What's new

A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Big Heat -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

Archivist
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 8, 1999
Messages
18,311
Real Name
Robert Harris
There are times when you know a film very well.

You get a copy on DVD, and can just feel how great it would look on Blu-ray, but you just know that isn't going to happen.

That's precisely what did happened with the new Twilight Time release of Fritz Lang's The Big Heat.

While this is getting into the late noir period (1953), it's prime Lang and prime Lang.

That would be Fritz directing, and Charles behind the camera. If the name Charles Lang doesn't sound familiar, and it may not, a quick look at his CV tells the following story.

Started behind the camera in 1923, and took the lead as cinematographer three years later.

What films did he shoot that you might recognize?

A Farewell to Arms, Devi land the Deep, She Done Him Wrong, Death Takes a Holiday, Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Peter Ibbetson, Desire, The Uninvited, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, It Should Happen to You, Sabina, The Long Gray Line, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Some Like It Hot, The Magnificent Seven, One-Eyed Jacks, How the West Was Won, Charade, Wait Until Dark, et al...

All of which means that The Big Heat should look good.

It looks extraordinary.

Rich, black blacks, perfect shadow detail, great grain structure. It's all there.

Audio is uncompressed mono and fine. It was rumored that the original mix was three-track stereo, which does not survive, but I've not been able to confirm that fact.

The Big Heat is true, heavy-hitting film noir, and one of Fritz Lang's best films.

As an aside, so that it need not be asked...

Yes. Jocelyn Brando was Marlon's older sister.

A gorgeous Blu-ray.

Highly Recommended.

RAH
 

Rob_Ray

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2004
Messages
2,141
Location
Southern California
Real Name
Rob Ray
Glad to hear the good news. Comparing the old DVD with the even older laserdisc I was disappointed at how muffled and compressed the audio was on the DVD with all the high-end lopped off in an attempt to eliminate noise.
As regards Mr. Charles Lang - that's quite an impressive and varied resume. I recall Peter Ibbetson in particular having some nice camerawork in its very unusual story.
 

TonyD

Who do we think I am?
Ambassador
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 1, 1999
Messages
24,241
Location
Gulf Coast
Real Name
Tony D.
Good to hear.
This and an autographed Journey will be in my house in a week or so.
 
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
44
Real Name
Wilbur Post
Thanks, Robert. Great news indeed. I love every little thing about The Big Heat and it will be my first Blu from Twilight Time. I pre-ordered it and added a copy of Bite the Bullet on your recommendation:)
 

Ed Lachmann

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
1,733
Real Name
Edmund Lachmann
A must buy for me, too. I felt the same excitement over the Kino SCARLET STREET which we watched and so enjoyed last night. Two later Lang masterpieces in wonderful BD releases. I doesn't get better than this.
 

Charles Smith

Extremely Talented Member
Supporter
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
5,984
Location
Nor'east
Real Name
Charles Smith
Boy does this ever sound fantastic. Can I say how really glad I am now that I pre-ordered it? This and "Journey" have become quite the pair to arrange special evenings of watching around.
 

Craig Beam

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2000
Messages
2,181
Location
Pacific NW
Real Name
CraB
Can't wait for my copy to arrive.... I watched my Kino DVD of Scarlet Street the other night in anticipation (yeah, I still haven't picked up the blu-ray yet).
 

Bob Furmanek

Insider
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
Messages
6,708
Real Name
Bob
It was rumored that the original mix was three-track stereo, which does not survive, but I've not been able to confirm that fact.
While 26 Columbia stereophonic titles are announced in a June 6, 1953 trade ad (including The BIG HEAT) the only confirmed and documented stereo releases from 1953/54 are:
5,000 Fingers of Dr. T
The Caine Mutiny
Fort Ti
From Here to Eternity
Gun Fury
It Should Happen To You
Let's Do It Again
Miss Sadie Thompson
The Stranger Wore a Gun
THE BIG HEAT was in production from March 17 through April 18 and would have been recorded in 35mm full coat mono. However, in the August 1953 issue of "International Sound Technician," it's being dubbed with three mixers, one service recorder and one machine operator. At the same time, Columbia was dubbing FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and GUN FURY with three mixers per film.
As a comparison, THE STRANGER WORE A GUN (which was recorded in 35mm magnetic three track on location in Lone Pine and Chatsworth with a crew of eight including three boom operators) had three mixers, one service recorder and three machine operators.
When advertised in the trades on September 16 and October 17, there is no mention of stereo.
18c6fb32_8e279ca1.jpeg

b7b50adf_30bf2c65.jpeg
 

Bob Furmanek

Insider
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
Messages
6,708
Real Name
Bob
One correction to my original text.
When the film wrapped on April 18, Columbia was already recording onto 35mm magnetic three track on the MISS SADIE THOMPSON shoot in Hawaii.
It's very likely the scoring for THE BIG HEAT was done in three track. When the three mixers were working on the dubbing in August, they would most likely have had three channels of music, mono dialogue and effects to work with.
 

Bob Furmanek

Insider
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
Messages
6,708
Real Name
Bob
Before anyone asks, those stereo tracks are LONG gone. Even as early as March 1954, Columbia was no longer making those separate magnetic tracks from the previous year available to exhibitors.
In contrast, Paramount, Universal-International, MGM and Warner Bros. still had their mag full-coats available for booking at that time.
 

bgart13

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 4, 2008
Messages
1,112
Real Name
Ben
It's so nice to be getting so much Fritz Lang in high definition these days. I hope MAN HUNT is released soon in HD, what a great movie. Looking forward to DAS TESTAMENT DES DR. MABUSE later this year too. Thanks, Robert.
 

Charles Smith

Extremely Talented Member
Supporter
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
5,984
Location
Nor'east
Real Name
Charles Smith
Tonight's double feature was two new acquisitions, The Big Heat and Pillow Talk. Had never seen this one, and boy is it a winner.

Along with all the other elements, I was very taken with the mid-century-ish but still noir-ish design, and it was amusing to follow that up with the hyper mid-century Ross Hunter extravaganza treatment of the second film.

The overall quality of discs like these is what movie collecting is all about.
 

Yorkshire

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 22, 2009
Messages
1,390
Real Name
Steve
Finally got round to watching this new Blu-ray in full last night.

WOW!

Even on my 43" plasma (as opposed to my projector) you could tell just how special this looked.

Steve W
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,810
Messages
5,123,550
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top