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(aka "Lest We Forget" or "Never Surrender" or "No Surrender" or "Trust the People" )
Lang's marvellously dark adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's fictionalized take on the assassination of notorious Nazi leader and Czech 'protector' Reinhard Heydrich by the resistance movement, killed in Prague in 1942. Donlevy plays the assassin hiding in the city as the Gestapo promise retribution. There's plenty of tense Langian suspense and the story fits his noir disposition perfectly. Brecht was apparently none too pleased with the result, feeling his contribution had been undermined, but the film manages to pull off the tough double of making an anti-Nazi political statement and being thrilling entertainment as well.
Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE
Poster
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Theatrical Release: 23 March 1943
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
Kino - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!
(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL RIGHT)
| DVD Box Cover |
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For an extensive savings Kino are offering the 5-disc Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood boxset with Sudden Fear / The Long Night / Hangmen Also Die / Railroaded and Behind Locked Doors coming out September 12th, 2006. | |
| Distribution |
Kino Region 0 - NTSC |
Orbit Media Region 0 - PAL |
| Runtime | 2:13:56 | 2:13:52 |
| Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.29 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono | Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono |
| Subtitles | None | None |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: Kino Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Studio: Orbit Media Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 12 |
| Comments |
ADDITION: Orbit Media - Region 0 PAL -
Aug 06' - I would say that this Orbit Media transfer is equally as
bad as the Kino - with strong weaknesses (if different weaknesses)
than the NTSC edition. The big issue with the PAL release, that
caused difficulty in capture matching, is the terrible combing that
is extremely prevalent (see many examples below). As the times are the same we can deduce that one is taken from the opposing standard without benefit of conversion first. I'll assume that the Orbit Media is the culprit. It still has similar damage marks and artifacts - but slightly less visible than the Kino. Hopefully someone will release this film properly on DVD soon. Our recommendation at this stage is to buy the Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood boxset for the best bang for your buck. ***** Typical Kino weak to midland transfer. Artifacts, boosting, cue blips, damage (see last three captures) are all visible, but the image is acceptable on tube viewing where the deficiencies become less noticeable. No subtitle options or extras, but the good news is that this is part of the Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood boxset with Sudden Fear / The Long Night / Railroaded and Behind Locked Doors coming out September 12th, 2006. By current Kino pricing standards it is an impressive deal. SPOILER: RE: the missing ending - Glenn Erickson noted
in his review at DVD Savant
HERE - "Lotte
Eisner's great book Fritz Lang had the answer sought by Savant.
It too listed the running time as 140 minutes. But she describes
missing material, on page 230 of the hardbound edition: - Gregory Meshman |
(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT
vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL RIGHT)
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Screen Captures
(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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(Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Orbit Media - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
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Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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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 |
| DVD Box Cover |
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For an extensive savings Kino are offering the 5-disc Film Noir - The Dark Side of Hollywood boxset with Sudden Fear / The Long Night / Hangmen Also Die / Railroaded and Behind Locked Doors coming out September 12th, 2006. | |
| Distribution |
Kino Region 0 - NTSC |
Orbit Media Region 0 - PAL |
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