Beat The Devil (1953) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

 

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I'll wait for a review. I don't like that movie nearly as much as I'd like to given the talent involved. Plus I don't feel the film deserves a BD release! It looks so low budget! Like Huston and Capote invited some Hollywood friends on a trip and shot home movies along the way!

Squire said:

I'll wait for a review. I don't like that movie nearly as much as I'd like to given the talent involved. Plus I don't feel the film deserves a BD release! It looks so low budget! Like Huston and Capote invited some Hollywood friends on a trip and shot home movies along the way!

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I'm the opposite, I feel just about every movie deserves a BD release, especially a film as good as this one. I do agree with you about waiting on a review as I don't trust this company releasing this title. Is this the new name for Film Chest?

Squire said:

I'll wait for a review. I don't like that movie nearly as much as I'd like to given the talent involved. Plus I don't feel the film deserves a BD release! It looks so low budget! Like Huston and Capote invited some Hollywood friends on a trip and shot home movies along the way!

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Back in the 1970's, Columbia Pictures' non-theatrical division distributed a stunning 35mm print of BEAT THE DEVIL which I saw in a number of repertory cinemas that completely transformed my preconceptions about the film formed from watching beat-up and exceedingly dupey 16mm PD prints. Seeing the film in a pristine 35mm print revealed that the photography was not rushed or haphazard at all, but rather very carefully lit and composed. In fact, I would say that this was one of the more beautiful examples of black and white photography that I had ever seen. In other words, the supposedly haphazard and slapdash acting style of the film seems to have been offset by "classical Hollywood lighting and compositions" in a manner that almost renders the images of the film a series of beautifully lit and composed quotation marks.


Now I am talking about the impression formed in my mind by seeing this film in 35mm. The evidence on the screen seemed to me to contradict all those stories about how chaotic and off the cuff making the film was, or in any case, Huston in collaboration with Oswald Morris was able to take what may have been akin to home movies and through composition and lighting transformed it into what for this viewer was quite memorable and amazing.


Unfortunately, I doubt if the so called "restoration" on this upcoming Blu will in any match by experience of seeing the film in the 1970's. All the same, I will wait for reviews.

Apparently the standard Film Detective DVD of Beat The Devil is getting some "best I've ever seen it look" reviews but apparently it's been mastered at 1.66 aspect ratio when 1.33 would be correct. I wonder if that will be corrected for the blu? I don't expect it to blow me away or have a really proper restoration but the film is a public domain orphan and chances are this is the best it's ever going to look (like their The Red House blu) unless Sony/Columbia decides to put their transfer out there. If they do, I'll upgrade but I'm pretty sure I'll be getting this disc.

Film Detective is a different branding of Film Chest. Both are operated by the same company. As such, expect the same old print we've seen a hundred times put through a cheap DNR filter to a clean, detail-less rehash.


Naturally reviewers will praise this as the "best" considering the garbage releases typical of PD bottomfeeders that reuse the same bootleg quality prints over and over.


However, I still think that this film has potential for a proper remaster, let alone a restoration--none of which I have seen for this film yet. Heck, if they just remastered the same old print in HD without the usual heavy DNR abuse, I might have been inclined to give this a shot. Bogey + Huston + Capote + its remaining cult status would pretty much ensure at least some interest in this title even for those that never saw it.


And widescreen? If so, definitely no sale.

One of the few Bogart films without a decent release until the dvd by the same company last year. As long as the Blu gets a decent review I will pick it up . Not a great movie but not as bad as some have said . Any movie with Bogart and Lorre directed by Huston is worth seeing .

Pity this film can't make an appearance outside of PD-land.

I seriously doubt the film needs any serious restorative efforts. A bit of dirt removal should do it for any legit pre-print element.

I was consulted by them last November and said BEAT THE DEVIL is 1.37:1. It began filming in January 1953.

and don't forget Stephen Sondheim was the "clapper boy".......no joke.

No interest from me, but am I right in thinking this is the film where Bogie had a car smash & knocked out some of his teeth (well, a lot of expensive bridge work). They sent off to America for a new bridge, but meanwhile, with the teeth missing, you couldn't understand what Bogart was saying, so...a very young Peter Sellers (a brilliant mimic) dubbed in some of the dialogue.

Billy Batson said:

No interest from me, but am I right in thinking this is the film where Bogie had a car smash & knocked out some of his teeth (well, a lot of expensive bridge work). They sent off to America for a new bridge, but meanwhile, with the teeth missing, you couldn't understand what Bogart was saying, so...a very young Peter Sellers (a brilliant mimic) dubbed in some of the dialogue.

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That's what's claimed in the trivia section of the IMDB listing for BTD so it's probably true, but some of those IMDB trivia claims are heresay or Hollywood tall tales.

I've seen the film a few times, certainly not my favorite bogart-huston collaboration but I am glad for those Bogart fans Who wanted to see a high-quality release of this movie.

Robert Harris said:

Pity this film can't make an appearance outside of PD-land.

I seriously doubt the film needs any serious restorative efforts. A bit of dirt removal should do it for any legit pre-print element.

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Sony/Columbia released this title on VHS and I think has some fairly good elements owing to Columbia's distribution of it. I'd love to see them come out on a high quality blu. This is one of my favorites.

JoeDoakes said:

Sony/Columbia released this title on VHS and I think has some fairly good elements owing to Columbia's distribution of it. I'd love to see them come out on a high quality blu. This is one of my favorites.

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That VHS tape did seem okay when I rented it back in the 80's. Would the good folks at Sony consider maybe poking around for it?

JoeDoakes said:

Sony/Columbia released this title on VHS and I think has some fairly good elements owing to Columbia's distribution of it. I'd love to see them come out on a high quality blu. This is one of my favorites.

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It was also released on laser disc. Sony/Columbia licensed their print to Image Entertainment if I remember correctly.

Those of us in who live in driving distance of Palo Alto, CA have a chance to see it in 35mm at The Stanford Theatre this month.

Just received the blu-ray and i did a comparison between it, the Laserlight dvd from 1999 and the TCM broadcast i recorded on to disc. Very disapointed with the Blu-ray which still looks like a vhs copy to me. Not sharp and kinda dull looking with some film damage so only a very small upgrade compared to the Laserlight and the TCM version. I guess the Film Detective had poor elements to the movie...just guessing but this could have been better for this great film.

The Film Detective Blu is acceptable, no more, no less. The AR is correct (1.37:1).

Also want to add that the "trailer" is not the original trailer but one made by The Film Detective. I think the worst looking blu-ray in my collection!!