Warner Film Noir Collections
- Finch
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Edinburgh, UK
Re: Film Noir Collections
If you get something out of the other four, good for you. I'd have preferred at the very least an alternative sales model to the set as it is, i.e. individual double-bills as they've done two, three years ago, or split the set into two. I certainly didn't mean to suggest just because I didn't like the lesser known titles that they shouldn't have been included or that they wouldn't be worthwhile to others. I was open to being pleasantly surprised but only Armoured Car Robbery delivered in that respect for me.
- Yojimbo
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Ireland
Re: Film Noir Collections
Just watched 'For A Few Dollars More' last night, for the first time in at least 10 yearsMr Finch wrote:I've only ever seen The Good, The Bad & The Ugly but an intriguing bit of trivia nevertheless!broadwayrock wrote:Did you notice how Sergio Leone used that confrontation scene towards the end as a template for his Dollars Trilogy duels?
(and afterwards listened to Christopher Frayling's typically insightful commentary).
Although 'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly' is probably the greater 'accomplishment', I still prefer 'For A Few Dollars More'; just that bit leaner, I think, and although its the first truly mature work of its director, he also wasn't afraid to fill the film with exciting directorial 'flourishes'.
(and now I gotta check out Henry King's 'The Bravados', which apparently was one of the inspirations for the story)
As for the latest Warners noir set: I was more reluctant to purchase than any other noir set, but I'm still hopeful of finding at least one 'gem', and even revising upwards some that I wasn't previously over-enthused about.
- Finch
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Edinburgh, UK
Re: Film Noir Collections
As far as expectations go, I was perhaps most disappointed with Desperate though this is not to say that it is a very solid film and still superior (unfortunately) to half the other titles. None of the 8 films strikes me as genuinely great although Cornered comes close, and Armoured Car Robbery was very strong also. Phenix City Story has an awful prologue and it's perhaps a bit too blunt in its black-and-white characterisation but it's one of the darkest and most atmospheric films in the set, and its violence is still shocking today.
- Sloper
- Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 10:06 pm
Re: Film Noir Collections
I love Cornered, and although it's far from a perfect film I've never really been struck by any clumsiness in the structure - as in D.O.A., I'm always too caught up in the frenzied, relentless journey of the protagonist, an archetypal 'man with nothing to lose', to bother analysing whether the whole thing makes sense or not. And I adore Walter Slezak in this!
Crossfire, on the other hand, just never quite pulled me in, perhaps because of the 'tokenness' of the leads, as David put it. (I do agree it's the small parts that make the film special, Paul Kelly most of all.)
Crossfire, on the other hand, just never quite pulled me in, perhaps because of the 'tokenness' of the leads, as David put it. (I do agree it's the small parts that make the film special, Paul Kelly most of all.)
- Yojimbo
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Ireland
Re: Film Noir Collections
I was surprised by how good 'Crossfire' is, when I re-watched it about 6 months ago; for the first time in about 20 years.david hare wrote:Yes, Paul Kelly, Gloria Grahame, Sam Levene as the Jew/homosexual and George Cooper as the "lost" boy. Ryan's just superb in this of course -the first of his three great complex gay characters, followed by Sandy in the Fuller and Claggart in Billy Budd.
Mine is a distinctly minority opinion on Crossfire, I realize.
I was expecting a very dated, and overly talky film, but, aside from Ryan's dominating performance, I thought it excitingly paced, and the tension was well-maintained throughout.
In fact it was largely my positive revision of it that has caused me to give 'Cornered' another look, because I was definitely underwhelmed by it
(and then of course I was pleasantly surprised by 'The Sniper', and that inspired final frame)
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- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 5:54 pm
Re: Film Noir Collections
I also thought Crossfire was a very solid piece, but I can understand how some don't see it the same way.
I'm a bit surprised at how popular Cornered seems to be, probably because I had never heard of it, but I did find it a very enjoyable, with its memorable suspects and excellent finale. Parts of it might be too slow paced for some, given that its more of a mystery than a straight crime-noir.
I'm a bit surprised at how popular Cornered seems to be, probably because I had never heard of it, but I did find it a very enjoyable, with its memorable suspects and excellent finale. Parts of it might be too slow paced for some, given that its more of a mystery than a straight crime-noir.
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- Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:31 am
- Location: Somerset, England
Re: Film Noir Collections
DVD Talk review of Volume 5 is rather lukewarm about most of the films - "not an out-and-out winner among them," "very little to distinguish Cornered" and The Phenix City Story dismissed as "boring to watch", although the set is still "Recommended". Judging from the Final Thoughts, this reviewer's preferred films are Crime in the Streets, Dial 1119, and Deadline at Dawn.
- Yojimbo
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Ireland
Re: Film Noir Collections
'Crime In The Streets' is definitely not one of the films I need to revisit: its dull and worthy, Period.Jonathan S wrote:DVD Talk review of Volume 5 is rather lukewarm about most of the actual films - "not and out-and-out winner among them," "very little to distinguish Cornered" and The Phenix City Story dismissed as "boring to watch", although the set is still "Recommended". Judging from the Final Thoughts, this reviewer's preferred films are Crime in the Streets, Dial 1119, and Deadline at Dawn.
