Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Lady from Shanghai (redux) – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Kino is releasing another variant of The Lady from Shanghai, and if I'm remembering correctly, this release is the third of Lady on Blu-ray.

I've compared this to the 2015 Mill Creek release, which still looks very nice seven years later.

For those who merely desire to have a copy of the film, the Mill Creek should suffice, as the two appear to be derived from the same master element.

But for those who love the film, you'll probably want to upgrade to the new Kino for the simple reason that on average, the data throughput runs about 10 mb/s above the earlier disc.

While some scenes don't appear all that different, there are situations in which the added data does make a difference.

Everything else about the releases is similar, except three commentaries and additional extras.

Image – 4.25

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes

Upgrade from previous Blu-ray - Yes

Highly Recommended

RAH



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[OLDTIMER]

Film noir at its best! Thanks for the info, it means I can keep my Mill Creek.

 

[sbjork]

I'll take the new Kino as an upgrade. It's amazing what an improved bit rate over Mill Creek's excessive compression can do, even with the exact same master. Kino's Hudson Hawk is a noticeable improvement over Mill Creek's, and that's also the same master.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Worth pointing out this is a Sony 4K restoration. And while it's technically the "fourth" edition released in the US, worth looking at some history...

The initial Blu/DVD combo release by TCM Archives used an extremely poor encode that inexplicably turned the image into blocky mush and featured lossy audio. TCM Archives put out a "fixed" edition some time later (and from what I remember, requiring a new purchase) that swapped bad compression for black crush, but at least it was compressed well and had lossless audio. Carried over the extras from the 2000 Sony DVD, which included both an audio commentary and interview with Peter Bogdanovich; plus a piece by Eddie Mueller (noir fans know him) and a bunch of still image galleries, and the trailer.

Mill Creek released a bare-bones edition, but with a healthy encode and lossless sound the following year. Seems like this encode ended up on some multi-film collections, as well.

Indicator, based out of the UK, released their edition in 2017. This edition has a similarly excellent encode of the film with lossless audio, but brings back the Bogdanovich track and interview; plus the addition of a new interview with biographer/actor Simon Callow (who appears on many other Welles releases), a clip of Rita Hayworth from a 70s show, and a nice booklet containing essays and an excerpt from William Castle's memoir (he was an associate producer). While this is a region free release, it's off the radar of anyone who doesn't import.

Kino's edition seems to take the best of both worlds - plenty of supplements while matching the Mill Creek/Indicator encodes. Easy replacement if you have either TCM Archives or Mill Creek releases, but might not be as vital if you have Indicator's. The commentaries are enough for me to pick up another copy, not to mention the quite lovely packaging - the Indicator artwork is a bit uninspired compared to their usual fare.


Oh yeah, this is one of my top favorites from Welles. Has everything you could want from a noir. Most impressive is Welles' incredible accent, which would leave people new to his films assuming he must have been born and raised in Eire.

 

[jayembee]

Worth pointing out this is a Sony 4K restoration. And while it's technically the "fourth" edition released in the US, worth looking at some history...

The initial Blu/DVD combo release by TCM Archives used an extremely poor encode that inexplicably turned the image into blocky mush and featured lossy audio. TCM Archives put out a "fixed" edition some time later (and from what I remember, requiring a new purchase) that swapped bad compression for black crush, but at least it was compressed well and had lossless audio.

A new purchase wasn't required. The initial TCM release was, oddly, packaged in the DVD-sized keepcase, and came out in January 2014. When TCM released their "corrected" version that June -- in a regular BD keepcase -- they offered to replace the original release with the new one. You had to send in the old one (they provided a postage-free mailing label) to get the replacement.

The TCM Vault Collection released only four titles in Blu-ray. Aside from this title, two others were eventually released by other labels: Remember the Night (from Universal, and Indicator) and Only Angels Have Wings (from Criterion). The only holdout, their first Blu-ray release, was The Iron Petticoat, which otherwise only has a Spanish bootleg.

