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Directed by
Otto Preminger
USA 19
The first major Hollywood film to tackle heroin addiction, The Man With The
Golden Arm shocked contemporary audiences, defying a strict production code
and eliciting Oscar-nominated work from composer Elmer Bernstein and star Frank
Sinatra. Martin Scorsese has called it, “the first honest depiction of drug
addiction on American screens,” and even today, the honesty is harrowing. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: December 14th, 1955
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Hart Sharp Video - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Hart Sharp Video - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT
Box Covers |
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Distribution | Hart Sharp Video - Region 0 - NTSC |
Concorde Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:59:36 | 1:59:14.250 |
Video | 1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.63 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,249,536,643 bytesFeature: 23,834,056,704 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.97 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: |
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Bitrate: Blu-ray |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround) |
DUB:
DTS-HD Master Audio German 889 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 889 kbps / 16-bit (DTS
Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 905 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 905 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) |
Subtitles | English, Spanish, French, None | German, None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Commentary
by film historian, Ken Barnes |
Release Information:
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,249,536,643 bytesFeature: 23,834,056,704 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.97 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Daeuthch Tufel und Die Zen Gebote (3:20) • Candy (1:53)
Blu-ray
Release Date: September 12th, 2013 Chapters 12 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Concorde - Region 'B' Blu-ray - March 2014 - To best the Hart Sharp SD transfer would not be hard and we can now tack onto its weaknesses; "cropped" along with being interlaced, having DNR and displaying chroma bug. The Blu-ray visuals are not strong but I would lean more to the source and production than the transfer. There may me a smidgeon of digital manipulation - I see very minor edge-enhancement and the overall image can look a bit thin and frail. The black levels may be marginally boosted. Bottom liner of this image is that it's significantly superior to the 50th Anniversary DVD. It shows far more detail (dark suits become pinstripe) and a lot more information in the frame - on all 4 edges. Should this be widescreen? I've heard 1.85, but don't know myself. It may have been at the time of those ambiguous aspect ratio films shown in both 1.33 and widescreen depending on the capabilities of the theatre.
NOTE: We have been told by 'Jason' that the
2008 Warner DVD of The Man With the Golden Arm is the
best of the SD. And Andrew tells us this DVD is release is 1.85:1.
Probably the bigger deal here is the audio - a German
DUB but the original English is in a DTS-HD Master mono
track at 905 kbps. Iconic Elmer Bernstein's (Hud,
To Kill a Mockingbird,
Summer and Smoke) score and the gratuitous use
of wild-form Jazz - often played by 'Shorty Rogers and
His Giants' is powerful and addictive (no pun).
Intensive horn riffs mark the theme of The Man With
the Golden Arm and they sound wonderfully rich and
deep here. There are optional German subtitles (fully
removable.) The
Blu-ray
disc is region 'B'-locked.
No real extras - what looks like German trailers for
others films.
I got a lot more out of than I ever did watching
the DVD. I love this - the music, the noir-esque
characters, the Skid Row-mythology and atmosphere,
Preminger's constant use of long takes - always used to
show Frankie high or in nervous withdrawal. Sinatra is
possibly the best I have ever seen him. I'm so glad to
own this on
Blu-ray
- and despite weaknesses - certainly recommend to those
keen on the film. ***
ON THE DVD: We believe the
movie is in the Public Domain (I have it as an extra on a Disc Plaza
Suddenly DVD). For the most part
major studios don't bother with PD stuff and this was doubly so in
production as a film about Heroin addiction wouldn't likely have been
granted a Production Code Seal.
The problem is not getting
rights to produce films to DVD - their problem is selling enough DVDs to
cover costs for restorations, decent extras and transfers. So their
competition will be outfits like Madacy Entertainment or Geneon that can
slap it on DVD and charge $5-6 and thereby severely undercutting the
majors break-even cost. It seems not everyone reads sites like DVDBeaver
to make their purchasing decisions.
So, in an unusual case, unknown
Hart Sharp Video, attempts to puff themselves up with a classic
title, good cover, 2-disc special "Anniversary" edition etc. and appear like a major
DVD production outfit. Now, I don't want to make it sound like they are
pulling a fast one here - they have included a 'fake' 5.1 track and 3
optional subtitles - the extras are not world class, but a true effort
was put forth. My complaint will be with the transfer which is not
even progressive (see last capture for interlaced combing) and it is hazy
- DNR'ed -
definitely analog. It has chroma and is quite terrible. The film is magnificent
- extremely memorable and possibly Sinatra's best role. It's so rich in
Film
Noir elements that it is considered an essential by
many fans.
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DVD Menus
Disc 2
Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample
Hart Sharp Video - Region 0 - NTSC
TOP vs. Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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Screen Captures
Hart Sharp Video - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Concorde - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM