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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (March 2025): Kino have transferred another three films for their twenty-third edition of 'Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema' series to three, single-layered, Blu-rays. They are Union Station, Jennifer and The Crooked Circle that are cited as being from "2020, 2021 & 2018 HD Masters by Paramount Pictures - From 4K Scans". For Union Station we compared the Olive DVD and Olive Blu-ray back in 2012, HERE. These all have high to max'ed-out bitrates and the sources seem decent - a few speckles and marks in the latter two films. Union Station is darker than the older Olive 1080P - this suite the film's tone. Textures vary in Jennifer and contrast, sharpness, and a couple of missed frames are evident in The Crooked Circle. Union Station was directed by Rudolph Maté, a former cinematographer, and it employs stark lighting and dynamic camera work to heighten the drama. Shadows and tight framing in the station’s tunnels and platforms create a claustrophobic atmosphere, while wide shots of the bustling crowds underscore the difficulty of the investigation. James Wong Howe’s atmospheric cinematography is a standout in Jennifer. Joseph Kane's The Crooked Circle is a late-cycle noir drama released by Republic Pictures in the wide-screen Naturama process - which lends a broader visual scope, particularly in fight scenes, but the cinematography lacks the shadowy artistry of peak noir. Kane, a veteran of B-movies, keeps the pacing brisk and functional, prioritizing plot over stylistic flourish..

NOTE: We have added 114 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use DTS-HD Master dual-mono tracks (24-bit) in the original English language. There is the anticipated violence and aggressive action sequences that come with the dark cinema cycle. The score for Union Station is a classic orchestral affair typical of 1950s crime dramas, blending suspenseful motifs with dramatic flourishes. Heinz Roemheld (The Roaring Twenties, The Scarlet Letter, O.S.S., Four Frightened People, Ruby Gentry, I, Jane Doe, Dangerous, The Monster that Challenged The World, The Land Unknown, The Mole People, 1933's The Invisible Man) a veteran composer crafts a tense, functional soundtrack that prioritizes narrative momentum over melodic complexity. Low strings and staccato brass dominate during chase scenes and moments of heightened tension, such as the climactic pursuit through Union Station’s tunnels. The sound design of Jennifer leans heavily on the mansion’s natural acoustics - creaking floors, distant wind, and muffled footsteps - to craft a claustrophobic atmosphere. These sounds mirror Agnes’s isolation and amplify the gothic undertones. There are uncredited contributions to Jennifer by Ernest Gold (The Last Sunset, The Defiant Ones Inherit the Wind, Cross of Iron, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, On the Beach, The Secret of Santa Vittoria, and Dementia.) "Angel Eyes" is the standout musical feature is Matt Dennis’s haunting jazz ballad, performed by Dennis himself in a diegetic scene. Its smoky, late-night vibe aligns with noir’s jazz influences (Laura comes to mind.) There are two scenes where Agnes Langley (Lupino) plays an LP record described as "Vortex" by Zindell - a piece characterized as having a “Herrmannesque” quality, meaning it evokes the unsettling, urgent style of the composer known for his work with Hitchcock. It suggests a tense, atmospheric track that aligns with the film’s gothic-noir mood. I loved the haunting lone female singing in the background. For The Crooked Circle R. Dale Butts (City of Shadows, The Catman of Paris, Too Late For Tears, No Man's Woman, The Shanghai Story, Stranger at My Door, Hell's Half Acre, City That Never Sleeps) delivers a robust, dramatic score rooted in late-1950s cinematic trends. It’s less overtly noir than Union Station or Jennifer, reflecting the genre’s evolution into broader melodrama. The score features punchy brass and driving percussion during fight scenes, capturing the physicality and excitement of the ring. These cues contrast with Tommy’s naive optimism, foreshadowing his downfall. The audio quality is clear and clean with a stumble or two in Jennifer. Kino offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-rays.

