Film-Noir Discussion/DVD Review Thread

[dave jenkins]

titoli, did you get your copy of The Long Wait yet? Mine came today: it's sourced from a videotape with a fair number of annoying creases: oh well, it's watchable.

Also got a DVD-R of The Locket, a Mitchum I've wanted to see . . .

[titoli]

titoli, did you get your copy of The Long Wait yet?

No, I followed your expert advice and took a long wait.

[The Firecracker]

titoli, did you get your copy of The Long Wait yet? Mine came today: it's sourced from a videotape with a fair number of annoying creases: oh well, it's watchable.

I can't find this bastard either.
All the reviewers at IMDB haven't been on the site since 1993.
Where did you get yours?

[titoli]

If you read page 16 of this thread you would know it.

[The Firecracker]

If you read page 16 of this thread you would know it.

Well why didn't you tell me sooner

I've been chasing ghosts the past month.

[dave jenkins]

That particular DVD-R is kind of a disappointment. Not only is the source videotape, that was in turn taken from a TV broadcast. So the image is several generations removed from an actual print, with the corresponding loss of detail. As it happens, though, the film isn't all that good anyway, so it's not one I'm going to be rewatching much. I am glad to have seen it once, however.

My copy of The Locket from the same vendor was much better (sourced directly from a TV broadcast I think), and since that's a real corker of a film, I'm glad matters fell out as they did.

Now I'm waiting for DVD-R of I, The Jury and Pitfall from that other seller linked on page 16.

[dave jenkins]

Violent Saturday, which, as far as I know, is not available on a legit DVD anywhere, is available  for free streaming at Hulu. It may not be everyone's definition of a noir, though (widescreen, in color). Still, it does have Lee Marvin . . .
http://www.hulu.com/watch/50978/violent-saturday

[moviesceleton]

The Big Combo (1955) - 8/10
I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. The cinematography is great and shadow-rich, though the transfer I saw was bad. A major con is that none of the characters is very interesting. Lee Van Cleef has a supporting role.

More on The Big Combo here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134791#msg134791

[dave jenkins]

Hard to know if this is something to get excited about or not: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/69997/the-film-noir-collection-begins-in-march.html

These all appear to be public domain films, many of them available in R1 in sub-standard editions. It would be nice to get new and improved transfers of these titles, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I've already got a cheapo version of Woman on the Run (a solid film, btw) and wouldn't mind an upgrade. My guess, though, is that these won't be all that impressive.

[titoli]

Somewhere in the Night - Too long, but how great is Lloyd Nolan! (Gonna get me all the Michael Shaynes). and the two babes are really hot. 6\10.

thread continues here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134566#msg134566

[titoli]

Call Northside 777 - This is one of the few cases where my initial judgment of a molvie must be revised. I remembered this as a taut, gritty suspense movie, instead is good only until Conte takes the truth test. After that it becomes verbose, overstretched and goofy (this happens when technology is made the protagonist). Actors under par, actresses good. 5\10

another opinion here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135335#msg135335

[titoli]

The Dark Corner - Wonder if the american distributors cut only Leone's movies or took liberties with indigenous products, like this. They should have, if they didn't. 5\10

[dave jenkins]

Dark Corner is better than Northside. At least in TDC you've got Clifton Webb being Clifton Webb: "I hate the dawn. The lawn always looks like it's been left out all night." Ha!

[titoli]

Thieves Market - Interesting and unusual plot. The main dish of the movie is sexy Valentina Cortese, in spite of her terrible hair-do which cannot hide her being miscast: in spite of that, no surprise Conte (very good in this movie) leaves insipid Barbara Lawrence for her. Cobb does his homework. 7\10

[titoli]

Dark Corner is better than Northside. At least in TDC you've got Clifton Webb being Clifton Webb: "I hate the dawn. The lawn always looks like it's been left out all night." Ha!

OK. To make you happy I'll give Northside 4\10.