Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential.
What do Patrons receive, that you don't?
1)
Our
weekly
Newsletter
sent to your Inbox every
Monday morning!
Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you very much. |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka 'Love Lies Bleeding" or "Meaningful Glances ')
directed by Lewis
Milestone
USA 1946
NOTE: Compared to Imprint's
Essential Film Noir Collection 3
Blu-ray package with The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
(1946), No Man Of Her Own (1950), The Turning Point
(1952) and The Desperate Hours (1955) reviewed
HERE The Kino Blu-ray of The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is compared HERE |
Classic film noir doesn't get much darker than this sordid tale of betrayal, blackmail, intimidation and murder. Nor are you likely to find a more impressive cast in a noir feature than the one assembled here, and available here for the first time ever in High Definition Blu-Ray. Martha Ivers (Barbara Stanwyck) is an heiress-turned-successful businesswoman. Sadly, she's spent much of her life bearing the burden of a horrific childhood event involving the rich, domineering aunt (Judith Anderson) who raised her, while subsequently enduring an unhappy marriage to Walter (Kirk Douglas), the local District Attorney. But everything could change for this power couple when her childhood sweetheart Sam (Van Heflin), now a drifter, shows up back in town one fateful night alongside new girlfriend Toni (Lizabeth Scott). Uncharacteristic for the noir genre, which typically featured B-movie production and B-level casts, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers was a comfortably-financed project with an adept collection of actors and an established director (but none the lighter on plot or cinematography). It is also the first-ever film role for actor Kirk Douglas. He was recommended for the job by none other than Lauren Bacall (who he knew from acting school) and delivers an intriguing performance as the sorry husband. Director Lewis Milestone, meanwhile, was no stranger to award-winning work, having previously won Oscars for Two Arabian Knights (1927) and All Quiet On The Western Front (1930). He would also go on to direct the original Oceans Eleven (1960). Film buffs will also want to keep an eye out for an un-credited cameo by a young Blake Edwards, who appears as a sailor hitching a ride with Sam! ****
"You may be through with the past, but it sure ain't through with you."
In Lewis Milestone's classic
Film Noir we open in the rain - 1928, where
a feisty young heiress named Martha Ivers is thwarted in her attempt to run off
with her friend Sam Masterson - a street-smart kid from the wrong side of the
tracks. Her forced return home and his fatal goodbye produce the inadvertent
murder of her aunt covered up by Martha and her young gold-digging friend,
Walter. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: July 24th, 1946
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC vs. HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
|
|
Coming to Blu-ray by Kino in September 2022: |
Distribution | Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC | Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC |
HD Cinema Classics Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:55:40 | 1:55:52 | 1:54:36.870 |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.64 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.4 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 22,848,907,834 bytes Feature: 22,069,475,328 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
|||
Bitrate: Image Entertainment |
|
||
Bitrate: Paramount |
|
||
Bitrate: Blu-ray |
|
||
Audio | English (Dolby Digital 1.0) | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB |
Subtitles | None | English and none | Spanish and none |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • none |
Release Information: Edition Details: • none |
Release Information: Disc Size: 22,848,907,834 bytes Feature: 22,069,475,328 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary with William Hare • Postcard • Trailer (1:43)
• Before & After Restoration Demo (1:05) |
Comments: |
NOTE: Compared to Imprint's
Essential Film Noir Collection 3
Blu-ray package with The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
(1946), No Man Of Her Own (1950), The Turning Point
(1952) and The Desperate Hours (1955) reviewed
HERE
The Kino Blu-ray of The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is compared HERE NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray (June 2012): Typical of HD Cinema Classics we have some digital restoration - that was wholly unnecessary. Being more positive this has less of their usual heavy DNR and boosting as we have seen in the past on Noir titles like The Stranger, Kansas City Confidential and The Red House. So it can be softer, show less grain and black levels are not pristine. Does it outweigh the benefits of the higher resolution? - and smoother visuals - I suppose that is a personal decision. I was happy with the Paramount DVD but this Blu-ray does offer an appreciated commentary by William Hare although HD Cinema neglected to upgrade the feature's audio track in lossless. There is more information shown on all 4 edges. Either they are improving with their overly-heavy-handed digital smearing or the print was good enough to tread more lightly. I found it a different presentation, which was cool in itself, but not necessarily a superior one.*** ADDITION: - Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - Oct 05' - What a blessing - the Paramount DVD looks excellent ! There are some minor scratches but it is 'night and day' next to the old, washed out, pale and out-of-print Image Entertainment disc. The new Paramount is s shade cropped on some edges. Decent menus and optional subtitles at a reasonable price. Lizabeth Scott's 'come hither' looks are even more enticing! ***
We understand that the only existing print has some nitrate decomposition and hence the film's appearance will probably not improve much. There are also a few missing segments. However, the DVD could have been better - it is non-progressive, no subtitles and no extras. The audio is also weak with odd fluctuations in volume. Sadly, this may be the best DVD of this classic Film Noir ever available barring a full reconstruction, which will doubtfully ever happen. It is quite watch-able through a tube and luckily the noir genre is very forgiving for its 'beaten', older films. It only seems to add to the atmosphere. This is a great film and this DVD, although the film is Public Domain, is likely to become out-of print quickly. It is likely that this Image /Hal Roach DVD betters the other editions quite substantially. I recommend that you buy while you can. |
Menus
(Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray
|
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
S
ubtitle Sample on Paramount (no subs on Image Entertainment DVD and only Spanish on Blu-ray)
Screen Captures
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE 3) HD Cinema Classics - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City by Nicholas Christopher |
Shades of Noir: A Reader by Joan Copjec |
The Art of Noir: The Posters and Graphics from the
Classic Era of Film Noir by Eddie Muller |
The Little Black and White Book of Film Noir:
Quotations from Films of the 40's and 50's by Peg Thompson, Saeko Usukawa |
Film Noir by Alain Silver |
Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era,
1940-1959 by Michael F. Keaney |
Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Report Card:
Image: |
Paramount |
Sound: |
- |
Extras: | - |
Menu: | Paramount |
Box Cover |
|
|
Coming to Blu-ray by Kino in September 2022: |
Distribution | Image Entertainment - Region 0 - NTSC | Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC |
HD Cinema Classics Region FREE - Blu-ray |