Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ Journey into Fear -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Any way you slice it, Norman Foster's 1943 Journey into Fear is a fiercely Welles production via his Mercury players.

Written by Joseph Cotten, from a novel by Eric Ambler, it's a short (68 minute) thrill ride across war torn Europe, with a cast of characters with which you'd not like to dine.

Shot in glistening black and white by the incomparable Karl Struss.

But the more experience I gain with RKO productions of this era, the questions always arises as to precisely how much of the art design, cutting, cinematography, etc is Welles, and how much is the RKO studio ethic?

Journey isn't up to Kane or Ambersons quality, but for those, (especially) with an interest in all things Welles, it's essential viewing, and a superb entertainment, herein released courtesy of Warner Archive.

Be forewarned, printer functions in this film are not short-cut. They're in the form of certain Warner Color productions, which means you're going to stick with dupes as long as need be - and longer.

Still a beautiful looking Blu-ray, with nice blacks, and commensurate grain.

Image

Forensic - 8

NSD - 9

Audio – DTS-HD MA 2.0 Monaural

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - Was this ever released domestically?

Worth your attention - 8

Slipcover rating - n/a

Highly Recommended

RAH



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[Dan McW]

As far as I know, there were no domestic DVDs of this film. The only official U.S. releases I've found were VHS tapes by RKO Video and then Turner Entertainment (the latter in their red, black, and gold "RKO Collection" series) and an Image laserdisc. There's an RKO Video tape on eBay that has a later Turner tape in it. Looking forward to watching the Blu. Great review, as always.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

I was able to buy a DVD of this from the UK (I think) some years ago. Looking to give the new disc a spin. Colonel Haki rules!

 

[Richard M S]

Journey Into Fear is another one of WarnerArchive's releases that, to me anyway, was unexpected and very welcome. I pre-ordered it.

I was hoping the longer, narration-free European version would be an extra - I missed MOMA's showing of it years ago - but of course it was not included. I hope it turns up somewhere.

 

[Dr. Lejos]

I’d been hoping for a blu-ray release of this film for a long, long time … seem to recall that Feltenstein, even during the pre-Blu-ray years at WAC, had indicated that they were searching for acceptable film elements for a suitable release … now here it is, finally, on blu.

As an almost lifelong Welles-aholic, JOURNEY has been on my radar for many, many years, beginning with a 16mm rental from Films Inc. (which was one of those old C&C TV prints, which could range poor to quite decent … fortunately FEAR was one of the better ones) … and in terms of image quality, remained the best I ever saw through its VHS, laserdisc (which I still have) and recorded-from-TCM-dvd-r evolution. My last look at it was that laserdisc more than a decade ago, which I actually quit watching prematurely cuz I NEEDED to see it upgraded to good quality dvd or, more desperately, hi-def blu-ray.

So now in 2024, my patience has been rewarded … and even through jaded eyes in the age of 4KUHD, I’m thoroughly satisfied with this new incarnation, obviously from the best original elements they could find.

I have an old RKO Classics theatrical catalog from the 1980s, which museums and revival theaters used to program their retrospectives for the likes of Welles, or Astaire-Rogers, or Val Lewton, or maybe even devote a month or so to all of the studio’s major output. They offered both 16 and 35mm prints for almost all of their circulating library, but a few, like JOURNEY INTO FEAR, were “16mm only”. And I can only assume that, again, they were utilizing old C&C TV copies which were created back in the 1950s. Wasn’t aware of an alternate European version as noted above, but certainly DO hope that it will eventually become available as well.

JOURNEY INTO FEAR probably isn’t a “great” film … not sure if its categorized a “B” film, but that’s how I’d consider it (seems very economical for “A Mercury Production”). And as such, may be the best B ever made. Gets off to an uncertain start, but once Welles makes his appearance, things get very interesting both plotwise and stylistically … by the halfway mark, you’re thoroughly hooked, and by the ledge-hanging climax, you’re yearning for a much longer film (its only 69 min … about the same as Wm. Castle’s WHEN STRANGERS MARRY, often cited among the best of the Bs … but of course Castle was no Welles (or Foster), even tho I like that little film very much as well!!

 

[Wayne Klein]

I had hoped e might get the slightly longer overseas version that I’ve heard about but never seen.

 

[Filmic]

I've never seen this in anything but fuzzy dupe type condition. I would doubt it has been seen in pristine condition for a long time. A very interesting quickie 'B' film trying to do much, but also gimmicky and theatrical in equal measure. Jack Moss steals the show, with an almost miscast Joseph Cotton, who acts as if stuck or trapped in a noir pastiche. Typical of the period in having one good reel of action at the end, which doesn’t compensate for much talking and prevarication leading up to that point. One idea, of the creepy protagonist intruding at the ending, is a good one, perhaps later much copied by the Bond films and others. Some good acting at times is not quite compensation for murky cloak and dagger dramatics.

 

[Stefan Andersson]

Description and discussion of the longer cut:

Alternate "Journey Into Fear" Edit - WELLESNET MESSAGE BOARD

Also:

'Journey Into Fear' arrives on Blu-ray in the U.S.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray contains the 68-minute edit of "Journey Into Fear."

www.wellesnet.com

JOURNEY INTO FEAR - Stefan Drossler presents a new version in San Francisco

The�European version has about five to eight minutes of completely different scenes than in the American release print. �� ��

www.wellesnet.com

Unknown Orson Welles at MoMA | Film Legacy

www.filmlegacy.net

 

[lionel59]

Description and discussion of the longer cut:

Alternate "Journey Into Fear" Edit - WELLESNET MESSAGE BOARD

Also:

'Journey Into Fear' arrives on Blu-ray in the U.S.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray contains the 68-minute edit of "Journey Into Fear."

www.wellesnet.com

JOURNEY INTO FEAR - Stefan Drossler presents a new version in San Francisco

The�European version has about five to eight minutes of completely different scenes than in the American release print. �� ��

www.wellesnet.com

Unknown Orson Welles at MoMA | Film Legacy

www.filmlegacy.net

Thanks very much for this. Very interesting

 

[Richard Kaufman]

How can this longer version be floating around for years without any kind of home video release?