Film-Noir Discussion/DVD Review Thread

[cigar joe]

Scarlet Street (1945) dir Fritz Lang, with Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea. Netflix disk is faded out needs a restoration, would look great restored, even with lousy print. Robinson is a cashier who dreams of being an artist. On the way back from a dinner in his honor he saves a damsel in distress from an attacker and falls in love.  She (Bennett) turns out to be a prostitute & Duryea her pimp. Needs a better print. With the print as is a 7/10

[titoli]

Scarlet Street (1945) dir Fritz Lang, with Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea. Netflix disk is faded out needs a restoration, would look great restored, even with lousy print. Robinson is a cashier who dreams of being an artist. On the way back from a dinner in his honor he saves a damsel in distress from an attacker and falls in love.  She (Bennett) turns out to be a prostitute & Duryea her pimp. Needs a better print. With the print as is a 7/10

Well, the italian dvd has a very good quality. The movie, I saw it in the early '80's back to back with the twin made the year before. I don't like it. Visually, as everything by Lang, is beautiful: and still with a title like that one should expect at least not to be shot entirely in the studio. The male leads are perfect, Duryea expecially. But Joan Bennett doesn't look the part. It is the story that is the main source of unsatisfaction. We have to accept: 1) that Robinson could have married a harridan like only in movies 2) that he can be blind to Bennett's real feelings towards him (he gives her money though she doesn't even want to be touched by him 3) that her wife's thought-deceased husband comes up out of the blue 4) the incredible affair with his paintings. I haven't read the french novel on which it was based: probably censorship and the fact id didn't have to render the story in images made ot more acceptable, but to the movie I can give only a 6\10.

[dave jenkins]

I haven't read the french novel on which it was based

What about the French movie on which it's based, Renoir's La Chienne?

Joe, did you watch the Kino DVD? I seem to remember it looked pretty good......

[titoli]

What about the French movie on which it's based, Renoir's La Chienne?

Why do you think is based on the secondary source and not on the primary one?

[cigar joe]

What about the French movie on which it's based, Renoir's La Chienne?

Joe, did you watch the Kino DVD? I seem to remember it looked pretty good......

No its wasn't the Kino instead of real black shadows it was sepia toned and a bit blurred not sharp   :-)

[cigar joe]

Well, the italian dvd has a very good quality. The movie, I saw it in the early '80's back to back with the twin made the year before. I don't like it. Visually, as everything by Lang, is beautiful: and still with a title like that one should expect at least not to be shot entirely in the studio. The male leads are perfect, Duryea expecially. But Joan Bennett doesn't look the part. It is the story that is the main source of unsatisfaction. We have to accept: 1) that Robinson could have married a harridan like only in movies 2) that he can be blind to Bennett's real feelings towards him (he gives her money though she doesn't even want to be touched by him 3) that her wife's thought-deceased husband comes up out of the blue 4) the incredible affair with his paintings. I haven't read the french novel on which it was based: probably censorship and the fact id didn't have to render the story in images made ot more acceptable, but to the movie I can give only a 6\10.

Fair enough.

[dave jenkins]

Joe, try the Kino. It's readily available.

[titoli]

You haven't read the novel.

[cigar joe]

You haven't read the novel.

Me, no, I haven't.

[titoli]

Me, no, I haven't.

I didn't either. So I can't say if the movie is based on a novel or on a previous film version. I have just to trust what's written in the film credits.

[dave jenkins]

I have just to trust what's written in the film credits.

You're kidding, right? The lying credit is a Hollywood commonplace!

[titoli]

You're kidding, right? The lying credit is a Hollywood commonplace!

So you've read the novel?

[Groggy]

So you've read the novel?

Sure, just like he's seen The Dark Knight.

[titoli]

Sure, just like he's seen The Dark Knight.

I'm posing questions to Jenkins and somebody else must answer for him.

[cigar joe]

Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954) director Jacques Becker A great little Crime Noir about two old gangsters close to retiring Max (Jean Gabin), and Riton (Rene Dary), and their loot (grisbi), which is a temptation to Josie (Jeanne Moreau) in one of her earlier films and her new boyfriend Angelo (Lino Ventura) a rival gang leader. Angelo kidnaps Riton to exchange for loot that he finds out about from Josie. Some very nice location footage and a nice action sequence at the exchange. 9/10