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Film Noir

 
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N.Ball
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:24 pm    Post subject: Film Noir Reply with quote

Dear Ken Barnes,

I read recently of a new box set that Warners are releasing with some tasty film noir titles. It's cleverly titled 'Shadows,Lies and Private Eyes" and carries some fine titles including "Out of The Past" ( UK title "Build My Gallows High") (1947) and "Murder My Sweet" ( UK title "Farewell My Lovely- which I like better -1944 ), In your dealings with the various majors, could you possibly arrange to produce DVDs of similar "dark" thrillers. Apart from the various Bogart films, there are precious few "Film Noir" titles on DVD. It's a genre that all film buffs love yet the video companies seem to ignore this. How about Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" or Fritz Lang's "Ministry of Fear ?" Also the only original screenplay that Raymond Chandler ever wrote "The Blue Dahlia(1946)
and the excellent 1941 version of "The Glass Key." These would all make terrific DVDs. How about it ?
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James LM
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Set-Up is also one of the new DVDs coming out with another Robert Wise commentary. 20th Century Fox intend to release five film noirs next March. "The Street with No Name", "Panic in the Streets", "House of Bambo", "Laura" and "Call Northside 777" are the five titles they plan to release.
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Ken Barnes
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Joined: 07 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:02 am    Post subject: Film Noir Reply with quote

Thanks James for pointing this out. Fox seem to be the second best company for releasing classic films. Warners, I think, must take pride of place - with Universal and Paramount bringing up the rear.

I'm attending the Home Cinema Summit this week at the Marriott in Grosvenor Square. This may be the perfect chance to pursue some of these issues with the right people.
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
The Set-Up is also one of the new DVDs coming out with another Robert Wise commentary. 20th Century Fox intend to release five film noirs next March. "The Street with No Name", "Panic in the Streets", "House of Bambo", "Laura" and "Call Northside 777" are the five titles they plan to release.


Interesting. Where did you hear that James?

BTW, received my Warners Noir set today (they dropped the 'shadows, lies and private eyes' tag) - excellent!
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Ken Barnes
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Joined: 07 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 3:19 pm    Post subject: Fox Nior Classics Reply with quote

Thinking again about the Fox Film Noir titles. Otto Preminger's "Laura" is an all-time classic and is just as good today as is Henry Hathaway's "Call Northside 777." William Keighley's "Street With No Name" is also very good and typical of Fox's on-location docmentary-style thrillers of the mid-to-late '40s ( and Richard Widmark is an excellent villain). But "House of Bamboo" - made seven years later in an oriental setting with colour and CinemaScope - is actually a disappointing re-make of "Street." A more sensible choice would have been the original 1947 "Kiss of Death" - directed by Hathaway and with Widmark making a sensational debut.

This,too, was remade in the 90s with the overrated Nicolas Cage giving a laughable performance in the Widmark role.

There were other fine Fox film noirs that could have also been considered.
Hathaway's "The Dark Corner" (1946) and two further Premingers
"Fallen Angel" (1945) and "Where The Sidwalk Ends" (1950).

All good stuff.
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N. Deller
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 2:58 pm    Post subject: Great Film Noir directors Reply with quote

It's good to see the mounting interest in Film Noir as evidenced by the number of DVD titles either just released or forthcoming. There are still numerous directors whose work deserves DVD support. For instance, Robert Siodmak ( "Phantom Lady"(1944), "The Susoect"(1944)"The Killers"(1946) and "Cry of the City"(1948) Anthony Mann ( "T-Men"and "Raw Deal" (1948 ) and Jules Dassin ("The Naked City" (1948),"Thieves' Highway" (1949), "Night and the City" (1950) - not forgetting the great French classic "Rififi (1954).

Plenty to consider here.
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James M
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 11:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got the info I mentioned above from The Jury Room forum of the dvdverdict.com website.

Naked City is vailable on a region 1 disc, Rififi is available on a region 2 disc in the UK that includes the interview with Jules Dassin conducted at the NFT, I think. There is a region '0' Criterion version too. The other films on disc would make welcome additions to my collection, especially if Mr Dassin was persuaded to record commentaries for all of his films. Kiss of Death is probably one of my favourite films of this genre.
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Ken Barnes
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Joined: 07 Feb 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:05 am    Post subject: Film Noir - Kiss of Death Reply with quote

Thanks James for pointing out these available releases. "Kiss of Death," of course, was directed by Henry Hathaway ( one of the greatest all-purpose, all-genre directors in Hollywood history ). The less said about the dreadful re-make with David Caruso and Nicolas Cage the better.
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Paul Henning
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:27 am    Post subject: RIFIFI Reply with quote

I have been reading with interest the various messages regarding Film Noir in general - and "Rififi" in particular. James LM pointed out that there are two DVD versions of this fine French classic and infers that the Region 2 release is the one to go for because it includes the NFT interview and Q. & A. with the director, Jules Dassin. My advice would be to go for the Criterion Region 1 version - which is by far the better print of the two AND,in fact, features an interview with Mr. Dassin - recorded in 2000.


The Region 2 version is said to have been "fully restored" and, while the picture quality is acceptable, the print itself is peppered with specks, drop-out and cigaratte burns. There are also quite a few jumps at the cut-points and reel changes. French subtitles are,of course, included but they can't be removed. Another point against the Region 2 version is its cost. £17.99. Criterion's is around $26 (U.S.) which, at the present exchange rate of around $1.85, works out at about the same. So, for the true connoisseur, go Criterion.
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James L M
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess you mean that the English subtitles are burnt on. You would be correct about that. I have noticed that with a few films. I think I have a japanese horror film somewhere with burnt on english subtitles yet an interview with the director speaking Japanese has no subtitles at all. I cannot recall which film this was right now.

I am forever seeing Rififi on sale for £7.99 or in 3 for £20 type offers.
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