Film-Noir Discussion/DVD Review Thread

[titoli]

Then your field of interests is too narrow.

You bet!

[dave jenkins]

Here's a first look and details about Sony's upcoming Film Noir Classics Vol. 1:
http://classicflix.blogspot.com/2009/08/sony-film-noir-classics-vol-1.html

Muller gives good commentary, so I'm glad to see he's speaking on two of the films.

[dave jenkins]

Sony is bringing out Film Noir Classics box sets, Vol. 1 and 2 in November. Even before that they're releasing a Samuel Fuller set which includes several noirs (some of which he wrote rather than directed). But they're not stopping there. Over at their website, they're reporting this:

More Noir! For a number of years, the UCLA Film and Television Archive has been gracious in programming a
series of films under the moniker of Columbia Restorations. The series features newly-restored prints of films from the Columbia Pictures library that we have been working to preserve and restore. Last fall, the series focused on actresses from Columbia noir titles of the 1940's and 1950's. Gloria Grahame, Lizabeth Scott, Nina Foch, just to name a few. This series received an enthusiastic review from Ken Turan in the Los Angeles Times and led us to think, why not create a DVD release around this concept? The result, The Bad Girls of Noir boxed set, featuring six of the films (Over-Exposed, The Glass Wall, One Girl's Confession, Two of a Kind, Bad for Each Other, and The Killer that Stalked New York) will be released in early 2010. It is really the first release of its kind with this particular focus and we hope fans of the genre will enjoy it.

[dave jenkins]

More good news, via The Digital Bits:

Film noir fans will be glad to know that the previously-promised fifth volume of titles is definitely a go for a pressed DVD release. The format will be 10 films on 5 DVDs with commentaries and other extras included. Titles have not yet been revealed and exact release timing has not been finalized either.

This is actually a nice surprise, considering the archive program (manufactured on DVD-Rs) has been Warner's dumping ground for their noir titles.

[T.H.]

Have you heard any rumblings as to what will be included?

[dave jenkins]

Nope. And with Warner's, there's lots of possible titles.

[T.H.]

If you hear anything, please keep us posted. 

I'm just thankful that these sets are in demand to the point in which more and more obscure titles are being released, rightly so.

[dave jenkins]

Holy Sh*t!: http://www.hulu.com/watch/95974/99-river-street

Hulu has screwed up the access to this (they give a synopsis for another film and on the basis of that apparently erroneously give it an R rating, which means you have to log in to watch it), but once you've registered (which is free) and logged in you can watch it without a hitch. Whatever source they're using for the film it looks pretty good: a huge improvement over the bootleg I have. If you're a Noir-head, you don't want to miss this.

[T.H.]

Thanks for posting this here, I have wanted to see this movie for a couple years now.

On the subject of Phil Karlson, SCANDAL SHEET (didn't Fuller write this?) and THE PHENIX CITY STORY will be on TCM sometime this week/early next week, check their IMDb pages for showtimes.

[dave jenkins]

Thanks, although I don't have access to Turner at the moment. Phenix City is the one I really want to see, too. Scandal Sheet is terrific, and I did see that recently, but it's also coming out as part of Sony's Sam Fuller boxset next month. "Noir" is a great time to be alive!

[dave jenkins]

DVD Savant reviews the new Warner Archives edition of Nora Prentiss (warning: contains spoilers): http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3009nora.html

[T.H.]

Thanks, although I don't have access to Turner at the moment. Phenix City is the one I really want to see, too. Scandal Sheet is terrific, and I did see that recently, but it's also coming out as part of Sony's Sam Fuller boxset next month. "Noir" is a great time to be alive!

I've heard about the upcoming set for awhile, checked out the titles, and was disappointed to not see RUN OF THE ARROW included. That's one I really want to see.

yeah, I hope these sets keep coming, this is great.

[T.H.]

Where Danger Lives (1950)

Nothing new plot-wise but has enough elements tossed in to keep things interesting. With that said, it moves beautifully and each sequence is very entertaining with lots of interesting bit characters. A very good on-the-lamb noir and Nicholas Musuraca's visuals are stunning in some instances. Mitchum is the man. Ignore the imdb rating and watch this if you haven't already.

8/10

[dave jenkins]

Mitchum is a complete idiot in that one. Granted, his character gets hit on the head, but this is one of those cases where, for the plot to work, the main character has to do one stupid thing after another. Too infuriating to enjoy.

[T.H.]

I didn't have any issues with the murder scene, or Mitchum's decision making after he decided to run, because he couldn't turn back at that point.