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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (January 2023): Kino have transferred Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai to Blu-ray. We have already compared to 2000 DVD to four other Blu-rays HERE. We concluded that the 2017 Indicator transfer, with a max'ed out bitrate, had the best image of those editions. The anomaly was the 2014 TCM that was decidedly darker (losing detail) than the rest - we've added one capture of that Blu-ray below. The Kino, also on a dual-layered disc, in 1080P with a max'ed out bitrate doesn't have any significant differences from the strong Indicator. It may be a smidgeon brighter but the grain support is there - 1.37:1 - and Columbia kept remarkably good care to their prints and this still has strong density and looked just brilliant on my system.

NOTE: We have added 90 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Lady from Shanghai has minor aggressive moments. The range and balance are good here. The score by Heinz Roemheld (The Gilded Lily, Ruby Gentry, I, Jane Doe, Dangerous, The Monster that Challenged The World, The Land Unknown, The Mole People, 1933's The Invisible Man) sounding perfectly. The film also has Please Don't Kiss Me performed by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Anita Ellis), Na Baixa do Sapateiro (Bahia) and Amado Mio. All tight and clean in the lossless. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offer the old commentary by Peter Bogdanovich as well as  two new commentaries!.... and they are by two the our favorites! Imogen Sara Smith discusses how there is no mention of direction in the opening credits, what Columbia wanted was a vehicle for Rita Hayworth. She notes the differences of studio imposed cuts, shifting even in the same scene from deep focus, long takes, real locations to obvious processed shots and back-lot sets - huge close-ups that seem dropped in at random. She discusses The Lady from Shanghai as a pivotal film in the noir cycle. Imogen is always a pleasure - concise, clear and illuminating with fabulous observations. Next commentary we get, my main man, Tim Lucas who tells us about the novel by Sherwood King (If I Die Before I Wake), the film's pacing, blocking, how this was one time that Welles did not wear a false nose, how the director is one of the most richly invented visual filmmakers of his era, his uses of narration and 'tag-team' dialogue plus the atmospheric use of voices outside of the protagonist's own thoughts. Tim is 'on form 'and this is his commentary adds further value to this already desirable package. It wouldn't surprise me if both new commentaries were not touted in our 2023 Year End Poll. Also included are the three comments - Epic Noir Poem, Back Story and It's Film Noir Distilled, by Noir Czar Eddie Muller (about 20-minutes worth) and a 21-minutes conversation with Peter Bogdanovich - both found on the 2000 DVD. Lastly, a theatrical trailer for The Lady from Shanghai is included as well as for a handful of other films. There is a slipcase and alternate cover. 

Orson Welles' (uncredited) The Lady from Shanghai is unique. The history has been discussed at length - the extensive editing and re-shoots cutting about an hour from Welles' rough cut. The missing footage has never been found and is presumed to have been destroyed - Welles and Hayworth's finalized divorce not long after the film's release and much more, forever, in the lore of cinema. Still considered a key film noir with a baffling murder plot, The Lady from Shanghai is filled with Welles' brilliantly inventive set pieces including the iconic hall-of-mirrors finale. This will be my fifth Blu-ray of the film. It equals the best a/v and has 3 commentaries - including two new from the best in the business! An exceptional package that could only be beaten with a 4K UHD transfer - perhaps one day. This will do be just fine. Without a doubt his is the definitive digital edition! 

Gary Tooze