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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Desert Town')

Directed by Lewis Allen
USA 1947

 

Lewis Allen (A Bullet for Joey, The Uninvited) directed this classic film noir in Technicolor, starring Lizabeth Scott (Pitfall), Burt Lancaster (I Walk Alone), John Hodiak (Lifeboat), Mary Astor (The Maltese Falcon) and Wendell Corey (Harriet Craig). Eddie Bendix (Hodiak) and his henchman, Johnny Ryan (Corey), two gangsters in the gambling trade, return to a small desert town outside of Reno. Years ago, Eddie had left town under suspicion of murdering his wife and after running into some trouble in Las Vegas, Eddie now hopes to get involved with the local gambling house whose proprietor is his ex-flame Fritzi Haller (Astor). To complicate matters, Eddie falls for Fritzi’s daughter (Scott), who used to be involved with the local lawman Tom Hanson (Lancaster), who’s still in love with her. Desert Fury was adapted for the screen by filmmaker Robert Rossen (The Strange Love of Martha Ivers) from the far racier and more explicit novel by Ramona Stewart (The Possession of Joel Delaney).

***

Everything is a little bent about this film (pun indented)... to a degree that, with the exception of Edgar G. Ulmer's Detour (1945), Desert Fury is a singular anti-social statement unlike practically anything the American screen produced in the 40s. Take the central character for example. It's a woman - an anomaly in film noir - and the woman, in the guise of Lizabeth Scott's barely legal horniness, is the one driving this Technicolor narrative, which the archetype femme-fatale has been replaced by John Hodiak's male-fatale (there is a long scene with him sunbathing with his shirt off, Barbara Stanwyck-like just in case you need a pointer).

Excerpt from Vigen Galstyan's liner notes on the DV1 DVD

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 15th, 1947

Reviews                                                                        More Reviews                                                                    DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL vs. Koch - Region 2 - PAL vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL LEFT

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  RIGHT

 

Box Cover

Distribution DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL

Kino

Region 'A'- Blu-ray

Runtime 1:31:33 (4% PAL Speedup) 1:31:36 (4% PAL Speedup) 1:35:59.420
Video 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.53 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 8.11 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 24,385,090,906 bytes

Feature: 20,759,371,776 bytes

Video Bitrate: 25.45 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate: DV1

Bitrate: Koch

Bitrate: Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0)  English (Dolby Digital 2.0), German (Dolby Digital 2.0)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1554 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1554 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles None None English, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• liner notes

DVD Release Date: June, 200
8
Transparent Keep Case
Chapters: 10

Release Information:
Studio: Koch Media

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Trailer

• liner notes in German/photos

DVD Release Date:
December 4th, 2009
Digi-book Case
Chapters: 16

Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 24,385,090,906 bytes

Feature: 20,759,371,776 bytes

Video Bitrate: 25.45 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
Theatrical Trailer (1:41)

 

Blu-ray Release Date: February 26th, 2019

Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray (January 2019): Desert Fury with it's extensive homo-erotic motifs is somewhat of a 'cult' film within the Noir cycle and its release on Blu-ray by Kino is significant for fans of the film. This is a Technicolor film and the process rarely comes through as vibrant on digital as it does in theatres. But the DVDs did an admirable job if overly bright. The 1080P transfer is accurately darker but colors (compare Scott's green sweater) are definitely richer. The grain textures are another area that the higher resolution advances upon the SD. Despite a minor few flecks of color the HD presentation is gorgeous - especially night scenes or Lancaster's black leather jacket which shine with the layered contrast. The image quality is brilliant - one of the most attractive looking films on Blu-ray that I've seen in months. It should also be noted that this is in the theatrical running time - where both DVDs had PAL speedup.

Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono (16-bit) audio transfer for Desert Fury. The film has been notable for its limited action or aggressive gunplay - until later in the film but the film's sound is an important part of the film experience thanks to iconic Miklós Rózsa score (The Killers, The Lost Weekend, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Double Indemnity) and it sounds subtly impacting in the lossless transfer. Kino add optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Aside from a trailer (and trailers for other Lancaster films) Kino add a new audio commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith, author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City. It is fully professional discussing the private and professional lives of Mary Astor, screenplay writer Robert Rossen, Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, Edith Head, Wendell Corey and addresses Eddie Muller's comment that this is the 'gayest movie in Noir' citing examples within the film. She comments on the film's impressive colors, desert vistas and much more. The commentary is an extremely valuable part of this package if the a/v were not enough for most.

Desert Fury is one of the most unique Noirs with a stellar cast, Technicolor brilliance and it's homo-eroticism always seething beneath the surface. This is already one of my favorite Blu-rays of the early year and it has a wonderful commentary. It has our absolute highest recommendation!

***

ADDITION: Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL (August 2010): Seems like the exact same excellent transfer (hope I got the frame matches the same). Koch has a nice package but the liner notes are in German and the DV1 is region FREE - although both are in the PAL standard. Noir and Lizabeth Scott fans will be happy with whatever is the cheapest option for them. Sweetness...

***

ON THE DV1: First off - I LOVE this film - and this new DV1 (Australian) Region 0 - PAL DVD blows away my old black and white DVD-R (from TV) transfer.... by a mile.  It is most impressive for the sumptuousness and brilliancy of the Technicolor. Even more so considering this is a single-layered effort. Lizabeth Scott is absolutely radiant! Wow!

Now, it's not perfect as colors look a little faded in a few spots but this is one DVD I have my grip tightly on - and I'm not letting go. Detail is very strong (this film can't be 60 years old!) and the transfer seems fairly free of artifacts and is progressive. I am most impressed.

The audio is represented by a consistent and clear mono 2.0 channel effort. No complaints there with no major dropouts or hiss to note. There are no subtitles offered for this edition of Desert Fury.

Extras consistent solely of a one page liner notes essay by DVDBeaver-brethren Vigen Galstyan. There is a poorer Spanish DVD edition available HERE but this is the one to own and it's primo in the noir canon. No brainer purchase - get it while you can. 

Gary W. Tooze

 


DVD Menus

DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL LEFT vs. Koch - Region 2 - PAL RIGHT


 

 

Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample - Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray

 

 

1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  BOTTOM

 


1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  BOTTOM

 


1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  BOTTOM

 


1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  BOTTOM

 


1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  BOTTOM

 


1) DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Koch - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Kino Region 'A'- Blu-ray  BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 


 Box Covers

Distribution DV1 'Hollywood Classis' Collection - Region 0 - PAL Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL

Kino

Region 'A'- Blu-ray




 

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