The Kino Blu-ray offers new commentaries for each film; for Union Station by author / film historian Alan K. Rode (Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film,) - for Jennifer by film historians Kat Ellinger (Daughters of Darkness - Devil's Advocates) and Martyn Conterio (Black Sunday - Devil's Advocates) and for The Crooked Circle by film historian / screenwriter Gary Gerani (Fantastic Television.) Rode’s commentaries are widely regarded as a valuable addition for fans of film noir and classic cinema, offering a wealth of historical context, production insights, and analytical depth. He often situates films within noir’s broader themes, and for Union Station, explores the tension between order and chaos in the bustling train station setting. His commentary on the Union Station is a treasure trove of noir scholarship, blending production details, actor profiles, and thematic analysis with his characteristic passion for classic film. It’s an essential listen for anyone looking to appreciate the film beyond its surface thrills, offering a window into its making and its place in cinema history. Kat Ellinger and Martyn Conterio’s commentary on Jennifer is also excellent. They discuss Lupino and Duff’s partnership, given the film’s moody aesthetic they draw parallels to European cinema’s influence on American B-movies, why it’s lesser-known despite its pedigree and much more. Their track is a must-listen to fully appreciate this overlooked 1953 gem, offering both an education in film history and a love letter to its atmospheric charms. Gary Gerani on The Crooked Circle discusses the production background; Republic Pictures’ B-movie ethos, Joseph Kane’s prolific career (a director of over 100 films, mostly westerns), and the use of the 'Naturama' wide-screen process - a Republic innovation - to give the boxing scenes a broader scope. Plus he tells us about the cast and crew - John Smith’s role as Tommy Kelly, noting Smith’s trajectory from TV westerns (Laramie) to this rare noir lead, and the supporting cast like Steve Brodie (Out of the Past) and Don Kelly, familiar faces in gritty 1950s fare. It's fun and rewarding. There are also theatrical trailers for Union Station and The Crooked Circle

Kino's twenty-third edition of 'Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema' series with Union Station, Jennifer and The Crooked Circle is excellent. Union Station is a quintessential film noir crime drama starring William Holden, Nancy Olson, and Barry Fitzgerald. Set primarily in Chicago’s bustling 'Union Station', the film blends suspense, police procedural elements, and a ticking-clock narrative centered on a kidnapping. It has equal parts urban alienation and moral ambiguity. Think Jules Dassin's The Naked City, Anthony Mann's He Walked by Night, Richard Fleischer's The Narrow Margin or Henry Hathaway's Call Northside 777. Delicious. Typically contrarian, my personal favorite of the three, Jennifer, is a lesser-known noir mystery with gothic undertones, starring Ida Lupino and Howard Duff (a real-life couple at the time.) It’s a slow-burn psychological drama that trades overt action for atmosphere and ambiguity. There are themes of paranoia and isolation - a deserted mansion amplifies Agnes’ (Lupino) growing unease, a gothic twist on noir’s urban isolation. Her descent into suspicion mirrors the psychological instability of characters in films like 1944's Gaslight. Pay attention to Robert Nichols (Jimmy Olson-like sidekick Joe Wilson in This Island Earth.) Lupino brings a nuanced vulnerability to Agnes, whose intuition drives the narrative - evocative of Fritz Lang's Secret Beyond the Door, Robert Siodmak's The Spiral Staircase and even Hitchcock's Rebecca. Essential. Joseph Kane's The Crooked Circle was a waning noir blending its conventions with a more straightforward dramatic style, lacking the existential depth of the other two dark cinema classics. The tension between brothers Joe and Tommy adds a personal stakes to the crime narrative, echoing boxing films like Champion or The Set-Up. Overall a great package and one of the top tier of Kino's Blu-ray 'Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema' series. Each film reflects its budget, intent, and place within noir’s evolution. Union Station excels in technical precision, Jennifer in atmospheric restraint, and The Crooked Circle in bold, if generic, energy - together offering a showcase involving the diversity of 1950s noir, from high-stakes action to psychological unease to moral decay, encapsulating an era of cinematic storytelling that wrestled with post-war anxieties and human frailty. Certainly this boxset gets an enthusiastic recommendation for lovers of the cycle.

Gary Tooze