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Warner announces Film Noir Classic Collection
From DVDTimes:
Warner Home Video have announced the Region 1 DVD release of The Film Noir Classic Collection for 27th July 2004. Five of the hardboiled genre's greatest hits featuring tough guys and femme fatales including Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Dick Powell, Robert Ryan and Marilyn Monroe, have been digitally remastered for their WHV DVD debuts. Available in both a five-disc set, for $49.92 SRP, or individually for $19.97 SRP, the DVDs feature commentaries from directors Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese and actor James Whitmore as well as other film noir experts Alain Silver, Jim Ursini and Glenn Erickson. The films... The Asphalt Jungle (1950) - Nominated for four Academy Awards® and long considered a noir classic, John Huston’s heist film about a million-dollar jewelry store burglary stars Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore and features an early appearance by Marilyn Monroe in just her seventh film. The DVD bonus material includes an introduction by John Huston, commentary by USC Cinema History professor Drew Casper with James Whitmore and the theatrical trailer. Murder, My Sweet (1944) - Starring Dick Powell and Claire Trevor, the film captures perfectly the sharp wit and style of Raymond Chandler’s novel Farewell, My Lovely, about a gumshoe Philip Marlowe searching for a missing moll named Velma. Renamed so American filmgoers wouldn’t mistake it as a Powell musical; it turned the actor’s career around, helping him to shun his choir-boy image. Edward Dmytryk directed. The DVD extra content includes commentary by film noir expert and Prime Suspects producer Alain Silver and the theatrical trailer. The Set-Up (1944) - Robert Wise directs noir icons Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter in the movie, set in boxing’s palooka world, about a down-on-his luck fighter who thinks he’s one bout away from the big payoff. The DVD bonus material includes commentary by Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese. Out Of The Past (1947) - Another definitive noir classic (remade in 1984 as “Against All Odds” with Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward) about a trio to reckon with – a troubled PI (Robert Mitchum), a drop-dead beauty (Jane Greer) and a moneyed mobster (Kirk Douglas). Mitchum plays Jeff Bailey, the private eye hired to find mobster Whit Sterling’s (Douglas) mistress Kathie (Greer) who had shot Whit and absconded with $40,000. The film winds up in Acapulco…where the luscious Kathie makes Jeff forget all about Sterling. The DVD extra content includes commentary by film noir expert Jim Ursini. Gun Crazy (1949) - Peggy Cummins and John Dall star in this cult favorite, shockingly dark and brutal for its time, directed by Joseph H. Lewis. A searing forerunner to Bonnie and Clyde, the film tells the story of a gun-obsessed twosome who meet at a carnival, run off to get married and then commit a string of daring robberies across the country. The screenplay was adapted by MacKinlay Kantor from his magazine article and was co-written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, credited under the name Millard Kaufman. The DVD bonus material includes commentary by film noir expert Glenn Erickson. |
I've always wanted to dabble in this genre, this is great news. I'll try to rent these discs to see if I dig this genre.
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Wow - this is great news! And the price for the 5-disc set makes it a no-brainer. As a commentary fanatic, I'm impressed!
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Dang, those are some good films. I half-expected the films to be lesser noirs that nobody has heard of, but four of those are on almost every list of definitive noirs I have seen (Set-Up being in the odd man out). Warner has had some great transfers in this series, and these films deserve it.
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includes commentary by film noir expert Glenn Erickson |
Fantastic news - the only one I haven't seen is Murder, My Sweet and the rest are treasures! :up:
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Murder My Sweet is one of the best noirs ever made. You are in for a treat.
Austin |
I believe I just wet myself.
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Definite must-buy the day it comes out.
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This will probably go for about $32 at Amazon with STL, so it will be an incredible bargain as well!
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-other-
Couldn't be happier. My wallet, on the other hand, is starting to stress. |
commentary by USC Cinema History professor Drew Casper Now when I wake up from a nightmare where I was late for my final, I can pop this baby in and have a complete nervous breakdown. And Glenn Erickson rules...I wonder why he didn't tell us sooner. |
:banana::banana::banana:
Excellent news! |
"The Asphalt Jungle (1950) " is the only title that I've ever heard of since I own the LD. "Gun Crazy" looks interesting, but the others don't interest me at all.
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Gun Crazy (1949) - Peggy Cummins and John Dall star in this cult favorite... The DVD bonus material includes commentary by film noir expert Glenn Erickson. |
Originally posted by Dragonslayer ...but the others don't interest me at all. |
Dragonslayer:
Be sure to give Out of the Past a try--simply one of the best films noirs ever made. This set is a must-own for me. A great (and well-priced) introduction to the genre for the uninitiated. That Warner has also included an audio commentary for each film really blows me away. |
I don't rent. And I have a bigger interest in 20th Century Fox Noir. Only so much $$$$.
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I'm so psyched for this as this is a genre I really want to beef up on in my collection. Any pics released of what he set looks like to get me even more amped up.
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Originally posted by kingtopher I believe I just wet myself. |
Great news!
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Can't wait for new snapper cases to add to my collection!
We heard that Fox was looking to put out a Noir collection this year, but it looks like WB beat them to the punch. No worries here - more noir to go around for everyone! Great news. And that low MSRP is awesome. |
Originally posted by PixyJunket I've always wanted to dabble in this genre, this is great news. I'll try to rent these discs to see if I dig this genre. http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=260301 And I can't believe that DVD Savant is doing a commentary. That's great news, but they should have asked me first. ;) |
Originally posted by Dragonslayer And I have a bigger interest in 20th Century Fox Noir. jim |
Here comes another Amazon STL order!...though, if I had my choice of USC profs, I'd have gone with Rick Jewell for these dvds, as he is the RKO expert (Drew would be better for MGM musicals, like The Band Wagon and/or a Seven Brides for Seven Brothers reissue.)
And as great news as this is, I'd have been even happier if WB had announced a Cagney gangster set. |
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