noir these days - The Bitter Stems, The Beast Must Die, Repeat Performance and now these two....all within 6 months or so, after years of nothing much.

Dipped-in on FA for the first time with these two. Both superb films and the perfect amount of extra material for someone like me who doesn't go in for hours of extras.

Going to grab this double-header for sure!

[alexrinse]

Originally Posted by filmlover22

I really want to start getting these FA releases, but they are so expensive for 1 film! even with importCD reduced prices, including S&H and tax. it turns out to be about $30 a movie. Higher if I would get it directly from FA.

These seem strong films with great PQ, supplements, etc. But at $30+ a pop, I am not sure how many I will get.

The new high tide/guilty release for $30 is a great deal for 2 films... wish they would do this more.

I grabbed the Argentinoirs for about $20 in a sale around christmas time, I think. Not sure how often they have them, but as an importer it's about the only way to do it.

[tallguy58]

Both High Tide and Guilty will be shown on Noir Alley in the next few months. They're also available to view on YouTube if you want to see if their worth buying.

Oh yeah, congrats on a million views
Absolutely fabulous resource this forum.

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by tallguy58

Both High Tide and Guilty will be shown on Noir Alley in the next few months. They're also available to view on YouTube if you want to see if their worth buying.

Oh yeah, congrats on a million views
Absolutely fabulous resource this forum.

Yikes, the YouTube versions look like they were transferred from a VHS tape set at SLP speed, so I'm sure the Blu-rays will be a revelation as far as quality.

[tallguy58]

LOL. No doubt. I still like to watch them before I plunk my money down to see if they're worth it.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

Two important items (one good, one bad):

1. The first volume of Kino Lorber's Film Noir box sets is coming back into print on June 28.

2. Per Wellesnet (link), several noir titles from ClassicFlix (all of the titles licensed from MGM) are going out of print. This includes:



If you've been on the fence about these, get them now.

As mentioned by noirjunkie, the above titles are now OOP. The good news is, ClassicFlix has renewed their license for Raw Deal! They're not sure if they will do a special edition, or a barebones release (I really hope it's the former).

Additionally, the OOP titles will be part of a CF anniversary sale next week.

Here are the full details:

MGM Titles Now Out of Print, Raw Deal Coming Back


MGM Titles:

Ten titles that ClassicFlix licensed from MGM in 2017 will not be renewed and are now out of print. We do, however, have a limited time to sell off all the remaining stock.

Our yearly Anniversary Sale begins next week and all titles listed below will be discounted. Depending on how many units are left, we may have a last clearance sale down the road specifically for MGM titles.

The 10 titles are:

Along Came Jones (1945) – starring Gary Cooper and Loretta Young
Casanova Brown (1944) – starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and Frank Morgan
Crime of Passion (1957) – starring Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden and Raymond Burr
Down Three Dark Streets (1954) – starring Broderick Crawford, Ruth Roman, Martha Hyer
Five Steps to Danger (1956) – starring Sterling Hayden and Ruth Roman
He Walked by Night - Special Edition (1948) – starring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady and Jack Webb and co-directed by Anthony Mann
It’s About Time (The Complete Series) – starring Frank Aletter, Jack Mullaney, Imogene Coca and Joe E. Ross
The Killer is Loose (1956) – starring Joseph Cotten, Rhonda Fleming and Wendell Corey and directed by Budd Boetticher
The Noose Hangs High (1948) – starring Abbott and Costello
Tomorrow is Forever (1946) – starring Claudette Colbert, Orson Welles, George Brent, Lucile Watson, Richard Long and Natalie Wood
Also, because our John Alton Film Collection contains He Walked by Night, it too is out of print.

Stock on each title varies, but Blu-ray's for The Noose Hangs High and the John Alton Film Collection are the lowest and likely won't last long. DVDs for Alton, Killer & Steps are already gone.

Raw Deal:

Good news regarding Raw Deal (1948) as we were able to renew our agreement on this essential film noir.

Currently only available in the John Alton Film Noir Collection, we will release it at a later date either as a bare bones stand alone or as a re-press of our out of print special edition.

Regarding a possible re-press, like special editions for T-Men (1947) and He Walked by Night, we had originally expected to replicate 5,000 units on Raw Deal back in 2018, but we only pressed 2,500. We did not expect to repress the special edition due to customer demand and a limited license window. Now that it has been renewed, we may bring back between 500-1000 units which should carry us through to the end of the license period.

https://www.classicflix.com/blog/202...al-coming-back

[GeoffOliver]

I ordered the triple feature, which has been on my wishlist for a while. The rest of the films apparently aren’t very good, and will probably be rescued by Kino anyway in their latest MGM deal (they seem like prime candidates for their noir sets).

[koberulz]

I saw Crime of Passion on Criterion Channel recently, and it didn't really involve any of either.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

I ordered the triple feature, which has been on my wishlist for a while. The rest of the films apparently aren’t very good, and will probably be rescued by Kino anyway in their latest MGM deal (they seem like prime candidates for their noir sets).

