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FORGOTTEN NOIR: Volume 7
David Harding, Counterspy (1950) Danger Zone
(1951)
The Big Chase (1954)
Titles
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Product Description:
DANGER ZONE: When you deal with dames you are in the Danger Zone as the character of crime detector Dennis O'Brien (Hugh Beaumont) learns in his inaugural mystery-drama. The private eye first cracks a case involving smuggling ring then tackles an assignment that involves blackmail murder and film noir's top bad guy Tom Neal.
THE BIG CHASE: As his expectant wife (Adele Jergens) enters the hospital in anticipation of the blessed event cop Glenn Langan is off to the races trailing payroll robbers (including Jim Davis and Lon Chaney Jr.) on a mad chase that goes from cars to rowboat to motorboat to helicopter. The chase sequence captured in all its bullet-to-bullet glory comprises a third of the movie. |
Posters
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Theatrical Releases: Various from 1950 - 1954
DVD Review: VCI (1-disc) - Region 0 - NTSC
DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: |
Distribution | VCI - Region 0 - NTSC |
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This collection is also available from VCI in the FORGOTTEN NOIR : Collectors Set Vol 3: (David Harding, Counterspy; Danger Zone, The Big Chase; Mr. District Attorney 1947; Ringside; Hi-Jacked; Scotland Yard Inspector; Pier 23; The Case of the Baby) | |
Video | 1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.77 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
Bitrate: |
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Time: |
1:10:33 + 55:32 + 59:46 |
Audio | English (original) |
Subtitles | None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Big Chase interview with Robert Lippert Jr. (reenactment) - 9:07 • Lord of the Radio (part 1) - 11:43 • 3 trailers (for other films)
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Comments: |
Being VCI - we know we are not venturing in to premium-big-studio-Gene-Tierney-Richard-Widmark-type Film Noir. But I was keen to see Tom Neal (yes, from, my favorite black-cinema; Detour) and enjoyable bit-parter Hugh Beaumont - although he is actually the star of Danger Zone. We can easily dismiss David Harding, Counterspy as not encompassing even some 'broad' definitions of Noir, but both Danger Zone and The Big Chase made our listing HERE. VCI have some deal with the catalogue of impresario, and cinema chain owner, Robert L. Lippert (mostly B-films). The three features are housed on one, solitary, dual-layered disc. The transfers suffer from being interlaced (as, I believe, are all VCI's DVDs I have seen) and are in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. I can't do much more than the provided screen captures can tell you. None are stellar looking. Danger Zone looks the best, The Big Chase next and Harding, Counterspy bringing up the rear. Contrast can be a shade muddy across the board but damage is quite limited. Detail is at the lower end. There are no subtitles offered but audio is another story (see below).
Audio - All original (monaural or 2.0 channel) but
The Big Chase is very weak - especially in the opening. The rest
match the unremarkable video quality - audible for the most part but
leave a lot to be desired.
VCI are starting to include supplements (also
interlaced) of late and although these are not directly relational to
the films themselves - the effort is appreciated. We have a 9 minute
reenactment interview with Robert Lippert Jr. and it does impart some
important information. Next is part 1 (more on other discs in the
Collection) of Lord of the Radio - less relevant to Noir and 12
minutes long. After that - 3 trailers (for other films - Motor Patrol,
Portland Expose and Terror Street). Overall impression:
I have never minded this pragmatic manner of DVD production - more films - less
extras and cheaper. I enjoyed Danger Zone but less so the other two.
The Big Chase is a bit tedious. So is it worth it? Well, the price is sure
right - and for the
Collectors Set Vol 3 it is about $3/film. It's tough to
complain - I like stingy B-stuff at times and even weak, but previously unseen,
Noir,
on some nights, is better than repeats. This unsurprising package is okay - just
don't expect the golden age of dark cinema - and you might enjoy too.
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DVD Menus
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David Harding, Counterspy (1950)
Starring Willard Parker, Audrey Long, Raymond Greenleaf and Harlan Warden
Screen Captures
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Danger Zone (1951)
Starring Hugh Beaumont, Edward Brophy, Richard Travis, Tom Neal, Pamela
Blake and Virginia Dale
Screen Captures
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The Big Chase (1954)
Screen Captures
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Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City by Nicholas Christopher |
Shades of Noir: A Reader by Joan Copjec |
The Art of Noir: The Posters and Graphics from the
Classic Era of Film Noir by Eddie Muller |
The Little Black and White Book of Film Noir:
Quotations from Films of the 40's and 50's by Peg Thompson, Saeko Usukawa |
Film Noir by Alain Silver |
Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era,
1940-1959 by Michael F. Keaney |
Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir by Foster Hirsch |