274 Night and the City
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:27 pm
- Location: London, UK
274 Night and the City
Night and the City
Two-bit hustler Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) longs for a life of ease and plenty. Trailed by an inglorious history of go-nowhere schemes, he tries to hatch a lucrative plan with a famous wrestler. But there is no easy money in this underworld of shifting alliances, bottomless graft, and pummeled flesh—and Fabian soon learns the horrible price of his ambition. Luminously shot in the streets of London while Hollywood blacklisters back home were closing in on director Jules Dassin, Night and the City, also starring Gene Tierney, is film noir of the first order, and one of Dassin's crowning achievements.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Alternate presentation of the 101-minute British version of the film
• Audio commentary from 2005 with film scholar Glenn Erickson
• Interview with director Jules Dassin from 2005
• Excerpts from a 1972 televison interview with Dassin
• Comparison of the scores for the British and American versions of the film
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by film scholar Paul Arthur
Criterionforum.org user rating averages
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Two-bit hustler Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) longs for a life of ease and plenty. Trailed by an inglorious history of go-nowhere schemes, he tries to hatch a lucrative plan with a famous wrestler. But there is no easy money in this underworld of shifting alliances, bottomless graft, and pummeled flesh—and Fabian soon learns the horrible price of his ambition. Luminously shot in the streets of London while Hollywood blacklisters back home were closing in on director Jules Dassin, Night and the City, also starring Gene Tierney, is film noir of the first order, and one of Dassin's crowning achievements.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Alternate presentation of the 101-minute British version of the film
• Audio commentary from 2005 with film scholar Glenn Erickson
• Interview with director Jules Dassin from 2005
• Excerpts from a 1972 televison interview with Dassin
• Comparison of the scores for the British and American versions of the film
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by film scholar Paul Arthur
Criterionforum.org user rating averages
Feature currently disabled
Last edited by Narshty on Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- ola t
- They call us neo-cinephiles
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:51 am
- Location: Malmo, Sweden
- alandau
- Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 5:37 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
I have just re-examined the special features. By the way the cover art is superb. It captures the sense of alienation and despair that permeates the film.
- Audio commentary by Glenn Erickson, author of the Film Noir Reader essay on Night and the City
His commentary on Gun Crazy was excellent, and I do love Savant.
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
If it is like Pickup, then we are in for a treat. This film has great cinematography.
- Video interview with director Jules Dassin
- Excerpts from a 1972 French interview with Dassin
Ok, sounds good, but depends on the quality and the length on the interview. Remember, we had some great interviews and commentary by Fuller on Pickup for $29.99
- Excerpts from a BBC documentary about the Hollywood blacklist
The key word here is excerpts, so don't expect anything too deep. And I wasn't too impressed with a similar documentary on Spartacus. My expectations have dwindled.
- Original theatrical trailer
WOW, how exciting.
I think Criterion should have been kinder, and packaged both Dassin films together, and the $39.99 full retail is a bit steep, considering the price of the WB noir set and the Fox classics. And to pay the same for Thieves Highway. I am sure Criterion are pricing themselves out of the market.
- Audio commentary by Glenn Erickson, author of the Film Noir Reader essay on Night and the City
His commentary on Gun Crazy was excellent, and I do love Savant.
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
If it is like Pickup, then we are in for a treat. This film has great cinematography.
- Video interview with director Jules Dassin
- Excerpts from a 1972 French interview with Dassin
Ok, sounds good, but depends on the quality and the length on the interview. Remember, we had some great interviews and commentary by Fuller on Pickup for $29.99
- Excerpts from a BBC documentary about the Hollywood blacklist
The key word here is excerpts, so don't expect anything too deep. And I wasn't too impressed with a similar documentary on Spartacus. My expectations have dwindled.
- Original theatrical trailer
WOW, how exciting.
I think Criterion should have been kinder, and packaged both Dassin films together, and the $39.99 full retail is a bit steep, considering the price of the WB noir set and the Fox classics. And to pay the same for Thieves Highway. I am sure Criterion are pricing themselves out of the market.
- colinr0380
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
- Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
I think we're just getting spoilt: commentary plus two interviews, documentary and "more!" (especially if it's an alternative version of the film) is pretty generous, and far more than many of the older titles in the collection offer at that price. (Off the top of my head I can only think of three $29.99 titles that offer commentaries, and two of those are obvious special cases).alandau wrote:Think the $39.99 full retail is a bit steep , considering the price of the WB noir set and the Fox classics. And to pay the same for Thieves Highway. I am sure Criterion are pricing themselves out of the market.
We know Criterion prices itself at the top end of the market, and it's not realistic to compare this title with the WB noir box, which was pretty amazing value even by mainstream studio standards. By their own standards this looks to be a pretty solid package to me.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:06 pm
- Location: Athens
I could hardly disagree more. alandau was right on the money. Of course Criterion is unlikely to go out of business because of the consistent quality of their work all around. Comparing to the earlier releases doesnt make the newer ones more reasonable, it just makes the older ones less so.zedz wrote:I think we're just getting spoilt: commentary plus two interviews, documentary and "more!" (especially if it's an alternative version of the film) is pretty generous,
- cafeman
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:19 am
Especially since the WB Noir Box also contained a commentary by Savant.alandau wrote:- Audio commentary by Glenn Erickson, author of the Film Noir Reader essay on Night and the City
His commentary on Gun Crazy was excellent, and I do love Savant.
I think Criterion should have been kinder, and packaged both Dassin films together, and the $39.99 full retail is a bit steep, considering the price of the WB noir set and the Fox classics.
I`d like all three of them in a box, actually.alandau wrote:Still seems expensive for $39.99. I think Criterion should have been kinder, and packaged both Dassin films together.