 

[Robert Harris]

Worth pointing out this is a Sony 4K restoration. And while it's technically the "fourth" edition released in the US, worth looking at some history...

The initial Blu/DVD combo release by TCM Archives used an extremely poor encode that inexplicably turned the image into blocky mush and featured lossy audio. TCM Archives put out a "fixed" edition some time later (and from what I remember, requiring a new purchase) that swapped bad compression for black crush, but at least it was compressed well and had lossless audio. Carried over the extras from the 2000 Sony DVD, which included both an audio commentary and interview with Peter Bogdanovich; plus a piece by Eddie Mueller (noir fans know him) and a bunch of still image galleries, and the trailer.

Mill Creek released a bare-bones edition, but with a healthy encode and lossless sound the following year. Seems like this encode ended up on some multi-film collections, as well.

Indicator, based out of the UK, released their edition in 2017. This edition has a similarly excellent encode of the film with lossless audio, but brings back the Bogdanovich track and interview; plus the addition of a new interview with biographer/actor Simon Callow (who appears on many other Welles releases), a clip of Rita Hayworth from a 70s show, and a nice booklet containing essays and an excerpt from William Castle's memoir (he was an associate producer). While this is a region free release, it's off the radar of anyone who doesn't import.

Kino's edition seems to take the best of both worlds - plenty of supplements while matching the Mill Creek/Indicator encodes. Easy replacement if you have either TCM Archives or Mill Creek releases, but might not be as vital if you have Indicator's. The commentaries are enough for me to pick up another copy, not to mention the quite lovely packaging - the Indicator artwork is a bit uninspired compared to their usual fare.


Oh yeah, this is one of my top favorites from Welles. Has everything you could want from a noir. Most impressive is Welles' incredible accent, which would leave people new to his films assuming he must have been born and raised in Eire.

Nicely appended. Thank you!

I thought there might have been an Edison release of this which pre-dated VHS, CED and laser, but possibly not.

The original TCM brought to mind the Korean bootleg of Napoleon - four hours of data on a DVD running at about 3 kb/s. There is occasional action and image between blocks.

 

[Henry Gondorff]

Another superb Everett Sloane performance:
"Killing you is killing myself. It's the same thing. But, you know, I'm pretty tired of both of us."

 

[cda1143]

Worth pointing out this is a Sony 4K restoration. And while it's technically the "fourth" edition released in the US, worth looking at some history...

...
Indicator, based out of the UK, released their edition in 2017. This edition has a similarly excellent encode of the film with lossless audio, but brings back the Bogdanovich track and interview; plus the addition of a new interview with biographer/actor Simon Callow (who appears on many other Welles releases), a clip of Rita Hayworth from a 70s show, and a nice booklet containing essays and an excerpt from William Castle's memoir (he was an associate producer). While this is a region free release, it's off the radar of anyone who doesn't import.

Kino's edition seems to take the best of both worlds - plenty of supplements while matching the Mill Creek/Indicator encodes. Easy replacement if you have either TCM Archives or Mill Creek releases, but might not be as vital if you have Indicator's. The commentaries are enough for me to pick up another copy,...

Thanks so much! Indicator seems to be the only edition with the Simon Callow feature. I haven't seen it. Any opinions? That disc is still available. I love Simon Callow. Am I going to have to buy two now?

 

[cda1143]

Worth pointing out this is a Sony 4K restoration. And while it's technically the "fourth" edition released in the US, worth looking at some history...

...

I've long wondered (not to the point of actually taking the time to compare) which of these three versions is on iTunes. Does anyone know?

 

[B-ROLL]

Thanks so much! Indicator seems to be the only edition with the Simon Callow feature. I haven't seen it. Any opinions? That disc is still available. I love Simon Callow. Am I going to have to buy two now?

I believe Powehouse/Indicator has the Plain Jane version (no booklet) on sale from the UK

I suspect AmoZon as well. I checked Deep Discount & ZaaviUS and they did not appear to have it, although they sell PH/Indicator titles.

