Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (6 Viewers)

[Scott Merryfield]

His Kind of Woman, a very wacky adventure-thriller. Not quite noir in my book, but as Eddie said, it's such a mix of so many genres that it's hard to classify it. Howard Hughes may have been enchanted with Vincent Price's character, but I found him tiresome in the end. The Mitchum-against-the-world story was all that interested me. Eddie's comments were, as always, illuminating. I wonder who the actor was who filmed the scenes that Raymond Burr inevitably filmed?

I watched this yesterday via the TCM app. “Wacky” is certainly an apt description of this film. Probably the only noir / comedy / swashbuckler / musical out there. Howard Hughes sure was one odd duck.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched this yesterday via the TCM app. “Wacky” is certainly an apt description of this film. Probably the only noir / comedy / swashbuckler / musical out there. Howard Hughes sure was one odd duck.

Too many airplane crashes, but he was strange before them.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think Eddie spent too much time talking about the original film producers and not enough time on the final cast. I enjoyed the audio commentary as it was very informative. The film isn't film noir as it has too much humor in it and is not dark enough overall. Lucille Ball looked really good in this film and I loved her film interactions with George Zucco.

 

[Matt Hough]

I think Eddie spent too much time talking about the original film producers and not enough time on the final cast. I enjoyed the audio commentary as it was very informative. The film isn't film noir as it has too much humor in it and is not dark enough overall. Lucille Ball looked really good in this film and I loved her film interactions with George Zucco.

Yeah, in many ways, George Zucco stole the show with this really endearing performance.

I enjoyed the film, but Sirk committed a fatal error early-on in terms of the film's mystery element by showing us, ever so briefly, the silhouette of the killer. Just a glance identified for me immediately who the murderer was going to be having just read the cast list in the main titles (even though to the screenwriter's and director's credit, it is carefully obscured in the rest of the movie until it's finally revealed). So, since I knew who the killer was, I got the majority of my entertainment value from Lucy's several escapades and the grand assortment of superb Hollywood character actors she came into contact with. What a great cast (and some like Gerald Hamer didn't even get ANY billing)!

I also agree that this was another movie that really couldn't solidly be classified as a film noir. No doubt about next week's, though, Murder, My Sweet.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched "A Bell for Adano" (1945) again on Fox Movie channel. A solid WWII film in which the American Army brings law and order to an Italian town that they liberated from the Germans. A great cast with John Hodiak, Gene Tierney, William Bendix, Henry/Harry Morgan and Richard Conte makes an appearance. Tierney with a blonde wig always looked weird to me. Her as a blonde almost looks like a different person with that wig. Anyhow, as to the movie itself, it's an above average film with some sincere and comedic moments throughout the movie. Another film title that needs to be on disc, either DVD or BD in Region 1/A.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yeah, in many ways, George Zucco stole the show with this really endearing performance.

I enjoyed the film, but Sirk committed a fatal error early-on in terms of the film's mystery element by showing us, ever so briefly, the silhouette of the killer. Just a glance identified for me immediately who the murderer was going to be having just read the cast list in the main titles (even though to the screenwriter's and director's credit, it is carefully obscured in the rest of the movie until it's finally revealed). So, since I knew who the killer was, I got the majority of my entertainment value from Lucy's several escapades and the grand assortment of superb Hollywood character actors she came into contact with. What a great cast (and some like Gerald Hamer didn't even get ANY billing)!

I also agree that this was another movie that really couldn't solidly be classified as a film noir. No doubt about next week's, though, Murder, My Sweet.

TBH, before the movie even began I thought that actor would be the murderer. Yes, the silhouette of the killer confirmed my suspicion too. Plus, one character viewed as the possible killer just loved women too much for me to seriously consider him the killer. By the way, Karloff was great in his limited time in the film.

This week, I'm going to try to watch "A Scandal in Paris" (1946). It's the second movie with "Lured" in that Cohen Media Blu-ray release. I've never seen this film, though, I owned the 2003 DVD before I bought this BD release.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Lured. A great cavalcade showcase of character actors getting to strut their stuff, but a terrible narrative: the story was completely disjointed, had no pace or momentum and you knew who the killer was halfway through, but they kept stringing that along and also losing Lucy for that long stretch. It's like they had all these great bits for the character actors and they just pushed it all together and, oh, by the way, we'll pick up this little murder mystery somewhere along the way. But Lucy's comic instincts were firmly on display, even when it wasn't entirely appropriate; just her takes, facial expressions and reactions. Such great timing. But Lucy and this as a Noir; not a chance.

 

[Matt Hough]

Lucy is wonderful in the noir The Dark Corner.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Lucy is wonderful in the noir The Dark Corner.

Yes, she was great in that film. It's too bad the studios couldn't figure out how to use her properly.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The latest Warner Archive podcast.

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warner-archive-collection-podcast/e/58203316?autoplay=true

 

[Robert Crawford]

Mike Clark's review of "The Last Command" (1955) Blu-ray release from Kino.

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/last-command-review/

 

[Robert Crawford]

A heads up to those of us that love westerns.

A bunch of westerns in HDX are on sale at Vudu for $4.99 this weekend.

https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/collection/content/Weekend-Deals/30427?minVisible=91

Be careful as I noticed some of these titles are in SD. Check the aspect ratios too.

https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/The-Lonely-Man/32109

https://forum.vudu.com/forum/vudu/g...-The-quot-Incorrect-Aspect-Ratio-quot-Thread=

 

[Matt Hough]

The incorrect aspect ratio link is VERY valuable. Thanks for including it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The incorrect aspect ratio link is VERY valuable. Thanks for including it.

I don't know how accurate or up-to-date it is now, but it was valuable to me back when I first became aware of it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I came across this article about the UHD formats that I found interesting which might be useful for some people here.

https://www.cnet.com/news/dolby-vision-hdr10-advanced-hdr-and-hlg-hdr-formats-explained/

 

[Robert Crawford]

Tonight on Noir Alley with Eddie Muller we have "Murder, My Sweet" (1944) in which the character Philip Marlowe first appears in a film.

Compare Claire Trevor in this 1944 film to her appearance in "Key Largo" (1948). Quite a difference in characters and appearances. One of my all-time favorite actresses right behind Barbara Stanwyck and Gloria Grahame.

 

[Matt Hough]

Love Murder, My Sweet, and I'm so glad we have it on Blu-ray already. I'll record it for Eddie's comments, of course, but probably won't watch it.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Love Murder, My Sweet, and I'm so glad we have it on Blu-ray already. I'll record it for Eddie's comments, of course, but probably won't watch it.

I will probably do something similar — watch just the “host intro” segment via the TCM app. I own the BD, too.

I did watch “Lured” via the app a few days ago. It was interesting seeing Lucille Ball in a different type of role, and I always love George Sanders. However, the main plot point — Scotland Yard recruiting a dance hall girl, deputizing her, and even giving her a gun, was quite a reach for me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Love Murder, My Sweet, and I'm so glad we have it on Blu-ray already. I'll record it for Eddie's comments, of course, but probably won't watch it.

That was my plan too, until I saw Moose's reflection in Marlowe's office window then I basically ended up watching most of the film. Such a great film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I hope this isn't the last Noir Alley for good a new schedule hasn't been posted yet. However, they do take February off due to TCM's "31 Days of Oscars" annual tribute so a new season of Noir Alley should begin in March as it did in 2017 and 2018.

Noir Alley
25 mins ·
This is it Noiristas! Your last Noir Alley of the season, MURDER MY SWEET ('44) with host Eddie Muller, airs in one hour!