A Night at the Opera (as part of “The Marx Brothers Collection”) (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

“A Night at the Opera” is an American comedy classic that is highly recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2004 Turner Entertainment Co.. All Rights Reserved.

DVD TITLE: A Night at the Opera (as part of “The Marx Brothers Collection”)

FILM RELEASE DATE: 1935

DURATION: 91 Minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Black and White, 1:33:1 Full Frame, Dolby Digital

COMPANY: Warner Brothers

RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2004

Directed by Sam Wood

Written by George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind

Based on a story by James Kevin McGuinness

Music by Herbert Stothart

Cinematography by Merritt B. Gerstad

Edited by William LeVanway

Art Direction by Cedric Gibbons

Starring:

Groucho Marx as Otis B. Driftwood

Chico Marx as Fiorello

Harpo Marx as Tomasso

Kitty Carlisle as Rosa

Allan Jones as Ricardo

Walter Woolf King as Lasspari

Sig Ruman as Gottlieb

Margaret Dumont as Mrs. Claypool

Edward Keane as Captain

Robert Emmett O’Connor as Henderson

Arts patron Mrs. Claypool intends to pay pompous opera star Lassparri $1,000 per performance. Hey, maybe that’s why they call it grand opera!

Grand comedy, too, as Groucho, Chico and Harpo cram a ship’s stateroom and more than wall-to-wall gags, one-liners, musical riffs and two hard-boiled eggs-all while skewering Lassparri’s schemes and helping two young hopefuls (Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones) get a break. To save the opera, our heroes must first destroy it. And they must also gain ocean passage as stowaways, pull the wool (if not the beards) over the eyes of City Hall, shred legal mumbo-jumbo into a Sanity Clause, pester dowager Claypool (Margaret Dumont) and unleash so much glee that many say this is the best Marx Brothers movie. Seeing is believing.

In the early 1930′s, The Marx Brothers were among the most popular comic talents in Hollywood.

From their popular stage shows to their popular films on the big screen, the Marx Brothers created lucrative films for Paramount up to their 1933 film “Duck Soup” (regarded by many as one of the top films made by the five Marx Brothers), but with disagreements between Paramount and the Marx Brothers in regards to creative decisions and financial issues, the Marx Brothers would leave Paramount.

And during that time away from making films, Marx Brothers Zeppo and Gummo would pursue other career ventures, leaving Groucho, Harpo and Chico to focus on continuing their acting careers.

And fortunately, during a bridge game with Chico, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer head of production, Irving Thalberg, would discuss the possibility of the Marx Brothers coming to MGM and sure enough, the three Marx Bros. were given a contract.  But with Thalberg, he wanted to make sure that the stories that were created were fun, enjoyable but most importantly, had a strong structure and making the Marx Bros. sympathetic characters.

The first film that the Marx Brothers would make for MGM was the opera satire “A Night at the Opera”. And in 1935, the film would become a huge success in the box office.

Considered one, if not the greatest “Marx Brothers” film created (others consider “Duck Soup” as one of their best), “A Night at the Opera” was selected in 1993 for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” and have also been ranked in “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies” (#85) and “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Laughs” (#12).

In 2004, Warner Brothers released “The Marx Brothers Collection” which contains the films “A Night at the Opera”, “A Day at the Races”, “A Night in Casablanca”, “Room Service”, “At the Circus”, “Go West” and “The Big Store”.  A few of the films were released separately and most recently,  few of the films would be bundled together as part of the “TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection”.

“A Night at the Opera” is a film that revolves around that begins with Otis B. Driftwood (as portrayed by Groucho Marx), who was hired by widowed socialite Mrs. Claypool (as portrayed by Margaret Dumont), who wants to break into high society.  But a manager of the opera company, Herman Gottlieb (played by Sig Ruman), knows that Mrs. Claypool has a lot of money and tries to woo her.  And as both men try to woo her and Otis, believing he has first dibs, is often making fun of his client and Gottlieb, we are then introduced to the opera talent.

Rodolfo Lassparri (as portrayed by Walter Woolf King) is one of the great opera singers but he is an egotistical man who wants nothing but fame and also to be with his female opera singing counterpart Rosa Castaldi (as portrayed by Kitty Carlisle).

Roldofo is a mean man and often beats on his employee Tomasso (as portrayed by Harpo Marx) and is caught and fired for wearing Rodolfo’s clothes.

As Rosa tries to console Tomasso for being treated badly by Rodolfo, she is a kind woman who shows kindness towards Tomasso and could care less about her singing partner, Rodolfo.  In fact, her heart belongs to Ricardo Baroni (as portrayed by Allan Jones), a man who just wants a break to show that he can sing opera, even though he doesn’t have much money.  Both love each other but because she is becoming  a popular opera singer and has to travel for performances, she knows that she will not see Ricardo all that much and she is hurt by that realization.

Meanwhile, as Otis finds out how much money an opera singer makes per night, he immediately comes up with an idea to sign Rodolfo Lassparri to a contract to perform at a New York Opera, which would help his client Mrs. Claypool become popular within high society.

But he runs into Fiorello (as portrayed by Chico Marx), who he thinks is the manager for Rodolfo, but instead is a manager for Ricardo Baroni.   And Otis and Fiorello come up with an agreement for his opera singer to perform in New York.  But they would need to find their own way to New York as Otis will be joining Mrs. Claypool and the troupe to New York via boat.

But unbeknown to Otis, Fiorello with Ricardo and also Tomasso have become stowaways inside the boat (by hiding inside Otis’ wardrobe case) and now Otis must try to hide his new friends before they are discovered by the boat’s staff.  Can they keep the ruse going and get to New York without any problems?  And also, with Ricardo on the ship, can the guys find a way to bring Rosa and Ricardo together, without Rodolfo knowing that Ricardo is on the boat illegally?

VIDEO AND AUDIO:

“A Night at the Opera” is presented in B&W (4:3) and the film looks great on DVD.  While there are some instances of a few scratches and specks, there are no major signs of aging film elements, blurring or warping due to the older film source.  Grain can be seen in the original film and if anything, the film looks good for a film that is over 80-years-old. Blacks levels are good, white and gray are well-contrast and overall video quality is very good on DVD.

Audio is presented in Dolby Digital monaural and dialogue is clear and understandable.  I didn’t notice any major hissing or pops during my viewing of the film. ‘

Both video and audio look good on this 2004 DVD and I wouldn’t be surprised if “A Night in the Opera” is one day released on Blu-ray.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“A Night at the Opera features the following special features:

• Audio Commentary – Featuring audio commentary by Leonard Maltin, I enjoy Maltin’s commentary as he doesn’t present an academic style commentary.  He tries to keep the film enjoyable with plenty of tidbits about each character, including information on the production and making of the film.
• Remarks on Marx – (33:57) A featurette from friends of the Marx Brothers and those who are passionate about their films discussing “A Night at the Opera”, the cast of the film and memories of the Marx Brothers and why they will always be legendary talents.
• Groucho Marx on the Hy Gardner Show – (5:22) Groucho Marx discusses how he got to work with Irving Thalberg and more.
• Vintage Shorts – Featuring two shorts “How to Sleep” (10:38, about a man finding many ways to get to sleep) and “Sunday Night at the Trocadero” (20:08, three young girls try to impress a talent scout who visits the Trocadero night club).
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:16) Featuring the original theatrical trailer to “A Night at the Opera”.

While fans are often divided between which Marx Brothers film is the best, “Duck Soup” (1933) or “A Night at the Opera” (1933), personally, I enjoyed “A Night at the Opera” because of how unexpected it was.

What I mean by unexpected is that when you think of opera, you think about high society, but yet the Marx Brothers were not a comedy group that you would expect in a film that revolved around opera.  And that is where the relationship between the Marx Brothers and MGM’s Irving Thalberg worked wonderfully.  Thalberg gave the Marx Brothers there freedom under a few conditions, and one of the prime conditions was the development of a strong story and that the group would always be going up against some sort of antagonist.  And in this case, you have several people that are hoping to spoil things for the characters in the film.

The one-liners from Groucho Marx are just hilarious to hear, Harpo Marx’s physical comedy is just fun to watch and Chico Marx, a man who delivers one bad Italian accent but is so fun to watch.  But then you add the straightfaced Margaret Dumont (who worked perfectly with the Marx Brothers because she never understood their comedy and made Groucho Marx’s humor so fun to watch because of her reactions).  And what opera film would not be complete without two wonderful performers such as Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones.

The Marx Brothers and the supporting cast and just the many crazy situations that happen throughout the film, as many times I have watched this film, it often surprises me how much they incorporated.  From trying to fit so many people in Otis’ room, Harpo falling off the boat, the chase scene as an investigator is trying to uncover the whereabouts of the fugitives or when Tomasso and Fiorello must pretend to be three famous aviators with long beards and must give a speech.  I just love the film, its pacing and its overall delivery in humor.  Especially as we get to see the musical talent of both Harpo and Chico Marx as well!

And as for the DVD, what makes this DVD so fantastic aside from the great video and audio quality, is the fact that there are many special features included.  From Leonard Maltin’s informative audio commentary for “A Night at the Opera”, the intriguing documentary “Remarks on Marx”, the classic interview with Groucho Marx from “The Hy Gardner Show” and also two vintage shorts “How to Sleep” and “Sunday Night at the Trocadero”.  I was quite pleased with the amount of features with this DVD.

And last, the fact that you can purchase this film along with six other awesome and entertaining Marx Brothers films from the Warner Bros. DVD set “The Marx Brothers Collection“, sold online these days for a low price.

Overall, if you are fan of the Marx Brothers or a cinema fan discovering early Hollywood comedies, “A Night at the Opera” is a film that I highly recommend, but moreso recommending the purchase of “The Marx Brothers Collection“.

“A Night at the Opera” is an American comedy classic that is highly recommended!

 

Bird of Paradise (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

While King Vidor’s 1932 film “Bird of Paradise” may draw some comparisons to F.W. Murnau’s film “Tabu”, “Bird of Paradise” is a film that features romance and action but also spotlights Latina actress Dolores del Rio in her sexiest (and most scandalous) role yet!  If you were a fan of this film when it was released in public domain, the Blu-ray release of “Bird of Paradise” is a major improvement in terms of video and audio quality.

Images courtesy of © 2012 Kino Lorber, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Bird of Paradise

YEAR OF RELEASE: 1932

DURATION: 82 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (1:33:1), Black and White, 2.0 Mono

COMPANY: Kino Lorber

RATED: Not Rated

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Directed by King Vidor

Based on the play by Richard Walton Tully

Screenplay by Wells Root, Wanda Tuchock, Leonard PRaskins

Produced by King Vidor

Executive Producer: David O. Selznick

Music by Max Steiner

Cinematography by Lucien N. Andriot, Edward Cronjager, Clyde De Vinna

Edited by Archie Marshek

Art Direction by Carroll Clark

Starring:

Dolores del Rio as Luana

Joel McCrea as Johnny Baker

John Halliday as Mac

Richard “Skeets” Gallagher as Chester

Bert Roach as Hector

Lon Chaney Jr. as Thornton

Wade Boteler as Skipper Johnson

Arnold Gray as Walker

Reginald Simpson as O’Fallon

Napoleon Pukui as The King

Agostino Borgao as Medicine Man

Sofia Ortega as Mahumahu

From legendary Oscar®-winning director King Vidor (The Crowd, Duel in the Sun) comes an exotic tale of romance set in gorgeous Polynesia: BIRD OF PARADISE.

Johnny (Joel McCrea) is an intrepid young sailor traveling the South Seas who falls in love with Luana (Dolores del Rio), the beautiful daughter of an island chief. But Luana is betrothed to a neighboring native prince, and is soon to be married. With little thought to the future, Johnny and Luana elope together, searching for paradise in each other’s arms.

With McCrea at his most dashing and del Rio at her alluring height, BIRD OF PARADISE is a movie of wild eroticism and thrilling adventure, and not to be missed.

Producer David O. Selznick is an American producer known for many of his successful ventures in Hollywood.  From producing “Gone with the Wind” (1939) which earned him an Academy Award and his collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock which earned him a second Academy Award for “Rebecca” (1940), Selznick is known for many other classics.

And some of these classics such as “A Star is Born”, “Nothing Sacred”, “A Farewell to Arms” have been released on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Kino Lorber  and now, King Vidor’s 1932 film “Bird of Paradise” will be released on Blu-ray and DVD.  This authorized edition from the estate of David O. Selznick is from the collection of the George Eastman House.

“Bird of Paradise” a film adaptation of Richard Walton Tully’s successful play.

While King Vidor was known for silent films years prior such as “The Big Parade” (1925), “Bardelys the Magnificent”, “The Patsy” (1928), to name a few, “Bird of Paradise” was a romance/adventure film that was a talkie, would incorporate an orchestrated film score courtesy of legendary composer Max Steiner (known for his music in “Casablanca”, “Gone with the Wind”, “The Gay Divorcee”, “Now, Voyager”) and a film that would showcase successful Mexican actress Dolores del Rio (“Flying Down to Rio”, “The Abandoned”) and Joel McCrea (“Sullivan’s Travels”, “The Most Dangerous Game”).

