Twilight Time bring Allan Dwan's 1957 noir-western The River's Edge to Blu-ray. It's on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate and the colors (warmer skin tones) and detail advance beyond the DVD although there are instances of teal leaning. Although this doesn't detract from the superiority of contrast etc. in the improvement over the SD transfer.

Twilight Time provide the option of a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel stereo track at 24-bit or using the same encode a 2.0 channel mono track (only 16-bit). There are some later aggressive audio effects - fighting and a rattle snake - but the track doesn't get much in the ways of demands from the film for depth. Louis Forbes (Pitfall, Silver Lode, The Man Who Cheated Himself, The Crooked Way, Escape to Burma, Slightly Scarlet, The River's Edge) does the score, with a lounge-ie opening theme sung by Bob Winn, and the score supports the film well frequently rising and falling accentuating drama. It is available as an isolated option with the film's effects. There are optional English subtitles (see below) and the Blu-ray is coded region FREE - limited to 3,000 copies.

Twilight Time include the same excellent audio commentary by Alain Silver and James Ursini who frequently see The River's Edge as having Noir qualities and discuss a lot about Dwan and his choices. It's very interesting. There is also the aforementioned isolated music and effects track and a trailer. The case has a liner notes leaflet.

I see more of the 'Dark Cinema' cycle in The River's Edge each time I view it - more so than viewing it as a western. The exuberant colors don't detract from that. Typical of Dwan, there is s sexual undercurrent and Debra Paget does a stalwart job in advancing that. It's a curious film that I appreciate more and more over the years - and this is now exemplified by the 1080P and lossless audio improvement in the a/v. To include the previous commentary gives it more value. There is a lot of appeal in owning this, imo.

***

ON THE DVD (July 2006): This is at the high standard of other Fox Classic releases. There is a very slight greenish/yellow haze over some of the indoor scenes, but it is not overly noticeable during normal viewing. Detail is strong and the anamorphic, progressive image is tight to the frame edges. The cinemascope ratio looks grand - there are optional English and Spanish subtitles and an audio choice of mono or stereo and a Spanish dub.

I was very pleased with the Ursini/Silver commentary. They seem to improve (or perhaps get more comfortable) with each DVD release that they are part of.

The film is by no means a masterpiece but it has something going for it - even beyond the star performances. Dwan could always set a great atmosphere and The River's Edge includes at least a couple. I see it is being touted as a western, which may be fair, but it also has some noir elements to it. Regardless I think this is a just choice for a 'Fox Classic' and the DVD value (price) can't be beat.

Gary W. Tooze