The comparison is fairly cut-and-dried - the, now out-of-print, Image Entertainment DVD is interlaced (see image below), shows frequent rounded corners and is very dark with highly visible damage marks (so dark that some background details are lost). The Image Ent. does show more information on all 4 sides, but with the rounded corners this is probably not meant to be shown theatrically. The Criterion transfer is again pictureboxed (see our description of 'pictureboxing' in our Kind Hearts and Coronets review). Criterion have included a black border around the edge of the frame to counter overscan on production television sets. It looks excellent with Criterion's meticulous restoration techniques - contrast is pristine. The subtitles and mono audio are again at their lofty standard.

In the commentary screenwriter Malvin Wald informs us, twice in the first 2 minutes alone, that The Naked City was the precursor the Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and later copied by TV shows like NYPD Blue and Dragnet. He makes comparisons to the O.J. Simpson trial. He talks quite slow and stilted, he narrates far too much, and I wouldn't say it is one of the better commentaries that I have heard from Criterion. He does relate some interesting facts such as the genesis of the film's title. I think I got more out of the 28 minute Dana Polan interview as he talks of the juxtaposed relationship of Film Noir to The Naked City and its supportive nature of normalcy and resistance to deviant behaviour. He talks briefly of the voyeuristic feel of many 40's films - peeking through windows as it were. James Sanders gives a great 26 minute talk on the film covering many production points with information on Mark Hellinger and many of the buildings used in the film. He is very knowledgeable and talks at quite a clip squeezing in many salient points - I hope Criterion bring him back for further supplements. There is a stills gallery and an artistic liner notes booklet with an essay by Luc Sante and production notes from producer Mark Hellinger to Dassin.

The Naked City has a lot of pioneering history associated with it and although I enjoyed this Criterion DVD but I think I prefer Brute Force as a straight Noir film (from Dassin) and I really look forward to that releases by Criterion. 

Gary W. Tooze