“Bird of Paradise” was an intriguing RKO film for its time as it created some scandal because lead actress Dolores del Rio (playing a Polynesian) was in a scene where she is swimming naked.  In fact, throughout the film, she is wearing nothing but a lei covering her upper torso and at the time this film was released, before the Hayes Production Code was enforced.  Needless to say, even Orson Welles once chimed that “del Rio represented the highest erotic ideal with her performance in the film”.

And now 80-years-later, “Bird of Paradise” receives its release on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of the Kino Lorber.

“Bird of Paradise” is a film that revolves around Johnny Baker (played by Joel McCrea), a man riding a yacht with other sailors in the South Pacific.  Surprised to see a ship, the natives of the nearby island go out to greet them and go after the trinkets that the yacht crew throw towards them.

But the fun is quickly cut short as a shark is seen and immediately scaring the natives away.  But for Johnny Baker, he tries to catch the shark with bait that has been tied onto a harpoon-sized hook.  Unfortunately, Johnny steps into the loop and the bait tightens around his ankle and as the shark goes after the bait, Johnny is thrown overboard.

Fortunately, the island chief’s daughter Luana (played by Dolores del Rio) is right there to rescue Johnny by cutting the bait and thus saving his life.

And for Johnny, not only is he grateful to Luana but he instantly falls in love with her.

And while the crew of the yacht are able to enjoy the festivities along with the Polynesian people, Johnny just wants to be close to Luana and immediately, he oversteps his boundaries with the people as he goes to hold Luana in front of her father, the island chief.  Who immediately wants Johnny to stay away from his daughter.

Even the yacht crew warns him that its wrong to mess with the island chief’s daughter but Johnny is too stubborn to listen.  And the crew of the yacht end up leaving Johnny at the island for a short period of time.

Both Johnny and Luana end up meeting with each other one night and as they tease each other, Johnny ends up kissing her and confessing his love (despite the two are unable to communicate due to their language barrier).  And Luana also enjoys her time with Johnny as well.

But Luana is already promised to marry another man, a prince from a neighboring island.  And when Johnny tries to stop Luana from marrying him, the Polynesian people tie him up so he is unable to interfere.  But with the help of coaxing one of the island women to lend him a canoe, Johnny travels to the neighboring island where Luana is to meet the man she is to marry and dance for him.

And right before the ceremony begins with the prince and Luana, Johnny takes Luana and both make a run for it.  As the two are in hiding, both continue to fall deeply in love and even Johnny manages to teach Luana English.

Meanwhile, as the two lovers are having their fun and begin creating their own home/paradise, Luana’s father and the Polynesian tribe search after them.

Will both Johnny and Luana be able to live their lives in love forever?  Or will tradition and custom triumph?

VIDEO:

“Bird of Paradise” is presented in 1080p High Definition, 1:33:1 aspect ratio and in black and white.  With that being said, “Bird of Paradise” is a film that has been seen by many on public domain copies.  And because this version of the film was mastered in HD from an original nitrate 35mm print, preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department, I have no doubt in my mind that this would be the most definitive version, in terms of video quality, of the film today.

The film is well-contrast with white and gray levels looking very good, while blacks are nice and deep.  There are some issues of white specks that show up  and there are some parts of the film that possibly had a little nitrate warping but nothing bad to the point that it can’t be watched.

But the Blu-ray release also features details that I didn’t really see on the public domain DVD such as the beads of water on the skin of Luan after swimming.  Even during the dancing sequences, there is much more clarity and detail.

But for a film that is 80-years-old, “Bird of Paradise” does look very good on Blu-ray and much better than previous public domain DVD’s that I have watched before.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Bird of Paradise” is presented in 2.0 LPCM monaural.  Dialogue is clear, but not sure but there seems to be a boost in audio and I detected no popping or crackle during my viewing of the film.  Unlike other Selznick Collection releases on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, I will say that with “Bird of Paradise”, I did do a slight adjustment of selecting a better setting on my receiver in order to enjoy both the dialogue and the music of Max Steiner.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Bird of Paradise” comes with no special features but Kino Lorber trailers for other films from the Selznick Collection.

With the release of King Vidor’s “Bird of Paradise” on Blu-ray, as a classic film fan, it’s easy to be excited because we are getting a pre-code RKO film in HD and hopefully paving the way for more films from the 1910-1940′s to be released on video.

“Bird of Paradise” may not be one of King Vidor’s masterpieces, considering Vidor is a legendary filmmaker that had films from 1913-1980 and many classic films within his oeuvre.    But for me, “Bird of Paradise” makes an impact in another way, and that is through leading actress Dolores del Rio.

Back in those years of filmmaking, Hollywood was gravitating towards European filmmakers and talent and managed to import actress Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman of Sweden, Marlene Dietrich of Germany.  And while it’s known that Caucasian actors played African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, etc. in early Hollywood, actress Dolores del Rio was a Mexican actress who was the first Latin American to have international success.  She was also the second cousin of popular silent actor Ramon Novarro.

As Italian actor Rudolph Valentino would make women swoon back in those days, del Rio brought a sexiness to the big screen and not long after her debut, she was already becoming one of the most admired new actresses along with Joan Crawford, Mary Astor, Fay Wray to name a few.

The actress was known for her acting and her singing but at the same time, the rise to fame would affect del Rio’s career and personal life to the point where she had health issues which led to the dissolution of her contract with United Artists.

And when RKO Pictures came calling in order to give America the Dolores del Rio contract, in 1932, she met success with “Bird of Paradise” and the following year later for “Flying Down to Rio” starring Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond, and a film best known for being the first pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

So, my view towards “Bird of Paradise” has always leaned towards a multicultural sensitivity, for one, a Latina receiving top billing for a King Vidor film and a film that would surely regenerate interest towards this sexy siren of the big screen due to the attention the film received for her “nude swimming”.

As for actor Joel McCrea, 1932 would be a fine year as he would achieve success with two island-related films, “Bird of Paradise” and “The Most Dangerous Game”.

But “Bird of Paradise” is a film with ’30s adventure and intrigue.   For many Americans, not many of them were familiar with Polynesian culture and a film that revolves around a group of foreign yachtsmen sailing close to Polynesian islands is intriguing but a forbidden romance between the island princess Luana and the American Johnny Baker was sure to capture attention.  A romance/action film, from surviving a shark attack to tribes wanting to kill the leading man for taking away the woman he loves, during her “arranged wedding” ceremony, also added to the excitement for viewers at the time.

In fact, the cinematography of capturing the island life in black and white and providing viewers a glimpse of the island of the South Seas was quite significant back in the early ’30s.  As F.W. Murnau was able to accomplish in his film “Tabu”, both “Bird of Paradise” and “Tabu” have similar themes but in “Bird of Paradise”, the film tries to showcase forbidden love between a princess and a white man.

While I felt that F.W. Murnau’s film was much better in capturing the futility of it’s couple, “Bird of Paradise” was no doubt a film that relied upon Dolores del Rio’s sexiness, because there are quite a bit of scenes that were a bit farfetched, including the quick English tutorial that allowed these two to communicate so quickly and somehow Johnny being able to withstand situations that would leave most men dead.

Still, the film still remains to be enjoyable for its romance and adventure within an island setting but with its somewhat tragic ending, both “Tabu” and “Bird of Paradise” share that similarity with final decisions that were made.

With that being said, “Bird of Paradise” is an earlier Hollywood film were Caucasian and other ethnicities play Polynesians.  While this was common at the time, while Dolores del Rio is Mexican playing a Polynesian princess, considering the year this film was made and multicultural talents were not exactly featured or top-billed, the fact that Dolores del Rio received top billing for this film was quite significant.  But there is a misrepresentation of the Polynesian people,  as they try to communicate with gibberish and possibly popular traditions were not well-researched back then. So, the misrepresentation of the Polynesian people may be looked at as ridiculous to many modern viewers.

But it was the sign of the times and the setting was more or less a “Romeo & Juliet” style of storyline and in this case, Juliet was Polynesian, a princess and betrothed to another man, while Romeo is a Caucasian man who is too deep in love to ever give up on the woman he cares deeply about.

As for the Blu-ray release, I never expected “Bird of Paradise” to be pristine but while the film does have its share of damage in terms of white specks and age, for the most part, the film does look very good.  It’s well-contrast with the whites and grays and black levels are nice and deep, while Dolores del Rio looks absolutely fantastic in this film.  Unfortunately, there are no special features.

Overall, if you are a classic movie fan, and are following The Selznick Collection on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber, a “Bird of Paradise” is worth watching, while those who want to watch one of the most well-known Latina actresses receive top billing for an earlier Hollywood film, may want to give “Bird of Paradise” a try!

 

Wings (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Review)

“Wings” is a magnificent Blu-ray release.  For silent fans who have wanted a reason to upgrade to Blu-ray, “Wings” can be added to that list for another reason why to upgrade.  A fantastic Blu-ray release that cinema and silent film fans will want to have in their collection!  It is a must-own!

Images courtesy of © 1927 Paramount Famouse Lasky Corp. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Wings

FILM RELEASE DATE: 1927

DURATION: 144 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Color Tinted, Re-Recorded Score Composed by J.S. Zamecnik (orchestrated and arranged by Domink Hauser, Featured Pianist – Frederik Hodges with sound effects by Ben Burtt), 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Pipe Organ Score composed and performed by Gaylord Carter, 2.0 Stereo Dolby Digital, Subtitles: French, Spanish, Portuguese

COMPANY: Paramount

RATED: PG (Some Language)

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Directed by William A. Wellman

Story by John Monk Saunders

Screenplay by Hope Loring, Louis D. Lighton

Titles by Julian Johnson

Associate Producer: B.P. Schulberg

Cinematography by J.S. Zamecnik

Edited by E. Lloyd Sheldon

Starring:

Clara Bow as Mary Preston

Charles “Buddy” Rogers as Jack Powell

Richard Arlen as David Armstrong

Jobyna Ralston as Sylvia Lewis

El Brendel as Herman Schwimpf

Ricahrd Tucker as Air Commander

Gary Cooper as Cadet White

Gunboat Smith as The Sergeant

Henry B. Walthall as David’s Father

Roscoe Karns as Lt. Cameron

Julia Swayne Gordon as David’s Mother

Arlette Marchal as Celeste

Director William A. Wellman’s masterpiece is the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.  Featuring a meticulous restoration and a newly recorded soundtrack based on the original score, Wings comes to Blu-ray for the first time.  This timeless story of love and loss follows two men who go to war and the girl they leave behind.  Popular Twenties “It” girl Clara Bow stars in this unforgettable World War I epic alongside Richard Arlen, Charles “Buddy” Rogers and the legendary Gary Cooper in a cameo appearance.  The aerial battle sequences still rank among the best in motion picture history.

As a silent film fan, you tend to accept that a lot of films are lost and those that are not lost, you tend to expect smaller companies releasing them on Blu-ray or DVD.

For many years now, there have been three silent films, epics, that I have been awaiting for a DVD video release for a long time.  The three films are Erich von Stroheim’s “Greed” (1924), King Vidor’s “The Big Parade” (1925) and William A. Wellman’s 1927 film “Wings”.

And I have to admit that I have felt that the studio have been dangling a carrot for silent film fans, teasing us over the years, watching a once in awhile airing on TCM and yet, not knowing when these films will ever see a video release at all.

That changed in 2012 as “Wings”, known as the first Academy Award winning film for “Best Picture” (at the time known as “Most Outstanding Production”) would receive it’s HD treatment with a Blu-ray release and also on DVD, after receiving extensive restoration.

And not only does William A. Wellman’s (known for directing “The Public Enemy”, “A Star is Born”, “The Ox-Bow Incident”) masterpiece look absolutely fantastic in 1080p High Definition, the inclusion of a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack with sound effects literally surprised me, as I was not expecting it.

And this is quite interesting as the film was once considered lost until a print was found at the Cinematheque Francaise film archive in Paris, in which the deteriorating nitrate film was transferred to safety film stock, and was re-released in theaters.

In 1997, “Wings” was selected for preservation in the United Stats National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

“Wings” is based on the story by John Monk Saunders and the screenplay adaptation was written by Hope Loring and Louis D. Lighton.

The film is known as a war epic and love story, but is also known for its amazing aerial cinematography (which aimed at capturing realistic dogfights that two incidents took place, including a tragic crash).    The film was also made before there were rules were set of what a movie studio can not do in a film, so the film actually shows a few-second shot of a nude Clara Bow, nude men undergoing military physical exams in the background and a shared kiss between two male friends (as some people today would say, a “bromance” scene).

“Wings” is a film that takes place in a small American town.  Jack Powell (played by Charles “Buddy” Rogers) is working on his vehicle and the girl next door, Mary Preston (played by Clara Bow) has been in love with him for quite some time.

