NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Radiance Films Blu-ray (September 2024): Radiance Films have transferred a second volume of their World Noir boxsets to Blu-ray. It has Black Gravel (1961,) Symphony for a Massacre (1963) and Cruel Gun Story (1964.) The films are housed on their own dual-layered Blu-ray disc and each have max'ed out bitrates.

Like the Kino Blu-ray of Black Gravel  that we reviewed in 2020 HERE, this has the film offered in both the uncensored "Premiere" and the re-edited "Distribution" versions. Unlike the Kino - these are seamlessly-branched taking up less space on the dual-layered disc and have a 50% increase in bitrate (34.83 and 34.33 for the Radiance 1080P transfers.) A text screen also informs us that the "Digitalization was sponsored by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media according to a resolution by the German Parliament." The Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung has preserved a print of the uncensored premiere version. Using this as a reference, the premiere version was digitally reconstructed in 2016, utilizing the camera negative as the primary source. Scenes missing from the original negative were provided from the surviving print."

As they are seamlessly-branched the two versions look exactly the same with infrequent light damage marks - some flickering damage at 10:30 + 17:30 - both in the bar - and 33:00 in the church. It's unusual and noticeable but doesn't last long. Detail is strong - notable in the close-ups and contrast is nicely layered. It's a definite improvement over the 2020 Kino HD presentation.  

The reasoning behind the two versions is stated as "After its premiere in 1961, black gravel was criticized for its bleak tone and brutally honest depiction of Anti-Semitism. These instances of anti-Semitism, along with the original ending, were edited out of the cut that would later be distributed in Germany. Both versions have been restored by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung and are presented here."

It states before the Symphony for a Massacre presentation that "This film was restored by PATHE in 2016" and, like the Cohen Blu-ray, that we reviewed HERE, it appears to be "Restored in 2K from a 4K scan of the surviving 35MM interpositive (the negative is lost)." A Blu-ray was released in France, by Pathé, in 2018 HERE cited also cited as a '4K restoration' but it was region FREE, with optional English subtitles. This Radiance 1080P looks similar with a few inconsistencies from the source. The opening credits are rough but the image quality quickly improves and it is highly serviceable for a HD viewing with rich grain and surprisingly deep black levels. There isn't much damage nor speckles and I was rather pleased with the video portion of my screening. If forced to choose between the Cohen (with burned-in subtitles) I would say the Radiance ratchets up the image a small notch.

We reviewed Cruel Gun Story on Criterion 2009's DVD, HERE, as part of 'Eclipse 17' Nikkatsu Noir. One of the most coveted of that sub-label's series. It shows the biggest improvement over the previous digital edition because it is being compared to SD. Actually it shows a superiority in the ratio where the DVD had some horizontal squishing.

NOTE: We have added 118 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

For the Black Gravel Blu-ray, Radiance use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original German language with minor English. It sounds consistent with an occasionally awkward (I'm thinking specifically the end credits) score by Bernhard Eichhorn (many Helmut Käutner films including Under the Bridges, White Shadows, Sky Without Stars), sounding clean and adding some early 60's atmosphere. Radiance offer optional English subtitles, for both versions, on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

For their Symphony for a Massacre Blu-ray, Radiance Films use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original French language. Symphony for a Massacre has only a few aggressive sequences, including gunshots, that come through subtly. The score was by Michel Magne (OSS 117 Vice and Virtue aka "Le vice et la vertu", Monsieur Gangster, Angélique, Angelique and the Sultan) sounding clean and adding some suspenseful flavor to the film. Radiance offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

On their Cruel Gun Story Blu-ray, Radiance Films use another linear PCM mono track (24-bit.) It is in the original Japanese language. There are instances of aggression with a lot of gun and rifle fire - extensive. It is authentically hollow with a modicum of depth. The score for Cruel Gun Story was by Masayoshi Ikeda (The Man with a Shotgun, Kanto Wanderer) sounding dark and noir-ish in the uncompressed transfer. Radiance Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Radiance Films Blu-ray offer the repeated commentary (from the 2020 Kino) on Black Gravel by Olaf Möller. He talks about the anti-Semitic charges against the 'Premiere' version and that the film had other issues as well. He identifies the removed sequences. He informs us that a bit player in the beginning, Peter Nestler, became an interesting director who eventually moved to Sweden to work. He tells us that Black Gravel marked a significant point the career of the director Helmut Käutner who cared about the zeitgeist. He did a lot of TV work after this. He discusses the interesting careers of many of the performers in the film - Ingmar Zeisberg, Anita Höfe, Ilse Pagé etc. West German cinema producing many good tough male actors and much more. It is very informative and I enjoyed listening to him - his English is quite good.

