Television's Lost Classics Volume One Blu-ray

No Right to Kill (1956) Crime in the Streets (1955)

This is a special series of lost classic programs from the Golden Age of TV. The series has been restored by SabuCat Productions from the best archival film elements available in high definition, some of the programs have not been seen since they were originally broadcast. Volume One features 2 one-hour dramatic programs that feature John Cassavetes.

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Climax! ran for four years - This was an anthology series that presented a different story and different set of characters on each episode. It ran from 1954 to 1958 and featured Casino Royale of James Bond fame that lead to a feature film of the same titles. On August 9th, 1956 - they showed No Right to Kill directed by Buzz Kulik and starring John Cassavetes, Robert H. Harris, Joe Mantell and Terry Moore.

The Elgin Hour ran for two years - A drama series that ran every other week, attracted top notch actors and actresses, and was broadcast from New York City. On March 8th, 1955 they showed the hour-long Crime in the Streets directed by Sidney Lumet and starring John Cassavetes, Robert Preston and Glenda Farrell. Following a turf rumble with a rival group, a street gang leader (Cassavetes) tells his gang to do what they've never done before: kill a snitch. The following year this became a full feature directed by Don Siegel with a jazz-riffing screen version of also starring starring John Cassavetes and Mark Rydell, from The Elgin Hour TV version, and co-starring James Whitmore and Sal Mineo. It was reviewed on DVDBeaver on Film Noir Classics Volume Five HERE.

Titles

Reviews Reviews DVD Reviews

Review: VCI - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Coming to the UK, on Blu-ray, from VCI, in March, 2020:

Distribution

VCI
Region FREE Blu-ray

Runtime	0:59:49.669 / 0:59:44.872
Video	Disc Size: 23,803,858,283 bytes Features Sizes: 10,717,323,264 bytes / 10,698,663,936 bytes Average Bitrate: 20.99 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Bitrate: VCI Blu-ray
Audio	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: VCI Disc Size: 23,803,858,283 bytes Features Sizes: 10,717,323,264 bytes / 10,698,663,936 bytes Average Bitrate: 20.99 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Defender Bloopers (10:38) Blu-ray Release Date: September 11th, 2018 Standard Blu-ray case Chapters: 10 + 9

Comments

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

VCI are distributing Television's Lost Classics Volume One on Blu-ray restored via SabuCat Productions. There are 2 hour-long episodes - both starring John Cassavetes from the mid 50's. They look like Kinescope-shot production. Kinescope was the only practical way to preserve live television broadcasts prior to the introduction of videotape in 1956. They were often utilized via 16mm. The information I have researched indicates that both of these dramas were shot in that process and the image quality certainly supports that. Aside from the weak detail, smearing, fine combing lines, and compromised contrast - the largest issue I found was the warping and distortion of the information in the frame with characters heads being skewed and stretched to abnormal proportions. So, in-motion, even at 1080P it has issues but it is extremely watchable and highly interesting - notably the Kulik feature "No Right to Kill" with a narration voiceover for Cassavetes character. Classic TV indeed.

The film is presented in a 2.0 mono on a 16-bit linear PCM audio transfer in the original English-language. Obviously, the production limitations are notable with the sound as well as the video, but the dialogue was generally audible and the disc is supported with optional English (SDH) subtitles on this Region FREE Blu-ray.

VCI include 10-minutes of blooper of the TV show The Defenders (TV Series 1961–1965) with an episode I can't find called "The Nurses" (that has a flipping title) and I see James Coburn in it. It looks like someone has spliced in alternate footage into the The Man Who Saved His Country episode (Season 3 #29)? Anyway, not particularly amusing, imo.

Despite the marginal quality it was great to just see these - and we can assume some of the limitations are improved upon in HD as opposed to DVD. It was very cool to see the Don Siegel with a jazz-riffing screen version of Crime in the Streets directed by Sidney Lumet and starring John Cassavetes. I liked even more No Right to Kill which was taken from the Fyodor Dostoevsky story. The Blu-ray is a tough sell to HD aficionados but for fans of Cassavetes and Lumet - it's a must-own. I enjoyed my viewings and look forward to Volume 2 "Rare Pilots".