While a one-sided love affair, Mary helps Jack fix his car and call it the “Shooting Star” in which she paints an image of a shooting star on his car.  Expecting gratitude, hopefully with a kiss, instead Jack thanks Mary and drives off with his car to meet the girl that he likes, Sylvia Lewis (played by Jobyna Ralston), the popular girl from the city.

But as Jack arrives to meet with Sylvia, she is already with the guy she loves, the wealthy David Armstrong (played by Richard Arlen).  Both love each other, but Sylvia has not been able to tell David, in order to spare his feelings.

Needless to say, this sets up the rivalry between Jack and David.

The scene shifts to World War I and both young men join the Air Service to become combat pilots and are off to training.

For the loving son David, it’s difficult to depart from his mother (played by Julia Swayne Gordon) and his father (played by Henry B. Walthall).  But his mother finds the teddy bear he once played with as a child and David wants to keep it with him as a good luck charm. His mother wants to see David come back alive with the bear, as both parents worry about their son.

As for Jack, he’s all ready to go but first, he wants his own good luck charm and he goes to meet Sylvia for a picture. Meanwhile, Sylvia is planning to give David a picture of her, but instead Jack thinks it’s for him and takes it.  David arrives to see Sylvia with Jack and Jack leaves with a grin towards his rival.

Sylvia knows David is jealous but reminds him that Jack may have her picture, but David has her heart. Meanwhile, as Jack is about to leave for training, Mary gives Jack a good luck charm, a picture of herself.

For military training, both Jack and David try to excel in what they do and during their boxing match, both decide to let their rivalry be tested through a fight.  Jack doesn’t think much of David, since he’s from a wealthy family and doesn’t think he can fight.  And sure enough, Jack beats David with ease.  But at the same time, David earns Jack’s respect and the two become best friends afterward.

And the two go through extensive military training and prepare to be shipped off to France in order to go in aerial combat against the Germans.

Mary meanwhile wants to be involved in the war effort, so she takes a job and becomes an ambulance driver in hopes that she can be close to Jack.

But with World War II and the Germans prepared to show their aerial superiority, will Jack and David be ready for battle?  And will Mary be able to let Jack know that she loves him?

VIDEO:

When it comes to silent films on Blu-ray, I’m not very picky as many silent films have suffered from nitrate damage and neglect.    And the fact is that many companies can’t spend millions of dollars on restoration.  So, I have had this “take what you can get” attitude towards silent films on Blu-ray and DVD for a long time.

But when “The General”, “Modern Times” and “Metropolis” were released on Blu-ray, three films that did receive restoration, that’s when I have high expectations.  With “Wings”, it’s the same situation.  I know that there was a PhotoPlay restoration done awhile back, but the version featured is a Paramount restoration.

The film is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:34:1 aspect ratio), color tinted with black bars on the side.  I was absolutely pleased with the video as visually, this is best I have seen of the film, this is the best I have ever seen of Clara Bow on video and there were no nitrate damage, no warping. I didn’t see any scratches or dust which was surprising.  There is no doubt that there was considerable money spent to restore this film and it shows as the film looks clean and visually, stunning!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Wings” is presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (featuring a re-recorded score composed by J.S. Zamecnik (orchestrated and arranged by Domink Hauser, featuring pianist Frederick Hodges and sound effects by Ben Burtt).  There is also a Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 soundtrack featuring a pipe organ score composed and performed by Gaylord Carter.

It’s one thing for the film to look amazing in HD but for those with a home theater system, when you watch and have your audio setting set to the lossless version, audiophiles, you are in for a treat. I was absolutely floored by the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless audio. The sound effects…I was not expecting to hear it. But when the LFE (subwoofer) started to rumble and started to hear audio coming from all around me through the surround channels during the aerial dogfighting sequences, my first reaction was amazement and I was shocked because I was not expecting it at all.

And I can continue to gush about the lossless soundtrack, while others may not be so thrilled with sound effects and a new re-recorded score, as some absolutely love the Carl Davis score that was featured long ago.  But the expected Gaylor Carter pipe organ score was included (as many people are familiar with his score) and it also sounds good via lossless stereo.

So, I’m very pleased that Paramount had decided to include two soundtracks and also really do something different by incorporating the sound effects, what a surprise and I’m impressed!

Subtitles are also included in French, Spanish and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Wings” comes with the following special features:

• Wings: Grandeur in the Sky - (25:56) A featurette that goes into the making of “Wings”, the challenges of aerial cinematography of the time and trying to make the film authentic with a $2 million budget (which was a lot at that time).  As well as looking into the success of the film.
• Restoring the Power and Beauty of Wings - (14:21) A featurette on the restoration of “Wings” including the re-recording score by J.S. Zamecnik and the sound effects by Ben Burtt
• Dogfight – (12:54) A featurette about the evolution of airplanes, especially those used in World War I.

EXTRAS:

“Wings” comes with a slipcover.

For so many years, I have wanted this film on DVD.  What was easily available and accessible were bad versions of the film available via public domain and suffice to say, the announcement of “Wings” on Blu-ray was incredible.

As a silent film fan, it’s amazing that in these last few years, we have seen the progress of having to see silent film in HD with amazing detail and clarity but most importantly, seeing generations of movie fans taking a chance on silent cinema and enjoying them.

While you have your loyal fans who will buy these videos, may they be in Blu-ray, DVD, LD, VHS or actual reels, the fact that Paramount has released “Wings” on Blu-ray is fantastic news because it leaves the possibility for other classic Paramount silents to be released on Blu-ray and DVD.

And with “Wings”, this is one film that has evaded video release for a long time and here we are now with the definitive version of the film to date.  The most beautiful version of the film to date and now, I must add, the re-recorded score with sound effects in lossless audio adds another dimension to this Wellman masterpiece.

I certainly didn’t know what to expect as I watched this film expecting better video quality but when you start hearing machine gun’s firing all around you, the engines of airplanes reverberating around your room via the surround channels and hearing that LFE kick in…this is something that you never expect from a silent film.

And why that makes me happy is that Paramount is reaching out to two sets of fans.  The hardcore fans who were familiar with Gaylord Carter’s pipe organ score (unfortunately, Carl Davis’ score was not included) but then also knowing that Blu-ray fans, especially for a silent film, you’re going to have to entice them with something extra in order for them to purchase this film.  And sure enough, these fans can enjoy this silent film with a fantastic lossless track with immersive sound effects.

And for the silent fans who still haven’t upgraded to Blu-ray, add “Wings” on the list for another reason why they should upgrade!

So, it’s one thing to have a wonderful visual presentation and soundtrack, but what about the film?

I absolutely enjoyed it as it has a good balance of drama, action and also comedy mixed in.    For Clara Bow fans, the truth is that “It” was a wonderful film that showcased Bow’s talents but in terms of accessibility, for one of the top actresses in America, it’s not easy to find films with Clara.  And “Wings” on Blu-ray not only shows us her emotional performance (the Blu-ray does bring out the details of the tears) but also her boundless energy.

Of course, Clara Bow, while receiving top billing on the Blu-ray case, the film is primarily featuring Charles “Buddy” Rogers and Richard Arlen.  Although I typically dislike this modern term to describe male friendship, yes…”Wings” is the ultimate “Bromance” film.  You get the camaraderie of best friends training to be pilots, knowing they are rivals but managing to get past that and become brothers, watching each other’s backs.  And to see how this friendship develops towards the end of the film.

Both men performed their roles magnificently and it was interesting to also be treated by a cameo featuring Gary Cooper as Cadet White, while not long at all and years before the actor became popular and would star in films such as  “High Noon”, “Sergeant York”, “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town”, “A Farewell to Arms”, to name a few, Cooper’s cameo definitely sets things into perspective that war is ugly and death can happen anytime.  It’s important to note that also that same year, for Clara Bow’s “It”, Gary Cooper had an uncredited cameo.

And while the film features wonderful performances by its three talent for this film (especially this era), there is no doubt that this epic engages its viewers through its visual setting as hundreds of men are engaged in war, while above, we are taken above to the sky with actual aerial cinematography that even makes me wonder how they pulled it off back in 1927.  It did help that director William A. Wellman, writer John Monk Saunders and actor Richard Arlen served in World War I as military advisors (in fact, Arlen would teach as a United States Army Air Forces flight instructor during World War II).  While Buddy Rogers would undergo flight training to prepare him for his role.  And for the most part, the training led to the efficacy of director Wellman trying to achieve authenticity for his film.

As for the Blu-ray release, as mentioned… this is the definitive version of “Wings” to own for now.  While I would have loved to hear an audio commentary track and see more special features included, as mentioned with my feeling towards silent films, many hardly come with special features and when they do, they are fairly short.  You get three special features that end up as around an hour worth of extra content and you take what you can get.  But it would have been nice to see an audio commentary track, perhaps lobby card and photo gallery.

Overall, “Wings” is a magnificent Blu-ray release.  For silent fans who have wanted a reason to upgrade to Blu-ray, “Wings” can be added to that list for another reason why to upgrade.  A fantastic Blu-ray release that cinema and silent film fans will want to have in their collection!  It is a must-own!

 

A Star is Born (a J!-ENT Blu-Ray Disc Review)

Before George Cukor’s Judy Garland classic musical from 1954, there was William Wellman’s “A Star is Born” starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March.  For fans of this classic 1937 film, there is no need to hang on to those public domain copies because this Blu-ray version of “A Star is Born” is the definitive version to own!  Recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2012 Kino Lorber Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: A Star is Born

FILM RELEASE: 1937

DURATION: 111 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 1:33:1, Color, 2.0 Mono

COMPANY: Kino Lorber Incorporated/Kino Classics

RATED: Not Rated

Release Date: February 7, 2012

Directed by William A. Wellman

Story by William A. Wellman, Robert Carson

Screenplay by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, Robert Carson

Producer: David O. Selznick

Music by Max Steiner

Cinematography by W. Howard Greene

Edited by James E. Newcom

Production Design by Lansing C. Holden

Art Direction by Lyle R. Wheeler

Costume Design by Omar Kiam

Starring:

Janet Gaynor as Esther Victoria Blodgett aka Vicki Lester

Fredric March as Norman Maine

Adolphe Menjou as Oliver Niles

May Robson as Grandmother Lettie Blodgett

Andy Devine as Danny McGuire

Lionel Stander as Matt ibby

Owen Moore as Casey Burke – Director

Peggy Wood as Miss Phillips – Central Casting Clerk

Elizabeth Jenns as Anita Regis

Edgar Kennedy as Mr. Blodgett

Guinn “Big Boy” Williams as Posture Coach

From maverick filmmaker William A. Wellman (The Public Enemy, Nothing Sacred) comes the original, timeless tale of Hollywood fantasy and heartbreak: A STAR IS BORN.

Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor) comes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom only to have them shattered by a ruthless, cold-hearted town without pity, where the chances of finding fame are one in a hundred thousand.

Enter falling (and falling down drunk) movie star Norman Maine (Fredric March), whom Esther meets at a Hollywood party. Maine gets Esther a screen test and she’s an instant success, and the publicity machine sets about recreating the small-town girl. But as Esther (reborn as Vicki Lester) rises to celebrity, Norman’s stardom plummets, landing him in an alcoholic depression from which true love and Tinseltown fantasy may not be able to rescue him.

The original heartbreaking Hollywood romantic drama, “A Star is Born” makes its debut on Blu-ray.

While many people are familiar with George Cukor’s 1954 classic film adaptation starring Judy Garland and James Mason, the very first film was back in 1937 and was produced by David O. Selznick (the producer known for “Gone with the Wind” and bringing Alfred Hitchock to the United States to direct “Rebecca” and “Spellbound”) and a film directed by William A. Wellman (“Wings”, “Nothing Sacred”).  The film was written by Wellman, Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell.

The film would star Janet Gaynor (“Seventh Heaven”, “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans”, “Street Angel”, “Lucky Star”), Fredric March (“The Best Year of Our Lives”, “Nothing Sacred”, “Design for Living”) and Adolphe Menjou (“Paths of Glory”, “A Farewell to Arms”).

“A Star is Born” was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning “Best Story” (and also earning a special Academy Award for “Technicolor Cinematography” for W. Howard Greene) and would become the first color film to be nominated for “Best Picture”.

While there are earlier Hollywood films that would be based on one trying to make it in Hollywood or the perils of fame, “A Star is Born” would surprise audiences with its tragic ending and for a film of it’s time, it was a a romantic drama that was an instant tearjerker.

The film is about a North Dakota farmgirl named Esther Victoria Blodgett (played by Janet Gaynor) who dreams of becoming an actress.

Unfortunately, she has no support by most of her family members, but her grandmother Lettie (played by May Robson) believes in her.  Her grandmother gives her money to travel to Hollywood and follow her dream.

And when she arrives to Hollywood, she is captivated by the handprints and autographs at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and immediately tries to get a job of becoming an extra.  But she quickly learns that many other women have the same dream and the casting agency she has applied for, has stopped taking applications.