(and thats speaking as a big fan of Siegel's 50's output)
So that reviewer immediately blew whatever credibility he might have had.
- Ashirg
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
- Location: Atlanta
Re: Film Noir Collections
DVD Savant is still my reviewer of choice at DVD Talk (not for technical qualities, but for movies themselves), but he also gave thumbs up to Crime In The Streets, so some people must be questioning his credibility as well. (I haven't seen it myself yet, so I don't have an opinion about this film).
- Yojimbo
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Ireland
Re: Film Noir Collections
He's usually quite good; and his commentaries are quite enjoyable.Ashirg wrote:DVD Savant is still my reviewer of choice at DVD Talk (not for technical qualities, but for movies themselves), but he also gave thumbs up to Crime In The Streets, so some people must be questioning his credibility as well. (I haven't seen it myself yet, so I don't have an opinion about this film).
Ah well,.....even Homer nods!
- Finch
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Edinburgh, UK
Re: Film Noir Collections
I like Savant as well but I'm surprised too at his championing of Dial 9111, Deadline at Dawn and especially Crime in the Streets. Not Siegel's finest hour (ahem). If anyone wants to get Cornered and Armoured Car Robbery without paying for the other titles, they're available in Spain (they may well have forced Spanish subs though). Starcafe is a good etailer.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: Film Noir Collections
From the Volume 4 set, I'm having playback problems with the Illegal/The Big Steal disc.
If I try to play "Illegal" it's fine. But if I try to play "The Big Steal" the screen freezes, and errors occur. I've tried a few players and they all have problems. Anyone else?
If I try to play "Illegal" it's fine. But if I try to play "The Big Steal" the screen freezes, and errors occur. I've tried a few players and they all have problems. Anyone else?
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Film Noir Collections
I watched the disc last year and I believe the same thing happened to me initially, but then it worked fine on another player.
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- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:54 pm
Re: Film Noir Collections
By pure random chance, I just got around to watching The Big Steal within the last week. I didn't have any problems when I played it.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: Film Noir Collections
So what's the reason for Volume 2 being out of print?
- hearthesilence
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
- Location: NYC
Re: Film Noir Collections
A sordid but true story, the style reflects that. Nothing boring about it at all, I thought it was excellent.Jonathan S wrote:DVD Talk review of Volume 5 is rather lukewarm about most of the films - ...The Phenix City Story dismissed as "boring to watch", although the set is still "Recommended".
It was one of Jonathan Rosenbaum's 100 "alternative" American films in response to the AFI 100, and he seemed partial to it for its portrayal of the South, where Rosenbaum also grew up.
"Phil Karlson’s noirish 1955 docudrama about organized crime is authentically seedy, shot in Alabama with adept use of many locals and an unusual candor about racist violence." Rosenbaum writes more here.
- What A Disgrace
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:34 pm
- Contact:
Re: Film Noir Collections
Phenix City Story is probably the single best film in the entire series of Warner Film Noir sets. The DVDTalk reviewer should probably stop masturbating immediately prior to watching movies.
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Film Noir Collections
I was about to say the same thing (well, your first sentence anyway), until I remembered about Out of the Past.
- hearthesilence
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
- Location: NYC
Re: Film Noir Collections
FWIW, I saw Elmer Gantry for the first time the other night, and it was great to see Edward Andrews and John McIntire sharing a scene or two. I think the first time I really noticed those two actors was in Phenix City Story - their roles in that film may very well be their best film performances.
- Cash Flagg
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:15 pm
Re: Film Noir Collections
Apologies for the bump, but what does Cathy O'Donnell silently mouth at 101:55 of They Live By Night, after watching Granger speed off?
- Jean-Luc Garbo
- Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:55 am
- Contact:
Re: Film Noir Collections
This is really weird as both boxes were available last week, but volumes two and three aren't available in the WBshop anymore. Are they OOP now or can we expect a reprint?
- fdm
- Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:25 pm
Re: Film Noir Collections
Volume 2 has been out of print for quite some time (years), I thought. 3 seems to be in stock at Amazon.Jean-Luc Garbo wrote:This is really weird as both boxes were available last week, but volumes two and three aren't available in the WBshop anymore. Are they OOP now or can we expect a reprint?
Seems like (TCM exclusive) Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics III is not available at the moment as well.
- Ovader
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:56 am
- Location: Canada
Re: Film Noir Collections
The Warner Film Noir Classic Collection Volume 2 seems to be back in print on Amazon.ca. Of course earlier today I paid a higher priced new edition on eBay thinking it was OOP over the past few years.
- Ovader
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:56 am
- Location: Canada
Re: Warner Film Noir Collections
The Volume 4 set is OOP? If so then damn I missed it while available.
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- Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:05 am
Re: Warner Film Noir Collections
Does anyone know if the documentary "Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light" that was included as an extra disk in the 6-discs Warner Film Noir Classic Collection Vol. 3 has been included on any subsequent release? Perhaps on one of the Criterion Warner sourced noirs?
I'd like to get the docu, but not that keen on buying this OOP set.
Thanks
I'd like to get the docu, but not that keen on buying this OOP set.
Thanks