Kino has already said they're not picking these up. I like each of them for different reasons; Crime of Passion is probably my favorite, outside of the Alton titles, all of which are must-owns for noir fans.

[GeoffOliver]

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

Kino has already said they're not picking these up. I like each of them for different reasons; Crime of Passion is probably my favorite, outside of the Alton titles, all of which are must-owns for noir fans.

Well damn. You got me. Ended up ordering the rest. Now I’m really happy I went with the cheaper triple feature option for the Alton films.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Well damn. You got me. Ended up ordering the rest. Now I’m really happy I went with the cheaper triple feature option for the Alton films.

If you enjoy B-level noirs, you should have a good time watching them. They're not classics (although the Alton titles come close), but they each have their charms and feature some great performers doing good work: Burr, Cotton, Stanwyck, etc. Worst-case scenario: you don't like them and can sell them down the road for more than what you spent on them.

[playingphysicist]

Yeah but you have to consider ... Aren't most film noirs b movies? It has to be at least 75% if not greater percentage of them. If one didn't enjoy b noirs they wouldn't be enjoying very many noirs period.

When you guys announced that crime of passion was going out of print I got it in the next day or so afterwards. I watched it a couple days ago and like many noirs after 1954 or so had a suburbia angle I thought it was good. The chemistry between Raymond Burr and Barbara stanwyck is pretty good.

[Kakihara]

I'm sure it's been mentioned here already but Indicator is having a sale right now with 3 of their Columbia Film Noir boxsets up for sale in good deals. If you had to pick one from sets 2-4, which one would you get?

[Davidian]

Definitely part 2, including one of my favourites: Framed with Glenn Ford and the exquisite Janis Carter, a tight, tense affair with a shocking twist and unforgettable ending, also Affair in Trinidad, which is another great Glenn Ford movie this time with the always sensational Rita Hawyorth trying again to capture the magic of Gloria, and The Mob, with Broderick Crawford infiltrating the Mob's Longshoreman rackets which includes a bit part for a very young Charles Bronson and Earnest Borgnine as a tough mob thug. Of course as well there is 711 Ocean Drive with Edmond O'Brien receiving a job offer to modernize the horse racing racket, getting in deeper that intended and slowly clawing his way to the top of the business!

[Gunsnroses092789]

Originally Posted by Kakihara

I'm sure it's been mentioned here already but Indicator is having a sale right now with 3 of their Columbia Film Noir boxsets up for sale in good deals. If you had to pick one from sets 2-4, which one would you get?

I second Davidian. #2 is the best of the 3. Tight Spot, Framed, The Mob and urder for Contract are great. I think 711 Ocean Drive and Affair in Trinidad are solid too

Then I recommend #3 if you do an additional one. I'm a big fan of The Sniper and City of Fear. The other 4 titles are quite good too

To be honest, the only title, in my opinion, of the 4 current sets that isn't good or decent is A Bullet is Waiting (from set #4)— which is ironic, since it's hardly noir and it's in color.

[Kakihara]

Originally Posted by Davidian

Definitely part 2, including one of my favourites: Framed with Glenn Ford and the exquisite Janis Carter, a tight, tense affair with a shocking twist and unforgettable ending, also Affair in Trinidad, which is another great Glenn Ford movie this time with the always sensational Rita Hawyorth trying again to capture the magic of Gloria, and The Mob, with Broderick Crawford infiltrating the Mob's Longshoreman rackets which includes a bit part for a very young Charles Bronson and Earnest Borgnine as a tough mob thug. Of course as well there is 711 Ocean Drive with Edmond O'Brien receiving a job offer to modernize the horse racing racket, getting in deeper that intended and slowly clawing his way to the top of the business!

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

I second Davidian. #2 is the best of the 3. Tight Spot, Framed, The Mob and urder for Contract are great. I think 711 Ocean Drive and Affair in Trinidad are solid too

Then I recommend #3 if you do an additional one. I'm a big fan of The Sniper and City of Fear. The other 4 titles are quite good too

To be honest, the only title, in my opinion, of the 4 current sets that isn't good or decent is A Bullet is Waiting (from set #4)— which is ironic, since it's hardly noir and it's in color.

Thanks for the recommendations, guys! Just ordered #2! I will eventually get the others but will wait for a future sale for now. They all look so great it was hard for me to decide but you guys helped me out!

[playingphysicist]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

Then I recommend #3 if you do an additional one. I'm a big fan of The Sniper and City of Fear. The other 4 titles are quite good too

Really wish we'd get a US release of The Sniper, looks awesome. Was hoping it might have been part of the upcoming deal Kino has with Sony, but KL Insider confirmed to me that it isn't.

[randian]

Anybody know the quality of the iTunes version of Call Northside 777? The German disc appears to be OOP, and of course there's no US or UK disc (rather oddly I might add), so that might be a good alternative.