While at the agency, she meets an assistant director named Danny McGuire (played by Andy Devine) and he tells her that her chances of becoming a star is one in 100,000.  This saddens Esther but Danny tries to comfort her and both attend a concert.  At the concert, she meets the actor Norman Maine (played by Fredric March), an actor she deeply admires.

But while she adores Norman for his accomplishments, he is also an actor who’s career is spiraling downward due to his alcoholism.

When Danny gets a job for Esther to be a waitress at an important Hollywood party, she tries to show them her acting skills and catches the eye of Norman Maine.  The two become very good friends from that moment on and Norman gets his friend, producer Oliver Niles (played by Adolphe Menjou) to give her a screen test.

Esther does very well in the screen test and Oliver sees her potential, so he gives her a new Hollywood name as “Vicki Lester” and a movie contract and star in a few tiny roles.

As for Norman, because of his off-camera problems, the studio is in desperation of finding a lead actress for his film “The Enchanted Hour”.  Norman asks his good friend Oliver to give Vicki a chance and sure enough, the film does remarkably well.   And Vicki is praised for her acting, while hardly is anything is written about Norman.

Knowing that his popularity is going downward, he tries to make the best of it by following his heart and proposing to Vicki to marry him.  He promises that if they do get married, he will stop drinking alcohol.  And sure enjoy, the two elope and have a fun honeymoon adventure by trailer camping in the mountains.

But as the honeymoon ends, not only has Vicki’s popularity continued to skyrocket, Norman realizes that his wife’s career has blossomed, while his career is essentially over.  And essentially, the failure of his career leads him back to drinking alcohol.

Will this Hollywood marriage survive?  Can Norman face reality in the fact that Hollywood is no longer interested in him and he will need to live off his wife’s success?

VIDEO:

“A Star is Born” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:33:1).  It’s one of the earlier Technicolor films and while this film has been released on DVD before, many who have seen this film, saw it via terrible quality public domain videos.  May they have been downloaded or purchased on DVD.

I have seen the original public domain version and because it was Technicolor and in bad quality, for me, those public domain versions were unwatchable.  Fast forward to 2012 and Kino Lorber has presented us an authorized edition from the estate of David O. Selznick from the collection of George Eastman House.

With that being said, for those who are not familiar with Kino Lorber, they are not like a major studio or the Criterion Collection.  They do not do frame-by-frame restorations which is very expensive and laborious but they present the best quality of a film to present on Blu-ray.  So, these are films that will have dust, white specks and damage.  Kino Lorber is also selective on what releases will receive a Blu-ray release and with “A Star is Born”, I’m pretty happy that they did choose this classic film and give it an HD release.

As expected from early Technicolor films, the colors are a bit softer than what one are used to seeing from a Technicolor film from the ’50s or ’60s, but still, there is clarity.  And compared to the public domain releases out there, this Blu-ray release of “A Star is Born” is a huge step via picture quality as colors are not faded.  Sure, there is some film damage and white specks but the clarity, the colors and even the black levels look great for this 75-year-old film and its worth upgrading from the PD copies and even the previous DVD’s to this Blu-ray release.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“A Star is Born” is presented in Linear PCM 2.0 monaural and once again, Kino Lorber doesn’t clean up their releases.  They present the best quality of a film on Blu-ray.

So, there are moments of mild hissing and occasional pops but by no means will this affect your viewing. Dialogue is clear, Max Steiner’s music is also clear and definitely much more pleasant to the ears compared to the PD release.

There are no subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“A Star is Born” comes with the following special features:

• Gallery – Featuring 16 stills, posters and lobby cards.
• Wardrobe Test – (1:15) A Technicolor wardrobe test.
• Kino Classics Trailers

Before there was “Sunset Boulevard” and before the George Cukor classic starring Judy Garland, there was the 1937 William Wellman original.

And while the 1954 film was quite memorable and also was a musical with a different storyline, “A Star Is Born” is rather interesting because it took on a storyline of what was happening in Hollywood at that time.

Bare in mind, the transition from the silent era to the talkies, was the most difficult transition for many Hollywood talents.  While many were well-known in silent films, many who transitioned to talking films, saw their careers decline.  There was no gradual decline, one year you were hot, the next year your career was over.

And it has been well-documented of the many Hollywood talents that were unable to transition their careers from the 1920′s to the 1930′s and became alcoholics.

And while the classic film “Sunset Boulevard” featured that type of storyline focusing on a popular actress and her decline, in the 1930′s, there were films that took on tabloid news about celebrity suicides and George Cukor (who directed the Judy Garland “A Star is Born”), directed a 1932 film titled “What Price is Hollywood?” that dealt with one’s waning career (an interesting side note: David O. Selznick admitted that Cukor’s 1932 film was used as source material for “A Star is Born”).

But with William Wellman’s “A Star is Born” is your classic Hollywood story about a celebrity couple.  Unlike the 1954 version which Judy Garland used as a vehicle to once again showcase her vocals, this is no musical.  This is about two people who found love, but yet as one becomes a star, the other becomes a falling star and is unable to cope with his fall from stardom.

And with the 1954 version, you expect Judy Garland to sing.  With Janet Gaynor, what many have known her from is F.W. Murnau’s “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans”, “7th Heaven” and “Lucky Star”.  Often she played the heartbroken woman, but for this film, she had a chance to show off various sides of her acting, may it be the tearful farmgirl who wants to go to Hollywood, the comedic actress trying to show off her acting impersonations to Hollywood higher-ups and most importantly, playing the strong-willed wife who has achieved success thanks to her husband.

So, Gaynor was an intriguing actress to play the role of Vicki, because we see a different side to her acting.

Fredric March on the other hand, he has always played the suave character.  May it be his role in “Design for Living” to “Nothing Sacred”, he is a charismatic actor and while his Norman Maine portrays him as strong-willed (this is a man who stays a man and never shows his sensitive side) man who is an alcoholic (strong-willed, but inside, he is frustrated and depressed).

The original also was helped by its surrounding characters.  May Robson does a fine job of playing the sensible grandmother (who actually has a wonderful supporting actress role in the film, a character missing in the 1954 version), Adolphe Menjou as the producer Oliver Niles and bumbling Andy Devine as Vicki’s good friend, Danny.

This is a film that focuses on the perils of fame and while I enjoyed this 1937 film for keeping within the confines of a Hollywood story without the “happily ever after”, it’s George Cukor’s film that was full of emotion.  Not to say that Janet Gaynor and Fredric March lacked emotion at all, it’s acting that was common for 1930′s, Judy Garland and James Mason took the role to another level in the 1954 film adaptation.  There is no doubt that the musical version was emotionally charged and was much more of an emotional film.

While both films are similar, yet they were very different and needless to say, George Cukor knew how to make the remake even more powerful and emotional than the original film.

Still, for any cinema fan, a chance to see Janet Gaynor in her Academy Award “Best Actress” nominated performance and to see her in a much different light than she was previously seen in the Murnau films (and also to see her in early Technicolor) was quite enjoyable.  Also, if musicals are not your thing and has pushed you away from watching the 1954 version, fortunately in 2012, we have the best version of the original “A Star is Born” on video ala Blu-ray.  You can trash those public domain versions or give them away to a friend, but if you want the definitive version of this 1937 film, this Blu-ray release is the way to go!

Granted, the picture and audio quality may not be pristine but still, this Blu-ray release is so much better than the old public domain copies and the film has never looked so good until now!

Overall, “A Star is Born” is another wonderful release from Kino Lorber and a fine addition to their Kino Classics lineup on Blu-ray.   I look forward to more of these classic Hollywood films from Kino!  Definitely recommended!

 

Scarlet Street (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

Fritz Lang’s “Scarlet Street” was one of the earlier films that helped kick off the film noir genre and also was banned in three cities because of its surprising, bleak ending.  As for film noir fans, “Scarlet Street” is an awesome film for Kino Lorber to bring out in HD and one can only hope that more Fritz Lang noir films will also receive the Blu-ray treatment in the near future!

Images courtesy of © 2012 Kino Lorber Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Scarlet Street

FILM RELEASE: 1945

DURATION: 101 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 1:33:1, B&W

COMPANY: Kino Lorber Incorporated/Kino Classics

RATED: Not Rated

Release Date: February 28, 2012

Directed by Fritz Lang

Based on the novel and play “La Chienne” by Georges de La Fouchardiere and Andre Mouezy-Eon

Screenplay by Dudley Nicholas

Produced by Fritz Lang

Music by Hans J. Salter

Cinematography by Milton R. Krasner

Edited by Arthur Hilton

Art Direction by Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by Russell A. Gausman, Carl J. Lawrence

Starring:

Edward G. Robinson as Christopher Cross

Joan Bennett as Katharine “Kitty” March

Dan Duryea as Johnny Prince

Margaret Lindsay as Millie Ray

Rosalind Ivan as Adele Cross

Jess Barker as David Janeway

Charles Kemper as Patch-eye Higgins

Anita Sharp-Bolster as Mrs. Michales

Samuel S. Hinds as Charles Pringle

Vladimir Sokolff as Pop LeJon

Arthur Loft as Dellarowe

Russell Hicks as J. J. Hogarth

A box-office hit (despite being banned in three states), SCARLET STREET is one of legendary director Fritz Lang’s (M, Metropolis) finest American films.

When middle-aged milquetoast Chris Cross (Edward G. Robinson, Double Indemnity) rescues street-walking bad girl Kitty (Joan Bennett) from the rain-slicked gutters of an eerily artificial back-lot Greenwich Village, he plunges into a whirlpool of lust, larceny and revenge. As Chris’ obsession with the irresistibly vulgar Kitty grows, the meek cashier is seduced, corrupted, humiliated and transformed into an avenging monster before implacable fate and perverse justice triumph in the most satisfyingly downbeat denouement in the history of American film. Dan Duryea, as Kitty’s pimp boyfriend, skillfully molds “a vicious and serpentine creature out of a cheap, chiseling tin horn.” (The New York Times). Packed with hairpin plot twists and “bristling with fine directorial touches and expert acting” (Time), SCARLET STREET is a dark gem of film noir.

Fritz Lang’s 1945 film noir classic “Scarlet Street” may be banal with its golddigger storyline but once the grisly twist hits the viewer, you have no doubt that Lang (known for classics such as “M”, “Metropolis”, “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse”) has successfully drawn the viewer in for something unpredictable and shocking.

It’s no surprise that “Scarlet Street” was considered a bleak film noir that was banned in three cities, but nearly 70-years-later, one can marvel and perhaps be amused by how well-crafted this film was for its time.

“Scarlet Street” is a film adaptation by Dudley Nichols (“Stagecoach”, “Bringing Up Baby”, “The Bells of St. Mary’s”) of the French novel and play “La Chienne” by Georges de La Fouchardiere and Andre Mouezy-Eon.

Lang would also take his three stars from the 1944 film “The Woman in the Window”, Edward G. Robinson (“Double Indemity”, “Key Largo”, “The Ten Commandments”), Joan Bennett (“Dark Shadows”, “Father’s Little Dividend”, “Father of the Bride”) and Dan Duryea (“The Pride of the Yankees”, “Peyton Place”), and cast them in “Scarlet Street”.

While Fritz Lang was well-known for his films in Germany, it wasn’t until decades later that many film historians and critics learned how much of an impact Lang would have in the emergence and the evolution of the film genre, film noir.

“Scarlet Street” is a film that begins with the celebration for cashier Christopher Cross (played by Edward G. Robinson).  Having worked as a cashier for clothing retailer J.J. Hogarth & Company for 25 years, Hogarth honors Cross for his service.

As Hogarth gives Cross an expensive watch as a gift, when he departs, everyone at the party watches the married J.J. Hogarth getting into the car with a beautiful blonde (who is not his wife).  As Cross goes home, he thinks about how nice it would be to be married to a young woman that loves him.   Unfortunately for Cross, he is in a marriage where his wife Adele (played by Rosalind Ivan) doesn’t respect him (all she does is criticize him), as she is still respectful to her late husband.

So, while going home, he sees a woman, a prostitute named Kitty (played by Joan Bennett), being attacked by a man, who is actually Kitty’s boyfriend Johnny (played by Dan Duryea).  Cross comes to her rescue and attacks him with his umbrella.

Grateful for a man coming to her defense, she takes Christopher Cross out for a cup of coffee and when the two start talking about life and art (as Cross is an amateur painter), she begins to think that he is a wealthy artist, while Cross never tells her the truth that he is a cashier.

And Christopher Cross has fallen head over heels for Kitty.

Kitty ends up telling Johnny about Christopher and both come up with a scheme to take money from him.  As Kitty uses her charm to lure Christopher and tells him that she is desperate for money, Christopher starts to consider taking out a loan from the store he works at or stealing it.

And as Kitty starts to beg more money from him and Christopher’s infatuation with Kitty starts to grow, it will send him spiraling downward even more.

VIDEO:

“Scarlet Street” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:33:1 aspect ratio).  Because Kino Lorber were able to obtain the video from the archives of the Library of Congress, what we have here is the best print available.  And naturally, with it being in HD, this is simply the definitive version of the film to own.

