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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (June 2022): Kino have transferred three films for their seventh edition of Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema series to Blu-ray. This boxset has The Boss (1956) Chicago Confidential (1957) and The Fearmakers (1958). They are cited as being from "Brand New 2K Masters". They are on single-layered Blu-ray discs, in 1080P, and are a huge update over the very poor MGM DVDs - reviewed by Gregory HERE, HERE and HERE. The SD transfers from 2011 are either green, pan-and-scan, DVD-R or have severe examples of damage. These HD presentations are a refreshing improvement, although The Boss still has a few frame-specific damage marks (see samples below.) Contrast is a huge upgrade via the 1080P and it's a pleasure to see them in widescreen looking significantly sharper, showing consistent textures and plenty of instances of depth. A wonderful advancement in all three cases.

NOTE: We have added 120 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-rays, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono tracks (24-bit) in the original English language. Name of Film has aggressive moments that come through with modest depth. On The Boss the score by Albert Glasser (Tormented, The Cyclops, Attack of the Puppet People, Abilene Town, The Spider, I Shot Jesse James, Behind Locked Doors) - on Chicago Confidential by Emil Newman (The Undying Monster, Hondo, Cry Danger) and on Tourneur's The Fearmakers by Irving Gertz (The Incredible Shrinking Man, Gun For a Coward, Love Slaves of the Amazon, Curse of the Undead, The Leech Woman, It Came From Outer Space, Blonde Ice, Plunder Road, The Deadly Mantis.) They support tension and suspense sounding clean with consistent dialogue in the lossless transfers. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their three Region 'A' Blu-rays.

On their Blu-rays Kino offers a new commentaries for two of the films. For The Boss (1956) it's by Alan K. Rode (author of Charles McGraw: Biography of a Film Noir Tough Guy.) He talks a lot on John Payne's often snarling character and the actor's scene chewing with some information on Gloria McGehee and the rest of the cast with lesser-known anecdotal stories and factoids. He thought the role of Matt Brady would be perfect for Robert Ryan and he discusses the writer of The Boss, blacklisted Dalton Trumbo (front Ben Perry) and how the credits on this print are still inaccurate. It's great - always interesting occasionally letting the film run. On The Fearmakers the commentary is by Jason A. Ney who addresses the significant differences form the film to the book and how it speaks to the political pressures of the era in Hollywood and the country in general. He also provides reasons on whether it fits in Noir parameters, why Mel Tormé is in the film, and how Jacques Tourneur felt frustrated by the final product - failing to live up to what he wanted it to be although liking the subject matter; "the power of people who control our ideas". It is also educational and well worth the indulgence. There is also a trailer for The Boss and some noir films but none for Chicago Confidential and The Fearmakers.

John Payne was very dislikeable in The Boss and it was my least favorite of the three films, although it was nice to see lesser-known Gloria McGehee in this decently-realized gangster-related flic. I always enjoy Brian Keith, Beverly Garland and Elisha Cook Jr. who are in Chicago Confidential - a murder crime-drama on corruption in the Unions as well as favorite Dana Andrews looking decidedly lumpy in Jacques Tourneur's The Fearmakers - a political "red scare" crime-drama with a public-relations firm secretly controlled by communists attempting to undermine the American government. Indeed. Nice to see Mel Tormé in a small role. None are strictly considered Film Noir although The Fearmakers does have some appealing dark-cinema elements. Those keen on 50's crime films and the stars will want to pick up the Kino Blu-ray package with more The Dark Side of Cinema entries coming!

Gary Tooze