Blu-ray Review Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXIII – Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[t1g3r5fan]

Let’s dig into Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXIII. Kino has unearthed 3 noirs from the Paramount vaults – with one of them making its home video debut here – for the 23rd volume of The Dark Side of Cinema Blu-ray series. First, Burt Lancaster plays a man returning to Namibia to retrieve a cache of diamonds from diamond mine head Claude Rains and sadistic police commander Paul Henreid in Rope of Sand. Next, James Cagney plays a career criminal who busts out of a prison and embarks on a spree of murder and blackmail in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye. Finally, a young Steve McQueen plays a crime investigator trying to pull a former childhood friend out of a life of crime in Never Love a Stranger. Rope of Sand and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye were previously released by Olive Films on Blu-ray – with Rope of Sand also getting a Region Free Blu-ray release from Imprint a few years ago – while Never Love a Stranger is making its Blu-ray debut here.



Rope of Sand (1949)...

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[Robin9]

I'm still humming and haring about buying this box-set as I already have two of the titles.

As for Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye - magnificent title! - I've always felt that James Cagney made the wrong choice of acting style. Instead of repeating his White Heat characterisation, he'd have done much better by emulating Zachary Scott's performance in The Mask Of Dimitrios. He is, after all, playing a narcissist, a person who loves himself, has no conscience at all, and believes he can get away with anything..

 

[TheSteig]

I don't think any of these movies are really Noir, ust solid classic movies, IMHO, but I enjoyed all three. I did replace Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye to get this set and I am glad. I think KL just slapped the Noir moniker onto them for better sales

 

[Robert Crawford]

I don't think any of these movies are really Noir, but just solid classic movies, IMHO, but I enjoyed all three. I did replace Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye to get this set and I am glad. I think KL just slapped the Noir moniker onto them for better sales

My definition of "Noir" is broader than most people so I'm a happy camper to double-dip on two of these titles since the Olive Blu-rays of Rope of Sand and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye came out 12-13 years ago. Also, I have the Imprint Blu-ray of Rope of Sand so I'm glad it has a new audio commentary. I'm looking forward to watching Never Love a Stranger for the first time.

 

[TravisR]

I don't think any of these movies are really Noir...

It seems like if a movie is in black & white and there's any element of crime, it's called a noir today. That being said, if it helps get more older movies released, they can call it whatever they want.

 

[Robert Crawford]

How come you “Film Noir” hardliners don’t participate in our annual “Noirvember Challenge”?

 

[TravisR]

How come you “Film Noir” hardliners don’t participate in our annual “Noirvember Challenge”?

For me, it's because I'm coming off the October horror challenge and I need to see daylight and people again.

 

[TheSteig]

Same as Travis, October is all horror for me and need a rest from any kind of challenge !

 

[Robin9]

It seems like if a movie is in black & white and there's any element of crime, it's called a noir today.

I agree completely, and that's why I don't take this Film Noir cult seriously.

 

[Robert Crawford]

What is noir to you guys?

 

[TravisR]

What is noir to you guys?

Admittedly, I have a fairly strict definition but I go with what it originally referred to- movies that were black and white, had crime, shadowy lighting, downbeat stories, and made from just after the war through the late 1950's.

 

[RICK BOND]

I got mine on Tuesday from Amazon. All three films look Great. Thank You KL My # 1

 

[Dan McW]

I'm looking forward to adding this set to my Kino noir collection. I remember from the old NTA/Republic VHS of Never Love a Stranger that there were a lot of two-shots. Some were pretty tight all the away around, while some had some extra headroom. Early in the film, where shots had some more headroom, it looked like there were shadows of the boom mic in a few scenes.

 

[TheSteig]

Film Noir to me, a darker tone, a certain atmosphere - Murder My Sweet, Fallen Angel, Out of the Past, Raw Deal stand out. DOA, Detour are also in that realm. I know there's plenty more but I just woke up

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

What is noir to you guys?

Tough question, as it's always been a nebulous category, but I'll take a shot with my own thoughts:

Noir is genre to some degree, as there are certain elements that have to be present, including some kind of criminal activity and a femme fatale character. Those are two basics musts. A noir film doesn't have to be relentlessly downbeat, but it has to have an element of pessimism, cynicism, darkness to it. No happy endings! That's another must for me. A happy ending will knock the film right out of the noir genre in my book. A little biting social commentary isn't necessarily required but is welcome. Same with inclusion of some kind of gumshoe detective character or rough equivalent--not required but always welcome.

Mainly, noir is a feeling. It's got be atmospheric. Chiaroscuro lighting is a must. Smoke, fog, nighttime mist, deep shadows--these are the classic visual elements, but there are other ways to create the appropriate atmosphere. Black and white photography helps in this regard tremendously, though I'm on board with the concept of color noirs (e.g., Chinatown).

These are a few thoughts off the top of my head.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Tough question, as it's always been a nebulous category, but I'll take a shot with my own thoughts:

Noir is genre to some degree, as there are certain elements that have to be present, including some kind of criminal activity and a femme fatale character. Those are two basics musts. A noir film doesn't have to be relentlessly downbeat, but it has to have an element of pessimism, cynicism, darkness to it. No happy endings! That's another must for me. A happy ending will knock the film right out of the noir genre in my book. A little biting social commentary isn't necessarily required but is welcome. Same with inclusion of some kind of gumshoe detective character or rough equivalent--not required but always welcome.

Mainly, noir is a feeling. It's got be atmospheric. Chiaroscuro lighting is a must. Smoke, fog, nighttime mist, deep shadows--these are the classic visual elements, but there are other ways to create the appropriate atmosphere. Black and white photography helps in this regard tremendously, though I'm on board with the concept of color noirs (e.g., Chinatown).

These are a few thoughts off the top of my head.

Let’s remember that many noir movies made during the production code era had happy endings because it was taken out of the control of the director and screenwriters. Therefore, I think disqualifying a movie from being a film noir because it had a happy ending isn’t a fair requirement.

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

Let’s remember that many noir movies made during the production code era had happy endings because it was taken out of the control of the director and screenwriters. Therefore, I think disqualifying a movie from being a film noir because it had a happy ending isn’t a fair requirement.

Good point. Maybe I should phrase it a little differently. A noir can't have a sappy ending!

 

[mackjay]

Nice review and evaluations
KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE is decidedly Noir. It inhabits the noir universe, giving plenty of space to corruption and violence. I like it as much as WHITE HEAT.
ROPE OF SAND is pretty good, agree I did think often of CASBLANCA but it has its own mostly dark tone, making Noir for those who might insist.
Can't recall NEVER LOVE...if I ever saw it.