With that being said, it’s important for those new to Kino Lorber to know that the company takes a hands free approach.  As restoration is quite laborious and very expensive, they present the film from the original master in HD.  So, what we have here is a film that does have its fair share of white specks (not too much that it would ruin your viewing pleasure) but in terms of picture quality, clarity is the keyword when watching this film on Blu-ray.

Black levels are deep, contrast in white and gray levels are great and compared to previous version of the film, there is no blurring effect nor the interlacing.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Scarlet Street” is presented in uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 monaural.  As mentioned with video, Kino Lorber takes a hands free approach when it comes to Blu-ray releases.  So, “Scarlet Street” does have its share of a few clicks and even some mild hissing.  But dialogue is clear and understandable.

There are no subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Scarlet Street” comes with the following special features:

• Audio commentary – Featuring a audio commentary by David Kalat (author of The Strange Case of Dr. Mabuse)
• Photo Gallery – Featuring images of deleted scenes and artwork for the film.
• Kino Classics Trailers

“Scarlet Street” is a 1945 film which may have seem twisted, dark or grisly to movie fans during that time.

But it was also the beginning of a genre in cinema known as “film noir” that would later become appreciated by cinema fans.

What I enjoyed about this film is that at first glance, it seemed as if it was too banal.  A story about an old man named Christopher Cross who doesn’t get the love and appreciation from his wife and wonders if men flock to younger women for fun and a exciting life.  Maybe it’s what he needs because his life is absolutely dull.

And then you have the banal gold digger Kitty who is directed by her boyfriend Johnny to bilk as much money she can from him.

But of course, Fritz Lang is not your traditional Hollywood filmmaker.  Even when I first watched this film and even today, I still had this grin of awe of the clever writing he was able to pull off and literally pull the seat under movie watchers because it was nontraditional movie making.

But “Scarlet Street” was a fantastic film that I absolutely enjoyed!  But for those who are not erudites to Lang’s work in Hollywood, let’s just say that “Scarlet Street” is just the beginning to Lang’s darker films.

During that era in time, Fritz Lang was well-known for his German films and in Hollywood, suffice to say, many film critics wondered why his films from the ’40s to the ’50s became darker and darker.  In fact, things would get even darker in the ’50s with films such as “The Big Heat” and it correlated with Lang’s pessimistic view towards the world and seeing how things worked in the move industry.

For Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett, the films they made with Fritz Lang would be in their peak as Robinson’s career would be called into scrutiny a few years later as he was threatened with black listening as the government (via the House Un-American Activities Committee) was cracking down on communist sympathizers in Hollywood.

This would lead for nearly a decade of B-movie films for Robinson until Cecil B. DeMille would later cast him in the epic “The Ten Commandments” in 1956.

As for Joan Bennett, she has had a long career since the silent era but a few years after “Scarlet Street”, her career would be slightly damaged when her husband Walter Wanger tried to kill her agent Jennings Lang, when Wanger suspected the two having an affair.

And as the careers of these three individuals would change after “Scarlet Street”, the film still resonates strongly among fans of Fritz Lang.  And it is a wonderful choice for Kino Lorber to release on Blu-ray and one can hope that more of Lang’s noir films will receive the HD treatment in the near future.

As for the Blu-ray release, as mentioned earlier, this is the definitive version to own of the film at this time.  Watching it on Blu-ray has more clarity and no more interlacing or blurring issues.  The film looks good, granted it could look better with restoration.  The audio commentary by David Kalat is very good and includes a lot of in-depth information that cineaste will enjoy listening to.

Overall, “Scarlet Street” is an enjoyable, darker noir film from Fritz Lang and one of the earlier films to help kick off the film noir genre.  Definitely recommended!

 

The Big Caper (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

“The Big Caper” is a 1957 heist film which is straightforward, simple and banal.  An average storyline with a contrived Hollywood ending.

Images courtesy of © 1957 P.T.S. Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DVD TITLE: The Big Caper

FILM RELEASE DATE: 1957

DURATION: 85 Minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Black and White, 1:33:1 Full Frame, Dolby Digital

COMPANY: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Twentieth Century Fox

RELEASE DATE: January 2012

Directed by Robert Stevens

Screenplay by Martin Berkeley

Based on the Novel by Lionel White

Produced by Howard Pine, William C. Thomas

Music by Albert Glasser

Cinematography by Lionel London

Edited by George A. Gittens

Art Direction by Alfred Kegerris

Costume Design by Jerry Bos, Fay Moore, Alvina Tomin

Starring:

Rory Calhoun as Frank Harper

Mary Cost as Kay

James Gregory as Flood

Robert H. Harris as Zimmer

Roxanne Arlen as Doll

Corey Allen as Roy

Paul Picerni as Harry

Patrick McVey as Sam Loxley

An indebted con man persuades a crime boss to bankroll a heist on a small town bank, posing as a married couple with the bosses girl.

In 1957, the heist film “The Big Caper” was made.  Featuring an adaptation of the novel by Lionel White, the film is directed by Robert Stevens (“Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, “Never Lose a Stranger”) and a screenplay by Martin Berkeley (“Tarantula”, “Revenge of the Creature”, “The Deadly Mantis”).

The film would star Rory Calhoun (“Texan”, “How to Marry a Millionaire”, “River of No Return”), Mary Costa (“Sleeping Beauty”, “The Great Waltz”) and James Gregory (“The Manchurian Candidate”, “Beneath the Planet of the Apes”, “The Lawless Years”).

“The Big Caper” revolves around Frank Harper (played by Rory Calhoun), a man who is in debt for gambling and wiped out his money on horse races.

Frank decides to pay his good friend and former bank heist professional Flood (played by James Gregory) to rob a small coastal town bank which is the bank used for the payroll for a nearby army base.  But unfortunately, Flood has no intention of going to prison again and wants to live the good life.

But after Frank shows Flood the location and how there are not many police, it appears that there chances of success are high and both men are enticed to robbing the bank.

But first, Frank needs to fit in with the community and learn more about how things work in the small town.  He and Flood’s girlfriend, Kay (played by Mary Costa) purchase a gas station shop and immediately, they start to fit in with the community, making friends and even befriending a police officer.

And for Kay, she starts to enjoy the domestic life of cooking and having people over at their house.   She also starts to fall for Frank, but Frank reminds her that this all for business and their plan is to rob the bank and he would never betray Flood by messing around with his girlfriend.  But Kay tells Frank that she and Flood have been over for a long time, but he still remains loyal to his friend.

Meanwhile, Frank begins to assemble his team and hires Zimmer (played by Robert H. Harris), an alcoholic and pyromaniac.  In addition, Flood brings his men, Roy and Harry (and his intrusive girlfriend Doll).

But when Kay breaks off her relationship with Flood, Flood begins to become jealous that Kay has taken a liking to her new “fake” life with Frank.  Despite both Kay and Frank telling him that nothing happened between them, part of him doesn’t believe it.  Especially when Zimmer tries to fuels the fire by trying to get Flood jealous by telling him that he thinks that Kay is falling in love with Frank.

But when both Frank and Kay start to learn how violent Flood can be and that his jealousy has gotten the best of him and that he wants them dead…. what will happen to Frank and Kay?

MOD PLAYABILITY:

Part of the worry of viewers who had bad experiences with MOD DVD’s is its overall DVD pressing. Granted, those problems were much common during the beginning of MOD’s several years ago but so far, I have not had any problems with MGM’s Limited Edition Collection.

With “The Big Caper”, its printed quite well with printing on top of the DVD, it’s not a plain silver disc with letters. If you didn’t know it was MOD, you would think it was an actual DVD release.

As for playability, I played “The Big Caper” on my Blu-ray player and DVD player with no problems. I then played it on my Mac and PC, no problems whatsoever.

VIDEO AND AUDIO:

“The Big Caper” is presented in black and white (1:33:1 full frame).  Picture quality is actually good as there are not many blemishes or damage.  You do see the occasional white specks and scratches but for the most part, contrast for the film look good and there is a fine layer of grain.  Back levels are good and no sign of a major DNR.

Dialogue is presented in Dolby Digital, dialogue is clear.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“The Big Caper” comes with no special features.

When it comes to ’50s heist films, among the best is Stanley Kubrick’s 1956 film “The Killing”.

MGM tried to repeat that success with their 1957 film “The Big Caper” but as “The Killing” focused on the characters and a bank heist gone wrong, “The Big Caper” goes a different route in which two of the robbers in the group, a man and a woman, disguise themselves as a couple and get used to their new life.

Granted, for the man…Frank, it’s all about business and his goal of robbing the bank.  For Kay, she always wanted that family life and wants to keep it that way, especially since she is falling for Frank.

The problem is, Kay is Flood’s girlfriend and despite their relationship is pretty much down in the dumps, Flood has a reputation for a person not to be messed with.

The film focuses primarily on Frank and Kay who are changed by their life in the coastal town and the fact that they are falling in love with each other, it starts to cause problems in the overall planning of the heist as Flood can sense that something may be developing between the two and once again, you mess with Flood…bad things will come.

For the most part, “The Big Caper” has a feeling of a Monogram Pictures film (known for producing low-budget films in Hollywood) but with better location shots and maybe even a higher budget.  While Flood and the pyromaniac Zimmer are worthy antagonists, the problem is that once you see a film like “The Killing”, “The Big Caper” is almost lowered to something like a TV movie.  It has dangerous people, but not dangerous enough.  It has action, but only for a short duration.

Whereas “The Killing” made you wonder if they can pull of a heist, “The Big Caper” becomes less about the heist but more of the survival of Frank and Kay, as you know that Flood is going to turn on them.

Needless to say, the film doesn’t stray far from any major twists and you can pretty much sense how things are probably going to end as the film makes things a bit obvious.

Still, “The Big Caper” does have charm, especially with the romance factor between Frank and Kay but I will say that how the film ends within the last minute, it’s such an easy way-out which was typical for films at the time but I suppose this film can fit into the long list of films with the banality of happy endings.  Although this happy ending felt cheap and contrived!

As for the DVD, as mentioned, picture quality was good and there is no major damage to the video or audio.

Overall, “The Big Caper” may not be anywhere near the quality of “The Killing” but if you are looking for a ’50s heist films that is straightforward and banal, then give this film a try!

 

 

Notorious (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

My favorite Hitchcock black and white film!  “Notorious” is a fantastic spy thriller that features great pacing, a wonderful storyline, magnificent performances, impressive camerawork and  for Hitchcock and Ben Hecht, giving them the freedom to show off their creativity with great efficacy.  This Blu-ray release is highly recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2011 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Notorious

FILM RELEASE: 1946

DURATION: 102 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 1:33:1 Black and White, English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Subtitles: English SDH

COMPANY:MGM/20th Century fox

RATED: Not Rated

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Based on the story “The Song of the Dragon” by John Taintor Foote

Produced by Alfred Hitchcock

Music by Roy Webb

Cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff

Edited by Theron Warth

Art Direction by Carroll Clark, Albert S. D’Agostino

Set Decoration by Claude E. Carpenter, Darrell Silvera

Starring:

Cary Grant as Devlin

Ingrid Bergman as Alicia Huberman

Claude Rains as Alexander Sebastian

Louis Calhern as Paul Prescott

Leopoldine Konstantin as Mme. Sebastian

Reinhold Schunzel as Dr. Anderson

Moroni Olsen as Walter Beardsley

Ivan Triesault as Eric Mathis

Alex Minotis as JosephFrom legendary director Alfred Hitchcock comes this “torrid, tense, tinglingly suspenseful” (Cosmopolitan) film that ranks as one of his best. Oscar Winner Ingrid Bergman “is literally ravishing” (Pauline Kael), and Cary Grant and Claude Rains give “excellent performances” (Variety) in this “taut spy movie that delivers a romantic punch” (The New Yorker)!

When troubled beauty Alicia Huberman (Bergman) is recruited by American agent T.R. Devlin (Grant) to infiltrate a German spy ring in postwar Rio, she accepts… but soon finds herself falling in love with Devlin. And when she receives orders to seduce a Nazi kingpin (Rains), Alicia must sacrifice the only happiness she’s ever known for a perilous mission that could ultimately cost her and Devlin their lives.

It had been well documented that Alfred Hitchcock and producer David O. Selznick did not have the greatest relationship.  Despite Hitchcock making three films within his seven-year contract with Selznick and “Rebecca” earning Selznick an Academy Award, the fact is that Selznick was known for interfering with the director and letting people know that he was the one calling the shots.

By the end of Hitchcock’s contract with Selznick, he and writer Ben Hecht were working on a screenplay for “Notorious”.  Inspired by the story “The Song of the Flame” which appeared on “The Saturday Evening Post”, both would craft a spy thriller which would involve the use of uranium.

Bare in mind, this is a year before the United States bombed Hiroshima, but how he got the idea of uranium was a writer and friend of Hitchcock told him about top secret nuclear bomb tests in New Mexico, while knowing that Germans were also conducting experiments in Norway.