I have the SE and the PQ was excellent and the special features as well.

 

[jayembee]

I believe Powehouse/Indicator has the Plain Jane version (no booklet) on sale from the UK

I suspect AmoZon as well. I checked Deep Discount & ZaaviUS and they did not appear to have it, although they sell PH/Indicator titles.

I have the SE and the PQ was excellent and the special features as well.

The Special Edition went OOP almost 3 years ago. The only way you'll get a copy of that is likely Amazon Marketplace or eBay.

 

[cda1143]

I believe Powehouse/Indicator has the Plain Jane version (no booklet) on sale from the UK

View attachment 170944

I suspect AmoZon as well. I checked Deep Discount & ZaaviUS and they did not appear to have it, although they sell PH/Indicator titles.

I have the SE and the PQ was excellent and the special features as well.

Yes this booklet free version is available from Rarewaves -either directly or via Amazon UK.

 

[Mark VH]

Another superb Everett Sloane performance:
"Killing you is killing myself. It's the same thing. But, you know, I'm pretty tired of both of us."

"Everett Sloane. He was good."

(if anybody gets this reference I'll be deeply impressed)

 

[JoshZ]

"Everett Sloane. He was good."

(if anybody gets this reference I'll be deeply impressed)

Google makes that pretty easy.

"Pier Angeli, 1971 or '72, also pills. Donald "Red" Barry, shot himself in 1980. Charles Boyer, 1978, pills again. Charles Butterworth, 1946, I think. In a car. Supposedly, it was an accident, but, you know, he was distraught. Dorothy Dandridge, pills, 1965. Albert Dekker, 1968. He hung himself. He wrote his suicide note in lipstick on his stomach. William Inge, carbon monoxide, 1973. Carole Landis, pills again. I forget when. George Reeves, "Superman" on TV, shot himself. Jean Seberg, pills, of course, 1979. Everett Sloane - he was good - pills. Margaret Sullavan, pills. Lupe Velez, a lot of pills. Gig Young, he shot himself and his wife in 1978. There are tons more."

 

[Mark VH]

Google makes that pretty easy.

"Pier Angeli, 1971 or '72, also pills. Donald "Red" Barry, shot himself in 1980. Charles Boyer, 1978, pills again. Charles Butterworth, 1946, I think. In a car. Supposedly, it was an accident, but, you know, he was distraught. Dorothy Dandridge, pills, 1965. Albert Dekker, 1968. He hung himself. He wrote his suicide note in lipstick on his stomach. William Inge, carbon monoxide, 1973. Carole Landis, pills again. I forget when. George Reeves, "Superman" on TV, shot himself. Jean Seberg, pills, of course, 1979. Everett Sloane - he was good - pills. Margaret Sullavan, pills. Lupe Velez, a lot of pills. Gig Young, he shot himself and his wife in 1978. There are tons more."

"You did them alphabetically."

"That's just how my brain works."

 

[Josh Steinberg]

(if anybody gets this reference I'll be deeply impressed)

All time top five list film for me.

 

[PaulRossen]

A Wonder no one has referenced where this came from…

 

[cda1143]

Indicator arrived yesterday, and Kino today. I now have all four.

Help me before I purchase again.

 

[CC95]

The fact that this is a Sony 4K restoration makes me reticent to buy- as there may be an actual 4K release coming since they already have the scan. Arrow has already burned me on a few titles where they released a deluxe edition from a 4K scan-only to release the identical package a year later with the actual 4K edition.
(Robocop, True Romance).

 

[aPhil]

Has everything you could want from a noir. Most impressive is Welles' incredible accent, which would leave people new to his films assuming he must have been born and raised in Eire.

Having the Mill Creek and the all region Indicator Blu-rays, I'll say that the above is the only place I disagree — I think Welles sounds a bit vain and pretentious with the accent. Never once do I buy it. I like the film, but that accent - - Ugh!