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
And while we're at it, can we have all the Bergmans to date in a box for $19.95?
My point is that the amount of stuff we're getting on Night and the City seems completely in line with what we should expect from a 39.95 title (I mean, what more do you expect: a dozen deleted scenes with director commentary?) Comparing it with Pickup is not that useful, as that title is almost certainly the high-water mark for extras on a lower-tier title (and there was no commentary on that one, which seems to be the most reliable determiner of pricing levels). Most 29.95 titles have two or three extras at most.
If this is a general complaint about Criterion's overall pricing levels, maybe we should have a pricing grumbles thread like on the old forum? Mr Moderator?
My point is that the amount of stuff we're getting on Night and the City seems completely in line with what we should expect from a 39.95 title (I mean, what more do you expect: a dozen deleted scenes with director commentary?) Comparing it with Pickup is not that useful, as that title is almost certainly the high-water mark for extras on a lower-tier title (and there was no commentary on that one, which seems to be the most reliable determiner of pricing levels). Most 29.95 titles have two or three extras at most.
If this is a general complaint about Criterion's overall pricing levels, maybe we should have a pricing grumbles thread like on the old forum? Mr Moderator?
- Keaton
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 7:31 am
- Location: Wuppertal, Germany
I think this complains are somewhat stupid...when criterion drops the prices they could never hold their high standards. Before complaining about the prices, everyone should realize that if criterion would lower them, they would either drop to medicore "Kino-like" standards or would be forced to start release movies like Spider Man 2 or Dare Devil, in order to cope with the major studios income. With that in mind, I lookin forward to pay a bit more.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:06 pm
- Location: Athens
I am glad you are looking forward to even higher prices. I sure hope Criterion is listening. I just dont like to think of myself as "spoiled" because I cannot afford to pay their prices for 4-5 discs every month. The complains are not "stupid" but surely inappropriate for this thread. And of course it's all relative: if you can afford it, you think all those complaints are "stupid" and all comparisons are unnecessary. It is simply natural human selfcenteredness.
- bjeggert82
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:36 pm
- Location: www.deepfocusreview.com
- Contact:
- Ashirg
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
- Location: Atlanta
DVD Savant on his commentary:
Criterion just announced their disc of Jules Dassin's NIGHT AND THE CITY, which will reportedly have my second attempt at an audio commentary. This one has a lot more research put into it; even though I was chosen on the basis of a chapter I wrote about the movie in the first FILM NOIR READER, there was a lot about NIGHT AND THE CITY to be learned, such as the existence of a substantially different English version. Noir guru Alain Silver contributed a commentary to a second Dassin film being released at the same time, THIEVE'S HIGHWAY, and I'll be curious to see what he has to say about it.
- Steven H
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:30 pm
- Location: NC
back cover
It seems they've added "A Comparison of the Two Scores Recorded for the British and American Releases of the Film" which sounds Very interesting to me.
It seems they've added "A Comparison of the Two Scores Recorded for the British and American Releases of the Film" which sounds Very interesting to me.
- Brian Oblivious
- Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:38 pm
- Location: 'Frisco
- Contact:
I just saw this last night at the SF Film Noir Festival; it was a last minute add to the program. An absolutely gorgeous print that festival programmer Eddie Muller said was struck for a recent Dassin tribute in Greece. If the Criterion image is anything like this print, we will all be rejoicing in a week and a half.
The film itself is great, too. A perfect example of doomed noir complete with femme fatale, only set in London. Richard Widmark gives a magnetically frantic performance that I don't suppose I'll ever forget; he's like an overgrown child actor in this, which is perfect for his in-over-his-head character.
The film itself is great, too. A perfect example of doomed noir complete with femme fatale, only set in London. Richard Widmark gives a magnetically frantic performance that I don't suppose I'll ever forget; he's like an overgrown child actor in this, which is perfect for his in-over-his-head character.
- ben d banana
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:53 pm
- Location: Oh Where, Oh Where?
the film and this disc are indeed great, brian's description of widmark's performance is spot on (and i'm plenty jealous of his big screen viewing). the score/version comparison may create a desire for the inclusion of the entire us & uk editions, although it's pretty clear the over the top american one here is the movie for me. i don't know how much was cut out of the uk version to make up for the extra/different scenes, but it seems like viewers may have been clobbered into submission via reiteration. enjoyed the new and old dassin interviews as well. thieves' highway is definitely fun too
but if you have to choose (and i'm glad i didn't), the film and extras (i haven't made it to either commentary) would make this my recommendation.
SpoilerShow
even w/ the studio added, ridiculous, wink-free, happy ending,
- colinr0380
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
- Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK
- Fletch F. Fletch
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:54 pm
- Location: Provo, Utah
- ben d banana
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:53 pm
- Location: Oh Where, Oh Where?
yeah, the wrestling match actually had me on the edge of my seat. a wonderfully visceral film.
edit-duh, fletch just said "visceral". call me a moron or mr. echo, either will do.
edit-duh, fletch just said "visceral". call me a moron or mr. echo, either will do.
Last edited by ben d banana on Wed Feb 02, 2005 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:09 pm
- Location: here and there
Wow, what a fantastic film and transfer! I must respectfully disagree with dvdbeaver's rating this on a slightly lower rung transfer-wise; I think it's simply amazing that the film looks and sounds THIS much better than I've seen it before. Great care was taken with the sound, and Waxman's score makes a much greater impact this time around. The docu on the two versions of the film (and their different soundtracks) is wonderfully done -- perhaps that is my only caveat... I would have loved to have the complete UK version included on a 2nd disc. I wonder why it wasn't?