There is also a commentary for Jacques Deray's Symphony for a Massacre by critic Travis Woods. (I recently enjoyed his commentary on the Imprint Blu-ray of Sean Penn's The Crossing Guard) He talks about Deray, and how he consider this, the director's third of thirty films, a noir masterpiece. He states that the central theme of Symphony for a Massacre is that time defeats everything. We say that in sports that 'father time is undefeated'. Travis is enthusiastic and I enjoy his manner. Another pleasurable commentary.  

Radiance also offers a new commentary on Cruel Gun Story by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp (author of the Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema and Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema.) He discusses Nikkatsu studio, that the film's characters, who have aligned for a heist, are all as untrustworthy as the syndicate that hired them. Jasper is always informative and a pleasure to listen to about Japanese cinema.

Okay... beyond the commentaries there are more extras. On the Black Gravel Blu-ray we get a new 20-minute video piece with programmer and writer Margaret Deriaz examining the complex history of Black Gravel and the work of Helmut Käutner, little-known outside of Germany and a controversial figure in his homeland. Newly recorded for radiance in may 2024. Included is 4-minutes of German newsreel footage from 1960 features a visit to the set of Black Gravel and a short interview with Helmut Käutner. On the Symphony for a Massacre Blu-ray we get a new 1/4 hour with writer and critic Christina Newland examining the career of Jacques Deray, director of the film and one of French crime cinema's most important and esteemed figures. Included is 5-minutes of director Jacques Deray with stars Jean Rochefort and Charles Vanel who are interviewed on the subject of Symphony for a Massacre for the French television show Merci d'être venu. It was originally broadcast in 1963. On the Cruel Gun Story Blu-ray we have a new 20-minutes of critic and programmer Tony Rayns discussing key figures and the distinctive qualities of the film. There is a dozen-minute new visual essay where critic Hayley Scanlon looks at the evolution of noirish Japanese films in the 1960s. There is also a 9-minute archival interview from 2006, with celebrated actor Joe Shishido discussing his life and career. The package offers a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork based on original posters and a limited edition 80-page perfect bound book by critics and experts including Carmen Gray (Castle of Horror Anthology Volume 6: Femme Fatales) on post-war German politics and film, Elena Lazic on the fascinating life of Jose Giovanni (Classe Tous Risques, Le Cercle Rouge, Le Trou) David Hering on noir's evolution in the 1960s, and Jake Cole on the filmography of Joe Shishido (Branded to Kill, Danger Paws, Retaliation, Youth of the Beast.) This is a limited edition of 3,000 copies presented in a rigid box with full-height Scanavo cases for each film and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings.

Helmut Käutner's Black Gravel evokes Film Noir, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear with the atmosphere of Carol Reed's The Third Man. I enjoyed it very much. The commentary is informative about the production and what was happening at the time Black Gravel was made, as well as Käutner as a leading German director lesser-known in the West. Jacques Deray's Symphony for a Massacre is an excellent 60's French crime thriller centering on money and five criminals, - one of whom is a deceptive traitor. It's seems there is no honor among thieves with the two 'moll' females spared the mercenary behavior (or are they?) - which exposes cold-hearted greed at its core. The Radiance Films Blu-ray provides a solid presentation without the Cohen's burned-in subtitles. Jacques Deray (Three Men To Kill, The Gang, The Swimming Pool) has crafted a wonderful Euro-noir. Cruel Gun Story is also premium world dark cinema stacked with betrayal. A man gets out of prison and immediately engages in a new heist - sound familiar? ("Riffifi" and "The Asphalt Jungle") and the swag is 120 million yen worth of horse race bets to be shared with a group of untrustworthy mercenaries (Kubrick's "The Killing"). Isn't it always "one last job" (echoes of Bogie's High Sierra). Ohhh and his jail time was for killing the man who crippled his sister... who needs surgery (Lupino in Nicholas Ray's On Dangerous Ground.) Add in lots of gunfire over an armored car (Siodmak's Criss Cross - remade as Soderbergh's The Underneath) holding the moola. These are three excellent noir-related world cinema films. We were very high on World Noir Volume 1, reviewed HERE. This Radiance Films Blu-ray package likewise gets a full endorsement. This is despite all three films being on digital previously. This package has raised the bar - in terms of a/v, commentaries and extras including an 80-page book. Delightfully dark world cinema, with undeniable connections to Noir. It will get votes in our year-end poll. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze