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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by Arthur Lubin
USA 1949

 

Millionaire industrialist, Walter Williams, has it all, power, money, success and a supposed, idyllic life with his young, beautiful wife, Irene. When a business trip to Denver arises, Walter decides to take his wife along, hoping to turn the scenic ride over the mountains via Lake Tahoe into a mini vacation. However, things begin to go awry when Irene claims she's ill and can't go but insists Walter give a ride to her poor cousin, who is hitchhiking his way home to Evanston, Illinois. The cousin is actually Irene's lover, Jim Torrence, and he is there to carry out his and Irene's plot to murder Walter. But in a twist of fate, after Jim's attack upon Walter, and while Jim is fleeing the scene, he is killed in a head-on collision. Once the bloodied, very shaken, and very bewildered Walter awakens and pieces together what all had happened, he claims amnesia and goes into hiding, with the hope of somehow bringing Irene to justice.

***

As far as 'modest' Film Noirs go, this is one of the best. A simple plot idea is twisted to the max for late 1940's audiences. Millionaire-industrialist, cool as a cucumber-bigshot, Walter Williams (Brian Donlevy) has an unscrupulous young wife (Helen Walker) who is out to see him... dead. With the help of her nefarious lover/boyfriend, enlisted for the deed - the plan crumbles to pieces and not only does Williams survive a bash on the noggin, but the would-be culprit wrecks himself up in a fireball with the intended target's sweet auto. Now everyone thinks Williams IS dead. After figuring what has transpired Walter has settled as an auto mechanic in a gentle quiet village leaving his mystery to a dogged, close-to-retirement detective, Lt. Tom Quincy (Charles Coburn). Walter succumbs to 'doing-the-right-thing' and returns with garage owner and boss/girlfriend Ella Raines (Marsha Peters), the sweet and sexy girl-next-door. Trouble is now HE has been charged with murder of the hidden lover, thanks to his wife's abilities to lie. He needs assistance from ex-housekeeper Su Lin (silent screen goddess Anna Mae Wong). Impact is one of those clandestine gems that you love to unravel. A true Noir masterpiece.

Posters

Theatrical Release: March 19th, 1949

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Review: VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:50:50.185        
Video

1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 22,881,212,322 bytes

Feature: 21,312,362,496 bytes

Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
VCI

 

1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 22,881,212,322 bytes

Feature: 21,312,362,496 bytes

Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Commentary by Associate Professor of English Bernard Prokop
Image Gallery (6:27)


Blu-ray Release Date: January 21st, 2025

Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: VCI Blu-ray (January 2025): VCI have transferred Arthur Lubin's Impact to Blu-ray. It is probably my favorite film noir - but, unfortunately, it is transferred to Blu-ray by VCI,  who sport a, deservedly, poor reputation. Admittedly expectations were low - and I may have been moderately surprised with the improvement over public domain DVDs compared in 2003, HERE (and below.) It shows that the DVDs, like many DVDs, are vertically stretched. The 1080P, 1.37:1, is darker and on a single layered disc with a moderately supportive bitrate. It has the same marks as previous SD transfers and a few more vertical scratches. To look on the positive - the higher resolution does produce a superior image and there doesn't appear to be DNR or boosting. I would imagine that a higher bitrate would have improved the HD presentation  appearance. So, while imperfect but acceptable - it is not the level of Criterion's improvement over SD of another favorite Noir Detour (a four-year older film) that showcased pleasing grain. I guess it is better than I anticipated from this company and there is a smattering of depth.   

NOTE: We have added 80 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, VCI use a lossy Dolby dual-mono track in the original English language. Impact has a fiery auto explosion but no gunfire or other violence. As you might expect it is modestly rendered. The score was by Michel Michelet (Douglas Sirk's Lured, Renoir's Diary of a Chambermaid, Arthur Ripley's The Chase, Joseph Losey's M, Fritz Lang's The Tiger of Eschnapur) sounding reasonably clean (a couple of mild aberrations) with consistent dialogue in the lossy transfer. VCI offer optional English, yellow, subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The VCI Blu-ray offers a commentary by Associate Professor of English (Colorado Christian University) Bernard Prokop. He takes to task Bosley Crowther's criticism, talks about producer Leo C. Popkin (who also appears in the credits as the lyricist for the song "Love Can't Be"), director Arthur Lubin (The Spider Woman Strikes Back, Footsteps in the Fog, The Incredible Mr. Limpet,) the cast; Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker, Anna May Wong and others. It's well-researched and a rewarding listen. Impact always deserved a commentary - thank you. Also included is a lengthy image gallery of stills, posters etc.  

So, why is Arthur Lubin's Impact my favorite noir? I adore the rural charm, halcyon values and neighborly kindness - majority shot on-location - in Larkspur, California - with a population of a few thousand. There is also a moral ambiguity with being so 'wronged' ("You have a heap of things that need mending"), to seek revenge by hiding your identity, and then overcoming that psychological trauma with the assistance of a caring, small town, gal-pal. God Damn. Yes, we all love, 'girl next door', Ella Raines (Phantom Lady, The Web, The Suspect.) Impact stars stalwart Brian Donlevy (The Great McGinty, Quatermass 2, Hangmen Also Die, Wake Island,) nasty femme Helen Walker (Nightmare Alley, The Man in Half Moon Street, Lucky Jordan, Murder, He Says,) and, in too small a role and painfully typecast, the great Anna May Wong (Piccadilly, Shanghai Express, Dangerous to Know, King of Chinatown, Island of Lost Men) making her first screen appearance since 1942 - and second to last of her career. It was also shot by iconic cinematographer Ernest Laszlo (D.O.A., The Big Knife, Kiss Me Deadly, While the City Sleeps, Tormented.) It's such a satisfying 'dark cinema' indulgence ("How can one little women be so big?") and while the VCI Blu-ray has, predictably, imperfect a/v - it remains the best to date and has a solid commentary. Let's hope this is a temporary fix till another catalogue releases it in 1080P. I've already watched the Blu-ray three times. Recommended.

Gary Tooze

 


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Subtitle Sample - VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 


1) Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Image Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Alpha - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


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Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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