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Film Noir - LIST

#691
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9/4/07 at 6:45am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Otte
...Also, the commentaries add a lot of depth and extra dimension and I get a lot more out of them when I watch the 2nd time with the commentary. Even His Kind of Woman was interesting...

Right after I posted this note, I started watching "Lady" with the commentary on (Deepak: I usually don't have time to sit through an entire movie; I usually see 15-30 minutes here and there until I get through it - not the best way to appreciate a film, but usually it's my only option!). Anyway, James Ursini & Alain Silver share this one, and while it's interesting, I was slightly upset/amused about something.

During the first scene in the publisher's office, they discussed the long takes with almost no "cheats," and asked us to appreciate that particular scene with no cuts. At the precise moment they said it, there was a fast pan with a cut! Maybe they weren't watching that part of the film while recording their comments, but it was kind of funny. It's very rare that I notice something that the experts miss!

Doug
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#692
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9/4/07 at 5:20pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Richard:

I re-watched The Asphalt Jungle. Thanks for writing so passionately about it. I agree, the camera work is terrific as were the actor's performances.

I like the little intangibles that Huston puts in. Was it fate that two beat cops happen by the diner when the Doc and the cab driver stop for a bite to eat? Was it fate that put this larger than life young woman in the diner wanting to dance? Or foolishness to give a showstopper like the girl nickels for the jukebox, thus drawing attention to himself? After all, no dancing girl, no cops peeping in through the window. Then again, if he leaves when the cab driver wants to the police would probably still be watching the girl dancing and he would have gotten away. Instead, with irony that can't be missed, Doc tell the cabbie "plenty of time." You can tell that Doc mulls these things over when he is nabbed and even asks the cops how long they had been there, looking in.

Robert:

Perhaps the RKO library is in pretty bad shape and what we are seeing is the cream of the crop. I also note that MACAO looked in good shape as did HIS KIND OF WOMAN, at least to my eyes.
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#693
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9/4/07 at 6:08pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
You do realize this is an old RKO film and its been stated time after time that the film elements of RKO films are in terrible shape. Perhaps, this is the best they could do with it under these circumstances and budget limitations.

Sure I realize it. Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. I'm generally more than forgiving about varying quality in vintage films, but I effing LOVE this particular film, so naturally I was hoping for something closer to pristine (instead of the unfortunate opposite).
They're round, they're shiny...
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#694
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9/13/07 at 1:35pm
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Upcoming....

I just receiced email notice of this:
Film Noir: Five Classics From The Studio Vaults - (Scarlet Street - 1945, Contraband - 1940, Strange Impersonation - 1947, They Made Me a Fugitive - 1947 and The Hitch-Hiker - 1953) from Kino on November 20th - although a rehash of previous titles, it is a significant savings from buying them individually. I enjoyed all of them to varying degrees.
I've added to the DVDBeaver Calendar.

Best,
Gary

DVDBeaver.com - Eclectic Cinema and Digital Versatile Discs
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#695
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9/18/07 at 5:50am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Excerpt from the Q & A page at MoviesUnlimited:

Fuller’s on the radar screen from two different studios. Sony has his Columbia titles, which include the newspaper drama Scandal Sheet, Verboten!, and Underworld, U.S.A., plus some TV shows, and we’re likely to see a boxed set with cool extras in the future. Warner, meanwhile, has plans for 1962’s Merrill’s Marauders, a crackerjack war film with Jeff Chandler, for sometime in 2008.
Sing your worries away, smile, be kind and accentuate the positive!
DVD wish list: The Accused (48), Margie (46), I'll Get By (50), The Constant Nymph (43), The Voice of the Turtle (47), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (34), Her Twelve Men (54), The Lost Moment (47), I Walk Alone (48), The Glass...
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#696
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9/19/07 at 12:55pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Good news everybody -- The Lodger and Hangover Square are finally coming out -- but not as part of the film noir line.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DVD Times
Fox Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of a Fox Horror Classics box-set on 9th October 2007 priced at $26.98 SRP. Making their US DVD debuts are Hangover Square, The Lodger and The Undying Monster - all originally radio plays performed by Vincent Price they were subsequently brought to the silver screen by director John Brahm.

Two commentaries for Hangover Square, one for the Lodger, featurettes on Laird Cregar and John Brahm, and the Vincent Price radio plays for the first two movies.
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#697
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1/21/08 at 5:38am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Does anyone know if WHV is planning a fifth Noir set?
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#698
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1/21/08 at 9:19am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by rich_d
Agreed. There is much to be said for films that are uneven. One wonders what the film was like before they reshot much of it. TCM in their interview with Mitchum/Russell claimed that all the scenes with Raymond Burr were done post production. The first scenes with him were just flat add-ons. But the scenes at the end were intercut. I wonder what the end was originally planned without Burr i.e. did they use another actor or was their a different storyline?

The camera leading into the Mexican hotel by the pool and bar is a wonderful shot.

According to Richard Fleischer who was hired to do the re-shoots, he had planned to be on the film for 2 weeks of re-shoots and ended up being on it for 6 months. Apparently there isn't much if anything left of the original John Farrow directed film.

I agree, the shot leading into the Mexican resort is one of my favorite shots in movie history.
Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
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#699
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1/21/08 at 9:22am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
What's the status of BOOMERANG, does anyone know? Does Fox plan to release it after all sometime soon?

I know some copies got out before the recall. My Fox Noir Collection is painfully incomplete without it. I've been wanting to see it. Should I pay the high price or wait?

Boomerang shows as being for rent on Netflix, but it has a long wait availability.
Its at the top of my queue. I'll let you know if it shows up anytime soon.

Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
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#700
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1/21/08 at 9:29am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by rich_d
Perhaps the elements of that specific film (On Dangerous Ground) is in bad shape. However, I don't know if it is fair to generalize on RKO film elements. For example, I thought that the Val Lewton boxset of RKO films looked pretty darn good. And a film like CAT PEOPLE is ten years older than ON DANGEROUS GROUND.

Robert,

Has there really been a track record of sub-par RKO films?

In the last days of RKO, around 1957 or so, all of the original negatives of their complete film library were destroyed to recover the silver content. At the very best an RKO film at this point is going to be second generation. Many are 4 or 5 generations away from the original negatives. Honestly I think it's pretty amazing that RKO films look as good as they do.

Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
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#701
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1/21/08 at 9:48am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
In the last days of RKO, around 1957 or so, all of the original negatives of their complete film library were destroyed to recover the silver content. At the very best an RKO film at this point is going to be second generation. Many are 4 or 5 generations away from the original negatives. Honestly I think it's pretty amazing that RKO films look as good as they do.

Doug

Doug:

Thanks for that. I knew about a few films but was aware that it involved their whole library.
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#702
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1/21/08 at 10:24am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by rich_d
Doug:

Thanks for that. I knew about a few films but was aware that it involved their whole library.

Thats my understanding of the situation. The owners of RKO at that point, General Tire and Rubber Company, were just liquidating all of the assess to try and recover some of their investment. They seem to have been unaware that the films might be worth more than the elemental content of the nitrate and acetate strips.

Its funny how often you can go into an antique store or thrift store and find items with an RKO identifiable mark on them. Once at a gun show I saw a lot of about 20 lever action cowboy rifles that all had an RKO stamp on them.

As recently as last week at the Barrett Jackson auction, I saw 4 1k lights with a brass RKO plate on them.


Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
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#703
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1/21/08 at 11:50am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sergio A
Does anyone know if WHV is planning a fifth Noir set?

According to this article, they are going for 10 volumes so the answer is probably yes.

Old film noir finds the light in parade of DVDs

"I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me."

My 25 most wanted DVDs: Chilly Scenes Of Winter (1979); The Dead (1987); The African Queen (1951); Johnny Guitar (1954); The Sterile Cuckoo (1969); The Friends Of Eddie Coyle (1973); The Rain People (196...

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#704
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1/21/08 at 9:41pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Link to Noir City Sentinel, jan. 2008: http://tinyurl.com/you3fa
(tabloid on pdf-format)
The Film-Noir Foundation
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#705
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1/21/08 at 10:41pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by ted:r
According to this article, they are going for 10 volumes so the answer is probably yes.

Old film noir finds the light in parade of DVDs
Hopefully that means the remaining 6 volumes will be 10 films each, like volume 4.

I wish Warner and Fox would do more double features. You know, when they do an A film, it could include a B film that would've been shown on a double bill at around the same time.
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#706
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1/21/08 at 10:47pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deepak Shenoy
Universal has been getting some praise this year for starting to delve into their immense catalog of classic titles but I really hope they turn their attention to their unreleased film noir titles. While Warner, Fox (and now MGM) are putting quite a bit of effort into releasing even lesser known titles (given that they have already released all the essential titles), Universal is sitting on a whole bunch of film noir gems. Wouldn't it be nice if they followed Warner's example and released a box set of double features (but no DVD-18s or multi-disc digipak monstrosities please !). Here's just a small sampling of the unreleased titles

Accused, The (1948)
Alias Nick Beal (1949)
Blue Dahlia, The (1946)
Dark Mirror, The (1946)
File on Thelma Jordon, The (1950)
Glass Key, The (1942)
I Walk Alone (1948)
Ministry of Fear (1944)
Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948)
Phantom Lady (1944)
Sleeping City, The (1950)
Under The Gun (1950)

-D
Both THE BLUE DAHLIA and THE GLASS KEY have a R-2 release (2006)!
Unrestored however.
The Film-Noir Foundation
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#707
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1/22/08 at 6:34am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Multi-Region
Link to Noir City Sentinel, jan. 2008: http://tinyurl.com/you3fa
(tabloid on pdf-format)

The link came up with a 'document not found' error.
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#708
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1/30/08 at 12:30pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

I just wanted to let everybody know about the latest film noir releases I have found:

1. The Locket (1946) (Spain and Italy)
2. Desparate (1947) (Spain)
3. The Undercover Man (1949) (Spain)
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#709
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1/30/08 at 11:01pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Watching the Screen Actors Guild tribute to those we lost last year reminded me that Laraine Day was among those who passed. Immediately after the show I fired up my off-air recording of The Locket, and my wife watched it with me for her first time. We deserve a proper R1 release.
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#710
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1/31/08 at 5:56am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Glenn, I too watched The Locket the other night. Not because I was aware of Laraine Day's passing (thank you for telling us - may she RIP). A friend (Irina!) recommended it and I loved it - the flashbacks within flashbacks were a marvelous use of that plot device. I commented to her after that I was surprised that Hollywood hasn't copied the film (remade with Clooney, Affleck, Kidman and Sodaburger directing). It is a marvelous noir that, I agree, definitely deserves a decent NTSC release (I believe it's out in Spain now in one of those infariably weak transfers).
Best,
Gary

DVDBeaver.com - Eclectic Cinema and Digital Versatile Discs
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#711
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1/31/08 at 10:37am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Quote:
Originally Posted by Irina
I just wanted to let everybody know about the latest film noir releases I have found:

1. The Locket (1946) (Spain and Italy)
2. Desparate (1947) (Spain)
3. The Undercover Man (1949) (Spain)
Yep, found at dvdgo.com (R-2, € 7.49/US-$ 11.12 each), even some more, not available in other DVD-regions; the DVD-covers:

- Fritz Lang's Human Desire, 1954


- Anthony Mann's Desperate, 1947



- Walter Slezak's Cornered, 1945


- Joseph H. Lewis' The Undercover Man, 1949


- John Bram's The Locket, 1946


Robert
The Film-Noir Foundation
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#712
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1/31/08 at 11:11am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Human Desire has been available from Spain for some time. Cornered has also been released in Italy.

DVD - IBS - Missione di morte - Edward Dmytryk (It's a 2-DVD set: black and white and colorized versions).

Some interesting Italian film noir releases are The Fallen Sparrow, Las Vegas Story and They Won't Believe Me.