Selznick who was in financial trouble at the time felt the idea of uranium being used to make an atom bomb was absurd and with the producers not convinced the film would do well, they sold the film as a package deal to include Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, the screenplay, Ben Hecht and Alfred Hitchcock to RKO.

And because of that, Hitchcock was now free of Selznick’s control and “Notorious” would give Alfred Hitchcock complete control as a director and producer, Ben Hecht as the screenwriter but most importantly, no more interference by David O. Selznick.

“Notorious” would be seen by many as a true “Hitchcock” film (for the black and white era) and many regard the film as their favorite Hitchcock film ever made.

The film was a tremendous hit in the United States that it brought in $4.8 million on its first theatrical American domestic release, film critics lauded the film.

Film critic Pauline Kael wrote praised “Notorious”, “The suspense is terrific: Will suspicious, passive Grant succeed in making Bergman seduce him, or wil he take over?  The honor of the American male is saved by a hairbreadth, but Bergman is literally ravishing in what is probably her sexiest performance.  Great trash, great fun.”

Roger Ebert has the film selected on his list for “Great Movies” and wrote, “Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Notorious’ is the most elegant expression of the master’s visual style, just as “Vertigo” is the fullest expression of his obsessions”.

“Notorious” was nominated for two Academy Awards (for “Best Supporting Actor” and “Original Screenplay”) and in 2006, was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

“Notorious” begins with Alicia Huberman’s (played by Ingrid Bergman) father being convicted as a Nazi spy.  We are then taken to a party in which government agent T.R. Devlin (played by Cary Grant) takes an inebriated Alicia back to his home.  When she awakens, he tells her that the government wants to recruit her in order to infiltrate an organization of Nazis wo have relocated to Brazil after World War II.

Alicia agrees to the job, despite the rocky start with T.R. Devlin and they head to Rio de Janeiro for details of her assignment.  While in Brazil, the two fall in love.

But the romance is quickly ended when Devlin gives Alicia the assignment and her job is to seduce Alex Sebastian (played by Claude Rains), a friend of her father and a member of the Nazi group.  Devlin tries his best to tell his superiors that Alicia is not fit for the job but he loses the battle.  So, when he tells Alicia about her job, he puts on a brave face and makes her feel that the duty is more important than their love and for Alicia, she is heartbroken and thinks that Devlin was just pretending to be in love with her.  So, she quickly takes the job.

So, while Alicia grows closer to Alex and manages to infiltrate his home, she notices that during a dinner, one of the guests becomes hysterical after seeing a few wine bottles and immediately is taken out of the room.

As she makes her reports to Devlin, she also uses those moments to see if he would get jealous that Alex Sebastian has become one of her “playmates”.    Meanwhile, Alex Sebastian sees both of them together and wonders if she is in love with him.

So, jealous that Devlin may be trying to get close to Alicia, he asks her to marry him.

So, Alicia goes to meet Devlin and his superiors and tells them that Alex Sebastian has asked her to marry him, but she wants to see if Devlin’s emotions would change (and get a hint that he actually does care for her) but once again, Devlin puts on the stoic face and tells her in a cold demeanor that she can do what she wants and that marrying him would be a good idea.

Hurt by his words, Alicia has decided to marry Alex Sebastian.

As Alicia tries to find anything unusual at the Sebastian home (aside from his mother being cold to her), she notices that Devlin gave her a key ring but it is missing a key, a key to the wine cellar.  So, during a party at the Sebastian home, Devlin shows up to the party (to Alex’s chagrin), but she secretly takes Alex’s key and both she and Devlin secretly go into the wine cellar.  Devlin accidentally knocks a wine bottle and inside is not wine, they find black sand which Devlin takes samples.  And as he tries to clean everything back up, they know that they will be caught by her husband and so to cover their tracks, Devlin pretends he is drunk and gives Alicia a passionate kiss.

Devlin tells Alex that he has always wanted Alicia and loved her before he did, but she chose him.  And at first, Alex believes the story until he discovers that a key is missing from his key ring.  The key to the cellar and as he goes to investigate, he notices that one of the bottles have been opened and feels that his wife is a double agent working for the United States.

So, Alex and his mother decide they must eliminate Alicia.

But will Devlin be able to rescue her in time?

 

VIDEO:

“Notorious” is presented in 1080p High Definition (full screen 1:33:1, black and white). While the film has its fair share of scratches, because of the film’s popularity, it had received restoration for a DVD release years ago, removing a lot of blemishes.  I have the first DVD that was release for “Notorious” before the restoration, so I can easily say that this film had been cleaned up.  A lot of the white specks are gone and while there are some occasional (and short) flickering, the fact that this film has made it to Blu-ray definitely adds much more detail and clarity than ever before.

You notice the fine layer of grain but most of all how black levels are nice and deep and how the clarity and the detail of the film is quite apparent. For any fan of “Notorious”, this HD release is the best looking version of the film to date!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Notorious” is presented in English monaural DTS-HD Master Audio (via a 2.0 mix). The dialogue and music of Roy Webb is crystal clear, clear midrange and a slight hint of hiss, click or crackle for this classic film. But again, comparing it to the original DVD that I have, I was quite pleased with this lossless soundtrack.

Subtitles are presented in English SDH.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Notorious” comes with the following special features:

• Audio Commentary by Rick Jewell – A really in-depth audio commentary by film professor Rick Jewell on the film but also the involvement of Selznick and discussion of RKO.
• Audio Commentary by Drew Casper – A second audio commentary by film professor Drew Casper about “Notorious”.
• Isolated Music and Effects Track – While watching the film, you can listen to Roy Webb’s soundtrack and the effects (no dialogue).
• The Ultimate Romance: The Making of Notorious – (28:22) A featurette about the romance between Alice Huberman (Bergman) and Devlin (Grant).
• Alfred Hitchcock: The Ultimate Spymaster – (13:10) A featurette on how Hitchcock films influenced the spy genre.
• The American Film Institute Award: The Key to Hitchcock - (3:20) Featuring Alfred Hitchcock’s granddaughter Mary Stone talking about Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifetime Achievement Award and footage when Ingrid Bergman returned the key that was used in the film.
• 1948 Radio Play – (59:35) Featuring a radio play featuring Joseph Cotton and Ingrid Bergman.
• Hitchcock Audio Interviews – An excerpt featuring Peter Bogdanovich interviewing Alfred Hitchcock (2:14) and Francois Truffaut interview Hitchcock (16:22).
• Restoration Comparison – (2:50) A short featurette showing how the film was restored with footage before and after.
  
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:31) The original theatrical trailer for “Notorious”.

“Notorious” is my favorite black and white film made by Alfred Hitchcock.

The film was a spy thriller, a dramatic love film in which the characters are both in love, but because of duty, their love is prohibited.   And you are left wondering if these two will ever find a way back to each other.  The performances by Ingrid Bergman and Gable was fantastic, the antagonist Claude Raines was a wonderful casting choice and most of all, it’s a film which Alfred Hitchcock called the shots.

He did things his way and because of that, there are a few key things that people will remember.  I remember watching it when I was younger, over the years I had the opportunity to read several books and learn more and more about the making of this film.  From how Hitchcock found a way to develop a long romantic and passionate kissing scene and by keeping within the Production Code’s “three second kissing rule”.  It was definitely a passionate kiss with a scene that last for over two minutes long but had the characters interrupt their kiss every three seconds, talk, and continue again.

Also, the film would be known for its famous crane shot as Alicia is coming down the stairs and we see the camera zoom in on the key inside the hand of Alicia.

An earlier scene featured a policeman on his bike trailing both Devlin and an inebriated Alicia. Hitchcock was adamant in making this scene realistic as possible, especially capturing the light from the bicycle beaming on the necks of both talents.  Needless to say, Hitchcock really pushed his cinematographer Ted Tetzlaff (“My Man Godfrey”, “The Talk of the Town”, “The More the Merrier”) to the limit with “Notorious” but it’s those intricate details that Hitchcock cared about.

Also bare in mind that this was the predecessor to the spy films of the ’60s, before James Bond and it would be no surprise if “Notorious” helped inspire those films (in fact, there is a special feature on this topic).  “Notorious” features both talents in suave clothing at dinner parties, we are also get the elegant location in which both Devlin and Alicia are in Rio.

But for me, the efficacy of this film is somewhat of its heartbreaking romance theme.  We know Alicia loves Devlin but because of her love, she will do what he wants…even if it means sleeping and being romantic with another man and accomplishing what is needed to get the information he and his superiors have wanted.  As a viewer, we just wonder how long will Devlin get it through his head that she is only doing this for him and what a conundrum it came to be.

As for the Blu-ray release, similar to “Rebecca” and “Spellbound”, there are many special features to keep fans interested.  With the commentary tracks, featurettes and radio plays, sure… these three releases are absolutely solid.  Sure, one day, “Notorious” may get a new restoration with better restoration technology and newer special features may be included in a future release but for all it’s worth, I’m really content with this Blu-ray release.

Overall, this is my favorite Hitchcock black and white film!  “Notorious” is a fantastic spy thriller that features great pacing, a wonderful storyline, magnificent performances, impressive camerawork and  for Hitchcock and Ben Hecht, giving them the freedom to show off their creativity with great efficacy.

This Blu-ray release is highly recommended!

 

Spellbound (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

“Spellbound” is a psychological mystery thriller featuring a unique romance story!  Featuring a wonderful performance by Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck and Michael Chekhov.  This Alfred Hitchcock film is recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2011 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Spellbound

FILM RELEASE: 1945

DURATION: 118 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 1:33:1 Black and White, English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Subtitles: English SDH

COMPANY:MGM/20th Century fox

RATED: Not Rated

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Based on the story “The Song of the Dragon” by John Taintor Foote

Produced by Alfred Hitchcock

Music by Roy Webb

Cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff

Edited by Theron Warth

Art Direction by Carroll Clark, Albert S. D’Agostino

Set Decoration by Claude E. Carpenter, Darrell Silvera

Starring:

Cary Grant as Devlin

Ingrid Bergman as Alicia Huberman

Claude Rains as Alexander Sebastian

Louis Calhern as Paul Prescott

Leopoldine Konstantin as Mme. Sebastian

Reinhold Schunzel as Dr. Anderson

Moroni Olsen as Walter Beardsley

Ivan Triesault as Eric Mathis

As Alfred Hitchcock’s classic psychothriller opens, the staff of a posh mental asylum eagerly awaits the arrival of the new director. When the man in question shows up, it turns out to be handsome psychiatrist John Ballantine (Gregory Peck). But something’s wrong, here: Ballantine seems much too young for so important a position; his answers to the staff’s questions are vague and detached; and he seems unusually distressed by the parallel marks, left by a fork, on a white tablecloth. Dr. Constance Peterson (Ingrid Bergman) comes to the conclusion that Ballantine is not the new director, but a profoundly disturbed amnesiac–and, possibly, the murderer of the real director. But is she correct in her inferences? Scriptwriters Angus MacPhail and Ben Hecht soon add to this the complication that Constance begins to fall in love with John. Director Hitchcock tapped surrealist artist Salvador Dali to design the visually arresting dream sequences in the film.

With the success of “Rebecca”, British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock would once again return to making a film in America under his contract with producer David O. Selznick.

But because of “Rebecca” and Selznick’s tight control of being 100% faithful to the book and Hitchcock known to be creative and do things his own way, needless to say, the relationship between both men had soured.  But under his seven-year contractual obligation which Hitchcock signed with Selznick, another movie had to be made and this time, Selznick wanted to pursue a film about his positive experience with psychoanalysis.  A film  that would be known as “Spellbound”.

With Selznick, this would be a personal film because psychoanalysis helped him deal with his brother, Myron’s death (his brother was an extreme alcoholic in which Selznick tried to help him).  The death of Myron would also impact his mother and thus, Selznick was suffering from deep depression because of it and thus psychoanalysis was important in David’s recuperation.

But for Alfred Hitchcock, the book that was to receive a film adaptation was Hilary Saint George Saunders and John Palmer’s 1927 novel “The House of Dr. Edwardes”.  A film that was adapted by Angus MacPhail and Ben Hecht, but also a film that would lead to Hitchcock and Ben Hecht to work personally together, especially during the research process of psychoanalysis for “Spellbound”.

And while Selznick was always adamant towards 100% faithfulness to the novel, because of his current situation, despite Ben Hecht being a writer and somewhat of a watchdog for Selznick, the working relationship between Hecht and Hitchcock would be positive especially with no supervision.  But eventually, Selznick known to interfere did so in the end and thus, “Spellbound” although directed by Alfred Hitchock, would once again be a Selznick film.

In the original novel, the concept of “The House of Dr. Edwardes” was about a madman taking over an insane asylum, but Hitchock wanted to add suspense and Hecht would humanize the characters and build a love story around two doctors.  The film would also bring in surrealist artist Salvador Dali to help conceive the scenes with mental delusion and also Mikloz Rivera (who is known for pioneering the use of the theremin) for the orchestral score.

