Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Leonidas_King

Wouldn't Hitchcock's Psycho be considered a tad bit film noir?

I consider Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho to be a horror movie. In fact, I consider it to be the absolute best horror movie of all time.

Psycho definitely takes some visual cues from classic-era film noir, though, especially during Marion Crane's drive sequence.

[Leonidas King]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I consider Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho to be a horror movie. In fact, I consider it to be the absolute best horror movie of all time.

Psycho definitely takes some visual cues from classic-era film noir, though, especially during Marion Crane's drive sequence.

No doubt its definitely horror. But maybe you skipped the part where I mentioned "a tad bit film noir"

There was definitely film noir elements present throughout most of the movie.

[ultlife2013]

Psycho is not film noir.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Leonidas_King

No doubt its definitely horror. But maybe you skipped the part where I mentioned "a tad bit film noir"

There was definitely film noir elements present throughout most of the movie.

I was simply voicing my agreement to your "tad bit film noir", because Psycho certain fits that bill.

Psycho earns high marks for merging multiple genres and for providing endless angles of approach to its story, one of which is the noir angle. Whenever that movie comes up in conversation, though, I just have to praise it for being my favorite horror film, because no other film on Earth conjures such strong feelings of horror, repulsion, and dread in me.

Since I ultimately define horror as an emotion instead of a mere genre, though, there are a handful of noir films that also fall into my perception of horror. The Night of the Hunter is a key example.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was simply voicing my agreement to your "tad bit film noir", because Psycho certain fits that bill.



Whenever that movie comes up in conversation, though, I just have to praise it for being my favorite horror film. Psycho earns high marks for merging multiple genres and for providing endless angles of approach to its story, one of which is the noir angle.



Since I ultimately define horror as an emotion instead of a mere genre, though, there are a handful of noir films that also fall into my perception of horror. The Night of the Hunter is a key example.

Night of the hunter is more of a suspense thriller IMO.

[CBHampson]

I don't know if this has been discussed or mentioned in here, but there are a bunch of the Olive noir releases available to stream right now on Amazon Prime.

Cry Danger
Cry Vengeance
Private Hell 36
Plunder Road
The Big Combo

....probably others.

[Leonidas King]

Not on Blu-ray yet (will eventually release next year) but David Fincher's Gone Girl would be a good example of neo noir.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by CBHampson

I don't know if this has been discussed or mentioned in here, but there are a bunch of the Olive noir releases available to stream right now on Amazon Prime.

Cry Danger
Cry Vengeance
Private Hell 36
Plunder Road
The Big Combo

....probably others.

Unfortunately, those are the same lousy transfers that used to be available via Netflix streaming (with the exception of Cry Danger, which is in SD but looks pretty good). They are taken from old masters, and for all of the films that should be in widescreen, they are instead presented in full-frame 4x3. Basically, if you want to see any of these films, stick with Olive's blu-rays.

[CBHampson]

Originally Posted by noirjunkie

Unfortunately, those are the same lousy transfers that used to be available via Netflix streaming (with the exception of Cry Danger, which is in SD but looks pretty good). They are taken from old masters, and for all of the films that should be in widescreen, they are instead presented in full-frame 4x3. Basically, if you want to see any of these films, stick with Olive's blu-rays.

That's too bad

[MifuneFan]

I just saw this listed in the Deals Banner. It's the German release for The Uninvited, but I found it strange that the cover said it was film noir. I haven't seen it yet, but based on the description and review on here for the CC edition, I'm pretty sure it's not considered one. I figured I'd still post it here just to make sure

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I just saw this listed in the Deals Banner. It's the German release for The Uninvited, but I found it strange that the cover said it was film noir. I haven't seen it yet, but based on the description and review on here for the CC edition, I'm pretty sure it's not considered one. I figured I'd still post it here just to make sure

No, it's really not film noir. It's a supernatural gothic.

[Blu-Velvet]

Finally watched the new Blu-ray of OUT OF THE PAST. Having seen it before a number of times, mostly DVD or TV, at least once on 16mm, it was still almost like seeing it for the first time with all the clarity of this new HD transfer. (It also helped that I'd forgotten many plot details since the last time I'd seen it.) It looks simply incredible on a big screen. And I actually got to see Jane Greer in person about four weeks ago when I was in L.A. at a classic film convention!

Also finally watched the new Blu-ray of VIOLENT SATURDAY, with its new HD transfer that is an incredible improvement over the old DVD and looks spectacular projected 10 feet wide. The original stereo sound is also nice, if sometimes a bit muffled or echoey, and it's great to have a commentary track this time though I've only gotten about 16 minutes into it so far. The movie had a bit more small-town romantic melodrama than I was remembering, but the various characters and plot threads are all beautifully integrated into the bank heist plot. Besides being a good crime thriller, it's such a vivid record of sometimes twisted mid-1950s small-town life! Very underrated film.

[theprestige85]

I consider Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho to be a horror movie. In fact, I consider it to be the absolute best horror movie of all time.

Pretty bold claim, my friend. It's a very well made film, genuinely creepy but I would put The Birds, another horror film by Hitchcock, a good few steps ahead of it. And maybe a few others..but that's for another thread.

I do agree that Psycho has noirish elments to it, though.

[Pizzamorg]

Have any of the Lake/Ladd noirs been released on Blu, and if yes, are there any region free or B plans for those films or are they most isolated to DVD or American only blus?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

Have any of the Lake/Ladd noirs been released on Blu, and if yes, are there any region free or B plans for those films or are they most isolated to DVD or American only blus?

To the best of my knowledge, This Gun for Hire, The Glass Key, and The Blue Dahlia are only available on DVD now. Saigon has (or had) a limited DVD release, but I do not have a copy of that movie.

[Arkadin]

Psycho is actually often listed as a horror film; I have seen it listed on many lists of the greatest horror films of all time.
btw: The Glass Key and The Blue Dahlia did finally receive US dvd releases as part of a TCM Vault exclusive box set a while back, but unfortunately look extremely poor imo. It is obvious no restoration work of any kind was performed on those films before dvd release.
I have long wondered if the German dvds of those two films look any better, as they are both included in that same film noir collection referred to earlier by Mifunefan.
btw: that collection is an excellent starting place for a film noir library if one can play region 2 dvds. I've acquired about 6 titles so far, and have been generally pleased with the quality.
If The Blue Dahlia and The Glass Key indeed look way better in that collection that in the Universal box set, then Universal should be very ashamed.

.

[Pizzamorg]

Disappointing news.

[Jobla]

A bit off the subject perhaps, but happy 93rd birthday this week to Lizabeth Scott, one of the goddesses of film noir.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Jobla

A bit off the subject perhaps, but happy 93rd birthday this week to Lizabeth Scott, one of the goddesses of film noir.

Good call. She is one of my favorite noir actresses. She certainly has one of the greatest voices in the history of cinema...right up there with Rita Hayworth and Lauren Bacall.

A few months back, I read that movie sequences of Lizabeth Scott singing were dubbed from the voice of a different singer. I've joked before that this was almost as bad as finding out during my childhood that Santa Claus is not real. Fortunately, she did record an album, entitled "Lizabeth", where her true singing voice can be heard.

Here is a track from that album...

[Show spoiler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHhu7IS63BM

I love Lizabeth Scott's roles in Pitfall, Dark City, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, The Racket, and Dead Reckoning. (I still need to watch my copy of Two of a Kind in the Bad Girls of Film Noir, Volume 1 DVD set.)

[theprestige85]

The UK release of The Last Seduction has been delayed until 26th of January for those who were interested.