DVD - IBS - Il passo del carnefice - Richard Wallace

DVD - IBS - La città del piacere - Robert Stevenson

DVD - IBS - Nessuno mi crederà - Irving Pichel

Some other Spanish film noir releases that might be of interest are:

Stranger on the Third Floor - El Desconocido del Tercer Piso - Comprar películas DVDs en DVDgo, Venta tienda online: Estrenos, Ofertas, Novedades, Series TV,

Born to Be Bad - Nacida para el Mal - Comprar películas DVDs en DVDgo, Venta tienda online: Estrenos, Ofertas, Novedades, Series TV,
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#713
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1/31/08 at 11:42am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Correct Irina!
Though the best DVD of Human Desire (by far) is in the Columbia Tri-Star Japanese Noir boxset Volume 2 (I reviewed it HERE). It also has very good transfers (equivalent to Region 1) of The Big Heat, Gilda, Lady From Shanghai and Tight Spot (reviewed HERE).
Volume 1 contains In A Lonely Place 1950, Dead Reckoning 1947, Tokyo Joe 1949, The Harder They Fall 1956, and Knock On Any Door 1949 (reviewed HERE)
Cheers,

DVDBeaver.com - Eclectic Cinema and Digital Versatile Discs
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#714
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1/31/08 at 12:31pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Thanks Gary!

One other recent Spanish release - The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry:
Pesadilla - Comprar películas DVDs en DVDgo, Venta tienda online: Estrenos, Ofertas, Novedades, Series TV,

As far as I know, this title is not available commercially elsewhere.
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#715
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2/2/08 at 6:08am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Re: "Technicolor Film-Noir" Desert Fury (1947)

Still on Youtube the complete movie in 17 chapters (with a stunning Lizabeth Scott): husky voice.


Though, look forward to a DVD-release of this movie.
The Film-Noir Foundation
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#716
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2/2/08 at 11:22am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

I agree - Desert Fury is great and Lizabeth Scott in color needs to be seen to be believed!
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#717
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2/13/08 at 8:42pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

In April, VCI are coming out with more of their Forgotten Noir series (#'s 7, 8 and 9 - also bundled into one 9 film package - Collector's set #3). The dubious and debatable Noir films include - David Harding, Counterspy; Danger Zone, The Big Chase; Mr. District Attorney, Ringside; Hi-Jacked; Scotland Yard Inspector; Pier 23 and The Case of the Baby. I've put more info and the specific links on the DVDBeaver homepage if anyone is keen.
DVDBeaver.com - Eclectic Cinema and Digital Versatile Discs - DVD - all regions, reviews, comparisons, film
Best,
Gary

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#718
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2/14/08 at 2:29pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

Thank you, Gary!

As always, we can count on DVDBeaver for keeping us up to date.

Also, if anyone is interested, Autumn Leaves has been recently released in Spain.

It may not be a 'true' film noir but's it's on the list.
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#719
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2/14/08 at 7:34pm
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

I picked up the Spanish DVD of Fritz Lang's HUMAN DESIRE the other day.

Unfortunateley it's grainy hazy transfer is in quite a bad shape, also it's 1.85:1 letterboxed but not 16x9 enhanced.

I'd recommend to stay away from that DVD.

Is there any online vendor to purchase the Japanese Columbia set from...
...at a reasonable price?
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#720
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2/15/08 at 8:05am
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Re: Film Noir - LIST

... 'at a reasonable price' might be a problem. Many Japanese releases run at about $40US a DVD.

Human Desire is available as part of the 5-DVD Columbia Tri-Star Film Noir set and is about $144US a set at amazon.jp:
Amazon.co.jpF COLUMBIA TRISTAR FILM NOIR COLLECTION VOL.2: DVD: ƒŠƒ^EƒwƒCƒ[ƒX,ƒI[ƒ\ƒ“EƒEƒFƒ‹ƒY,ƒ`ƒƒ[ƒ‹ƒYEƒ”ƒBƒ_[,ƒtƒBƒ‹EƒJ[ƒ‹ƒ\ƒ“,ƒtƒŠƒbƒcEƒ‰ƒ“ƒO

If shipped to the US, the price (minus VAT) is about $138US plus $18US in shipping cost = $156.00US total.
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