The film would star Ingrid Bergman (“Casablanca”, “Notorious”, “Autumn Sonata”) and Gregory Peck (“Roman Holiday”, “The Guns of Navarone”, “To Kill a Mockingbird”) and would be nominated for six Academy Awards and would win an award for “Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture”.

“Spellbound” begins with Dr. Constance Petersen (played by Ingrid Bergman) who is a psychoanalyst at mental hospital known as “Green Manors” in Vermont and helping various patients.  The male doctors look at her as emotionless and with the (forced) retirement of the hospital’s director, Dr. Murchison (played by Leo G. Carroll), who has been suffering from nervous exhaustion, Green Manors has hired a new replacement, a younger doctor named Dr. Anthony Edwardes (played by Gregory Peck).

And immediately, it becomes love at first sight between Dr. Constance Petersen and Dr. Anthony Edwardes.

The two begin to have a romantic tryst, trying to keep it private among their colleagues and one night, while the two were sharing a romantic time together, Dr. Edwardes sees a pattern of parallel lines on her robe and suddenly he begins to lose it.  Needless to say, Dr. Petersen becomes alarmed but also concerned.

Seeing those parallel lines has opened up something within Dr. Edwardes and he is unable to get his bearings to do any work.  Dr. Petersen who has fallen in love with him, decides to try to help him discover why he has this phobia towards parallel lines.  When the two go out to dinner with each other, even the tines on a fork or patterns on a blanket start to alarm him even more that he begins to lose it.

But when Dr. Petersen discovers a note by the real Dr. Edwardes and the man she thinks is Dr. Edwardes, she notices they are not the same.  Could this man, a man that she is in love with, be an impostor?  If so, what has happened to the real Dr. Edwardes?

VIDEO:

“Spellbound” is presented in 1080p High Definition (full screen 1:33:1, black and white). It’s important to note that “Spellbound” was intentionally shot to be a little soft, but still the Blu-ray release of “Spellbound” looks very good when it comes to detail and clarity.  Sure, the Criterion Collection release was definitely a much older release with stronger black levels and more grain, but there is still a fine layer of grain presented in this film.  The patterns on Dr. Edwardes suit can be seen quite clearly.

There are a few scratches but for the most part, for those who wonder if there is a big difference between the Criterion Collection release and this Blu-ray release, I will say this.  A lot of the films that were released by Criterion Collection in 1999 and 2000 were redone.  The digital transfer back then was inferior as it is compared to the hardware used now, so comparing the two…sure there are going to be differences.  While Blu-ray version is much better and in HD, those who owned the original release will still want to hang onto those as they are among the few Criterion Collection titles that are being sought by collectors.

But as for fans of “Spellbound”, there is no denying that the film looks very good on Blu-ray.  It looks much cleaner and has much better clarity and detail.  The contrast is also well-done and while a bit soft, once again, that was intentional (even producer David O. Selznick had choice words towards the films overall look).

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Spellbound” is presented in English monaural DTS-HD Master Audio (via a 2.0 mix). The dialogue and music is crystal clear but compared to “Rebecca” and “Notorious” which didn’t suffer from any audio issues, there is some hiss that can be heard for a very short time.  But aside from that moment at the beginning of the overture, I didn’t hear any clicks, hiss or pops during my viewing of the film.

Subtitles are presented in English SDH.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Spellbound” comes with the following special features:

• Audio Commentary by Thomas Schatz and Charles Ramirez Berg - Film historians Thomas Schatz and Charles Ramirez Berg discuss “Spellbound”.
• Running with Scissors: Hitchcock, Surrealism and Salvador Dali – (21:25) A featurette looking at the pairing of Hitchcock and surrealist Salvador Dali and the challenges that came to be, due to the rising costs and how long Dali’s scene was going to be.  But also focusing on how Dali wanted to make it in Hollywood.
• Guilt by Association: Psychoanalyzing Spellbound – (19:39) A featurette that is about how “Spellbound” was the first film to deal with psychoanalysis.  A very in-depth featurette.
• A Cinderella Story: Rhonda Fleming – (10:10) A short featurette on Rhonda Fleming (known as the “Queen of Technicolor”), who made her film debut in “Spellbound”.
• 1948 Radio Play of “Spellbound” Directed by Alfred Hitchcock – (59:47) A radio play starring Joseph Cotton and Valli.
• Hitchcock Audio Interviews – Featuring audio interviews with Alfred Hitchcock by Peter Bogdanovich (15:22).
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:07) The original theatrical trailer for “Spellbound”.

“Spellbound” was the first film to feature psychoanalysis, it was also known as the film to give Alfred Hitchcock a little more freedom from his producer David O. Selznick.

The film was indeed groundbreaking for its time because of the news in America of how psychoanalysis was helping soldiers who had suffered from the trauma and oversensitivity of battle during World War II.  And while, “Spellbound” is not my favorite Hitchcock film, what I enjoyed about the film is how it managed to incorporate mystery and suspense, a romantic drama, surrealism through dreamlike sequences and also the cat and mouse storyline as the two doctors try to elude authorities.

There are so many plot elements introduced in “Spellbound”, that one really can’t get bored with it.  Sure, some may feel the “psychoanalysis” techniques are outdated but I have always looked at this film as being unique because it utilized psychoanalysis to pry deep into his consciousness slowly throughout the film until that big reveal of why Dr. Edwardes/John Ballantyne had a problem with parallel lines.  But most importantly, I would assume that the conversations about the film help increase public awareness towards psychoanalysis and I’m sure for producer David O. Selznick, who praised psychoanalysis for helping him deal with the death of his brother, that he was pleased by the overall result.

For me, what also made me enjoy the film is the performances.  The casting of Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck were well-done.  The chemistry between both talents was strong, and there is also third person that also gave a great performance and that was actor Michael Chekhov who played Dr. Alexander Brulov, the teacher of Dr. Petersen.  “Spellbound” would also feature the debut of actress Rhonda Fleming, who would later become known as the “Queen of Technicolor”.

As for the Blu-ray release, similar to the other two Alfred Hitchcock Blu-ray releases (“Rebecca” and “Notorious”), MGM gives viewers a lot of special features.  Commentaries, featurettes and as mentioned, “Spellbound” looks very good on Blu-ray considering that the film was intentionally made to look soft.  But still, it is definitely worth the upgrade for those who owned the previous DVD release of “Spellbound” as the clarity and detail of this film on Blu-ray is quite evident.

Overall, “Spellbound” is an Alfred Hitchcock film that I enjoyed, but it’s clearly another film in which Hitchcock was able to get away with a more creative choices compared to “Rebecca” but it was nonetheless, a David O. Selznick film.  The relationship between producer and director was almost to the point of mistrust and while this film was enjoyable, until Hitchcock was free from Selznick, then we started to see his creativity at 100% and we saw how much more evident that would be in his upcoming film “Notorious”.

But still, I found “Spellbound” to be a psychological mystery film, but also a romance film featuring a unique kind of love story not seen in cinema today.

“Spellbound” is recommended!

 

Rebecca (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

While many feel that this Alfred Hitchcock film is more of a David O. Selznick film (since Hitchcock had to play by his producer’s strict rules), there is no denying that the psychological drama, “Rebecca”, is a fantastic film.  And because of it’s wonderful transfer on Blu-ray and that there are a number of solid special features included, there is no doubt that this Blu-ray release is the definitive version of “Rebecca” to own at this time and is highly recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2011 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Rebecca

FILM RELEASE: 1940

DURATION: 131 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 1:33:1 black and white, English Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, Subtitles: English SDH

COMPANY:MGM/20th Century fox

RATED: Not Rated

RELEASE DATE: January 24, 2012

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Based on the novel by Daphne Du Maurier

Screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood, Joan Harrison

Adaptation by Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan

Produced by David O. Selznick

Music by Franz Waxman

Cinematography by George Barnes

Edited by W. Donn Hayes

Art Direction by Lyle R. Wheeler

Starring:

Laurence Olivier as Maxim de Winter

Joan Fontaine as Mrs. de Winter

George Sanders as Jack Favell

Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers

Nigel Bruce as Major Giles Lacy

Reginald Denny as Frank Crawley

C. Aburey Smith as Colonel Julyan

Gladys Cooper as Beatrice Lacy

Florence Bates as Mrs. Van Hopper

For his first American film, Alfred Hitchcock teamed up with producer David O. Selznick (Gone With the Wind) to create a “spine-tingling” (LA Weekly) romantic thriller that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Based on Daphne Du Maurier’s timeless novel, this dark, atmospheric tale of fatal obsession features Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson, as well as a “haunting score by Franz Waxman” (Leonard Maltin).

After a whirlwind romance, mysterious widower Maxim de Winter (Olivier) brings his shy, young bride (Fontaine) home to his imposing estate, Manderley. But the new Mrs. de Winter finds her married life dominated by the sinister, almost spectral influence of Maxim’s late wife: the brilliant, ravishingly beautiful Rebecca, who, she suspects, still rules both Manderley and Maxim from beyond the grave!

British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock was in major demand after creating a string of film hits in the 1920′s and 1930′s such as “”The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog” The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1934), “The 39 Steps” (1935) and “The Lady Vanishes” (1938), there was no doubt that America would come knocking on his doors.

And the person from America to do that was producer David O. Selznick, known for producing “Anna Karenina” (1935), “A Tale of Two Cities” 1935), “A Star is Born” (1937), “Nothing Sacred” (1937) and “Intermezzo” (1939).  But Selznick was best known for producing the film “Gone with the Wind” in 1939 which earned him an Academy Award for “Best Picture”.

And Selznick was a person who knew that Hitchcock would probably be the man to direct for him another box office hit.  And thus signed Hitchcock to a seven-year contract and gave him the opportunity to move to the United States and make films in America.

The first film the two would collaborate on is a film adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” (who also wrote “Jamaica Inn” and “The Birds” which would go on to have film adaptations that Hitchcock would direct).  A novel that Hitchcock had tried to obtain the rights to but would no way be able to compete with Selznick, who would actually win the rights to the film.

But it’s a film that Alfred Hitchcock would be very much interested in directing but there was one catch, Hitchcock must stay faithful to the original novel.

Bare in mind, Alfred Hitchcock was a man who pioneered techniques for suspense and psychological thrillers but most importantly, a director who did things his own creative way.  While Selznick was a person who made sure that for his films, he had control and in this case, made sure that Hitchcock would make the film adaptation faithful to the original.

And the film adaptation would go on to win two Academy Awards out of 11 nominations including an award for “Best Picture” and would give Selznick his second Oscar.  But the film would also add strain to the relationships of both Hitchock and Selznick.

“Rebecca” would star Laurence Olivier (“Pride and Prejudice”, “49th Parallel”, “Henry V”, “Spartacus”), Joan Fontaine (“Suspicion”, “Ivanhoe”, “Letter from an Unknown Woman”) and Judith Anderson (“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, “Laura”) and the film would be introduced at the 1st Berlin International Film Festival in 1951.

The film begins with the following narration, “Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again”, to the images of a ruined country manor. She continues that she can never return to Manderley — as it no longer exists, except as a ruin.”

We are then taking to a scene in Monte Carlo as wealthy widower Maximilian de Winters (played by Laurence Olivier) is overlooking the sea on top of a cliff.  We then hear a scream from a young woman (note: no name is given for the young woman, played by Joan Fontaine) who tells him not to jump, but it appears that the young woman had misinterpreted what she saw.

We are then taken to an event for high society and the wealthy Edyth Van Hopper (played by Florence Bates) is accompanied by her assistant (who happens to be the young woman) as they meet the wealthy aristocrat Maximilian de Winter.

The following morning as the young woman is having breakfast, Maximilian de Winter joins her and from that moment on, the two begin to spend more and more time with each other.  Her boss, Ms. Hopper is becoming more upset because she is not at her home to attend to her, but the assistant tells her that she has been learning how to play tennis (but not telling her that she is learning from Mr. de Winter).

One day, the young woman overhears that Maximilian de Winter has been distraught since the death of his wife Rebecca, who had drowned in the ocean.

Meanwhile, when Edyth’s daughter is planning to get married, Edyth wants the young woman to join her and stay in New York, thus will sure to end her meetups with Mr. de Winter, and when she goes to tell him that she is leaving to New York, Maximilian can’t bare the thought of leaving her and thus, requests for the young woman to marry her in order for the two to be together and thus quitting her job with Ms. Van Hopper.

And thus, both Maximilian and the young woman are married and the two move back to Manderley, a country estate in South England. And Mrs. De Winter is shocked about how large the estate is.  Immediately, she is introduced to de Winter’s very large domestic staff including the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (played by Judith Anderson).

And while living at the mansion, Mrs. de Winter quickly learns that everyone at the estate loves Rebecca and many things throughout the house remind them of her.  While Mrs. De Winter would love to talk to Maximilian about his late wife, she feels that anything that reminds him of her, makes him distraught and thus, never brings her up.

