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- Feb 8, 1999
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- Real Name
- Robert Harris
If one were a noir fan in 1944, and a new film entitled Double Indemnity was about to hit theatres, chances would have been that a brief perusal of the credits should have peaked one's interest.
A film directed by Billy Wilder, who had been responsible for Ninotchka and Ball of Fire, based upon a novel by James M. Cain (The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce), and with a screenplay by Wilder and novelist Raymond Chandler...
Seemed like a good use of one's time.
70 years later, Double Indemnity is considered prime noir, one of the greatest of its kind.
So it was with a bit of trepidation that I sampled Universal's new Blu-ray. Already in release in the UK, would it be the same transfer, cleaned up a bit, possibly beyond repair? Or might it be something new.
I couldn't be more pleased to discover the Universal stepped to the fore here, bettering the UK release, with a new 4k image harvest from an archival fine grain master.
Grain appears to have been left as it was -- free range, as it were.
Black levels, shadow detail, resolution, are all superb.
No need for a great many words.
Everyone knows the film. If not, grab this Blu-ray and remedy the situation. Then invite your insurance agent out to dinner.
Image - 5
Audio - 5
Highly Recommended.
Almost forgot. For fans of classic film scores, this one's by the great Miklos Rozsa.
RAH