As Maximilian goes off on a business trip, she is left behind at the mansion and while she makes friends with the staff, Mrs. Danvers starts to show her obsession with Rebecca, how Rebecca’s bedroom is kept like a shrine and while Mrs. de Winter tries to become friendly with the staff, Mrs. Danvers is cold to her and uses psychological tactics to make her think that everyone including Maximilian feels that Mrs. de Winter is trying to be Rebecca’s replacement and that she is trying be like her and it starts to play with Mrs. de Winters mind to the point that she feels the house may be haunted by Rebecca.

And immediately, even Mrs. de Winter starts to believe that Maxim may still be in love with Rebecca and that Rebecca is haunting the house.

But with Maximilian’s return from his business trip, Mrs. de Winter wants to make sure that she starts things off fresh by being a perfect wife and that means eliminating anything that reminds Maxim about his late wife out of the house and also to request for her husband to host a costume party.  And while she tries to decide what outfit to wear, Mrs. Danvers recommends Mrs. de Winter to wear a dress that Caroline de Winter, an ancestor who is featured in a painting inside the mansion, is wearing.

And when Mrs. de Winter reveals the costume to her husband, Maxim is livid and begins to scream at her to change her clothing.  Immediately, Mrs. de Winter feels as if Mrs. Danvers has lied and made her wear the outfit, knowing that Rebecca had once worn it before.  And when she confronts him, Mrs. Danvers tells her that Mrs. de Winter will never take Rebecca’s place and that Maxim will never love her like he did with Rebecca.  She then tries to convince Mrs. de Winter to take her life, but will she?

As Mrs. de Winter starts to mad with her feeling that she will never be loved by Maxim or accepted by anyone else because of the memory of Rebecca, will Mrs. de Winter end her life?

 

 

VIDEO:

“Rebecca” is presented in 1080p High Definition (full screen 1:33:1, black and white). For this 72-year-old film, the clarity and contrast is fantastic.

Black levels are deep, whites and grays are sharp and there is a fine layer of grain throughout the film.  While there are some frames that have scratches, compared to the original DVD release including the older Criterion Collection release, the clarity of this Blu-ray release is easily the best version of “Rebecca” I have seen thus far.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Rebecca” is presented in English monaural DTS-HD Master Audio (via a 2.0 mix).  The dialogue and music is crystal clear with no sign of hiss, click or crackle.

Subtitles are presented in English SDH.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Rebecca” comes with the following special features:

• Audio Commentary by Richard Schickel – A really in-depth audio commentary by Richard Schickel.
• Isolated Music and Effects Track – Watch “Rebecca” with only the music courtesy of composer Franz Waxman and the sound effects (no dialogue).
• The Making of Rebecca – (28:08) Presented in standard definition, this featurette goes into details about the challenges of making of the film and creative differences between Alfred Hitchcock and producer David O. Selznick who wanted the film to be faithful to the original novel.
• The Gothic World of Daphne DuMaurier – (19:02) Interviews with those who very familiar with Daphne DuMaurier’s work and her background.
• Screen Tests – (9:07) Featuring screen tests with Margaret Sullavan and Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier.
• Radio Plays – Featuring three audio plays: 1938 Campbell Playhouse (December 9, 1938) starring Orson Welles (1:59:35), 1941 Lux Radio play presented by Cecil B. Demille (February 3, 1941, 58:31) and a 1950 Lux Radio Theater audio play with Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier (1:00:22).
• Hitchcock Audio Interviews – Featuring audio interviews with Alfred Hitchcock by Peter Bogdanovich (4:20) and Francois Truffaut (9:15).
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:22) The original theatrical trailer for “Rebecca”.

“Rebecca” is a Hitchcock film that many people look at as a masterpiece.

A beloved film that has even stymied the director who is not sure why people loved the film, but possibly a film that Hitchcock will not look at in a positive light because he had to go by producer David O. Selznick’s rules of keeping faithful to the original novel and because of that, it’s one of the few films that is not a psychological thriller.

“Rebecca” has long been considered as a Gothic tale and a psychological/dramatic noir.  But as Alfred Hitchcock has told Francois Truffaut about the film in the book “Hitchcock”, “Well, it’s not a Hitchcock picture, it’s a novelette, really.  The story is old-fashioned there was a whole school of feminine literature at that period, and though I’m not against it, the fact that the story is lacking in humor.”

One can only fathom how different the film would be if Selznick had given Hitchcock the opportunity to make it is way.  But needless to say, the film would become a classic hit, a film that would earn Selznick a second Oscar and for Hitchcock, despite losing the “Best Director” category to John Ford’s “The Grapes of Wrath”,  but the film would pave the way for success for Hitchcock as he now had his residence in America and would go on to make more films in Hollywood and cement his status as being one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Sure, “Rebecca” is different from the Hitchcock film that many are used to watching.  It is a love story, about a woman who loves a man unconditionally but at the same time, without knowing his past and the circumstance that surrounded the death of “Rebecca”, she slowly goes insane as others Mrs. de Winter thinks everyone thinks that she is trying to be a replacement to Maximilian’s deceased wife.

What makes this film so artistic is how they manage to capture emotion, but also the wickedness of the character Mrs. Danvers.    She is sort of motionless and with the deviant look that she gives throughout the film, you can’t help but think that her character is quite creepy.

And while Laurence Olivier did a splendid job on his role, its the performance by Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson that actually captures your attention.  Joan Fontaine’s role of Mrs. De Winter is pure, naive but a loving woman who just wants to be close to her husband.  Not much is know about Maximilian’s relationship to Rebecca, but how the storyline is structured in making the viewer feel that he is in love and has a hard time forgetting about her, was rather intriguing, especially once you are hit with the twist that you simply never saw it coming.

But there is a brilliance in the way the film is shot as well, especially with the final shots of Mrs. Danvers and the fiery climax but while Hitchcock was restrained by producer David O. Selznick,  the film is still beloved.  But once again, one can only wonder how much different Hitchcock would have made this film if given the opportunity.  In the end, on paper, it may have benefited David O. Selznick but in the long run, “Rebecca” help pave the way for Hitchcock in creating his future masterpiece films in his oeuvre.

As for the Blu-ray release, I absolutely loved the transfer as the picture quality showed amazing detail and clarity not seen in the previous DVD’s and you get a good amount of special features, especially the addition of the radio plays which were fantastic!

Overall, while many people will have their own subjective opinion of what is the best Hitchcock film and whether or not “Rebecca” can be claimed as one of his best, especially when the producer was the person who called the shots, still one can’t deny that we are able to spot some of that Hitchcock brilliance in this film.

“Rebecca” is a fantastic film that any cineaste and Hitchcock fan will want to purchase for their cinema collection.  Highly recommended!

 

Vice Squad (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

“Vice Squad” may be one of Edward G. Robinson’s ’50s B-films but its one of this better ones that he had starred in.  An enjoyable docudrama on the day in the life of a captain of the LAPD.

Images courtesy of © 1953 Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DVD TITLE: Vice Squad

FILM RELEASE DATE: 1953

DURATION: 88 Minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Black and White (1:33:1), Monaural

COMPANY: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Twentieth Century Fox

RELEASE DATE: January 2012

Directed by Arnold Laven

Written by Lawrence Roman

Based on the novel “Harness Bull” by Leslie T. White

Produced by Arthur Gardner, Jules V. Levy, Sol Lesser

Music by Herschel Burke Gilbert

Cinematography by Joseph F. Biroc

Edited by Arthur H. Nadel

Art Direction by Carroll Clark

Set Decoration by Raymond Boltz Jr.

Costume Design by Raymond Boltz Jr.

Starring:

Edward G. Robinson as Capt. “Barnie” Barnaby

Paulette Goddard as Mona Ross

K.T. Stevens as Ginny

Porter Hall as Jack Hartrampf

Adam Williams as Marty Kusalich

Edward Binns as Al Barkis

Barry Kelley as Dwight Foreman

Jay Adler as Frankie Pierce

Harlan Warde as Det. Lacey

Mary Ellen Kay as Carol Lawson

Lee Van Cleef as Pete Monty

Lewis Martin as Police Lt. Ed Chisolm

Joan Vohs as Vickie Webb

Dan Riss as Lt. Bob Imlay

The life of a captain of detectives during the course of an ordinary day in the 1950s.

It was 1953 when Edward G. Robinson, known for his gangster roles in “Little Caesar”, “Key Largo” and star of hit films such as “Double Indemnity”, “The Stranger” and “The Ten Commandments” would appear in a detective film known as “Vice Squad”.

The film is a film adaptation of Leslie T. White’s “Harness Bull” and was directed by Arnold Laven (“The Rifleman”, “The Big Valley”, “Geronimo”) and written by Lawrence Roman (“A Kiss Before Dying”, “Under the Yum Yum Tree”.

Along with Robinson, the film would also feature actress Paulette Goddard, actress and Chaplin muse who starred in films such as “Modern Times”, “The Great Dictator”, “Second Chorus”, “Pot o’ Gold”.

The police drama follows the day in the life of Capt. Barnaby (played by Edward G. Robinson) and is shot almost in a docudrama style.

The film begins with two thieves known as Barkis & Monty are trying to break into a car, meanwhile at a building nearby, a well-respected funeral director named Jack Hartrampf (played by Porter Hall) is having a fun time (and having an affair) with a woman named Vicki Webb (played by Joan Vohs).  As he tries to leave the area without anyone seeing him, he sees a police officer Kellogg trying to arrest one of the car thieves, while one of them is hiding. The hiding thief shoots the police officer and the thieves leave with the stolen car.

As Kellogg screams for help, Jack comes to his aid and other police officers show up and see him next to the officer and arrest him.

The film then shifts to a police precinct as Capt. Barnaby comes to the office hearing that one of his officers is in the hospital and fighting for his life and we see how operations are going on at the office.  Throughout the day, we see see Capt. Barnaby busy and giving orders to his detectives.

One detective is interrogating Jack Hartrampf who is not cooperating until his lawyer arrives (and keeping quiet because his wife will find out that he has been with prostitutes), meanwhile a thug has information for the Capt. and tells him that two thieves that were released from prison are now out and their plans are to rob a bank.  So, Barnaby has his detectives look into it.

We also see Barnaby trying to help one woman who’s afraid that her mother is being swindled by a man, having to prepare for a televised news conference and also having to deal with the death of an officer, while maintaining his composure in front of the detectives.  But doing all that’s possible to catch them.

It is possible that the two thieves that shot the officer, may be the same people who may be robbing the bank.  Fortunately, Capt. Barnaby has a source to get information from the underground, via escort agency owner named Mona Ross (played by Paulette Goddard), who he hopes will give him information on these two thieves and find out where they may be.

MOD PLAYABILITY:

Part of the worry of viewers who had bad experiences with MOD DVD’s are the printing quality. There are some who can’t get them to play and are literally now just coasters.

With “Vice Squad”, its printed quite well with printing on top of the DVD, it’s not a plain silver disc with letters. If you didn’t know it was MOD, you would think it was an actual DVD release.

As for playability, I played it on my Blu-ray player and DVD player with no problems. I then played it on my Mac, no problems whatsoever.

VIDEO AND AUDIO:

As far as picture quality goes, the film has been manufactured using the best source available. The picture quality for “Vice Squad” is actually very good.  Black levels are nice and deep, white and gray levels and overall contrast is very good, I didn’t see damage or many white specks.  A good amount of grain.

As for audio, dialogue is clear and detected no pops or hissing during my viewing of “Vice Squad”.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There are no special features.

Edward G. Robinson called his ’50s films as mere B-films, but I have to say that “Vice Squad” was actually quite entertaining and required really good planning and pacing to keep the overall storyline fluid.

The film is a docudrama focusing on a normal day of Capt. Barnaby and because it shows him interacting with many people and it definitely required Barnaby to be in his top game as he would go from room to room and character to character and having to deal with different cases with different levels of emotion.

So, for me the many transitions was a positive, another positive was how many locations shots of Los Angeles during the early ’50s.  There are a good number of shots at various locations that I have driven through and no longer look the way it does in this film.  And for film buffs who always hunt for locations, there are actual sign posts on what streets they are at (ie. Santa Monica Blvd.).  And also because of that era, it was interesting to see officers using shotguns instead of pistols.

And last, another major plus for me as a cinema fan is seeing one of the last few films that Paulette Goddard had shot in her career.  But it’s also important to let viewers know that her role is quite short, despite her getting the top billing along with Robinson.  And speaking of talent, spaghetti western fans will probably be amused that actor Lee Van Cleef plays one of the thieves, Monty, who is one of the two thieves that is wanted in the film.

But for Edward G. Robinson fans, “Vice Squad” is one of the many B-films that he had starred in throughout the ’50s, but this film is one of the better titles.

As for this made on demand DVD, fans of this film will be happy to know that the video is in great shape.  No problems with video or audio whatsoever.

While I’m not sure why the film is called “Vice Squad” (since the film is not about narcotics, illegal sales of alcohol, gambling, etc.), I was quite entertained by this ’50s film.  Especially to see how far the LAPD would go in pursuing the killers (let’s just say that these officers don’t exactly play by the book).

Overall, if you enjoy ’50s police films or shows like “Dragnet”, definitely give “Vice Squad” a try!

 

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