A Strange Adventure Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "White Nightmare")

Directed by William Witney
USA 1956

Legendary serial and western director William Witney (Sunset in the West, Daredevils of the Red Circle) directed this film noir about a trio of armored-car robbers who make their getaway by forcing a young hot-rodder (Ben Cooper, The Last Command) to be their driver. The vicious criminals take over a mountain cabin for a hideout after overpowering its occupants. The suspenseful crime drama co-stars Joan Evans (No Name on the Bullet), Marla English (Voodoo Woman), Jan Merlin (Cole Younger, The Gunfighter) and Nick Adams (Invasion of Astro-Monster). Beautifully shot in black-and-white by Bud Thackery (Coogan’s Bluff).

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Release: July 11th, 1956

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DVD Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:09:58.944
Video	1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 19,394,134,705 bytes Feature: 17,904,740,352 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.51 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1556 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1556 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
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 19,394,134,705 bytes Feature: 17,904,740,352 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.51 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Film Historians Toby Roan and Jay Dee Whitney • KLSC Trailers Blu-ray Release Date: July 24th, 2018 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 8

Comments:

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

ADDITION: (July 2018) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray: This is described as a "Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Safety Dupe Negative by Paramount Pictures", and the source looks true presenting a decent image with some layered contrast. It's on a single-layered Blu-ray, with a high bitrate and looks reasonably consistent with some film texture.

Audio is transferred in DTS-HD Master (16-bit) in 2.0 channel. There aren't an abundance of aggressive effects - some later gunfire, fighting and car sounds. The score is by R. Dale Butts (Panther Girl of the Congo, Too Late For Tears, No Man's Woman, The Shanghai Story, Stranger at My Door, Hell's Half Acre, City That Never Sleeps) and is one of the better attributes of the crime yarn adding tension and suspense. There are no subtitles and the Blu-ray disc is Region 'A'-locked.

Supplements include an audio commentary by Toby Roan and Jay Dee Whitney with Roan digging extremely deep into every facet of the production from specifics on the cars, actors etc. It's wild how thorough he is and later we get some audio from director William Witney's son Jay Dee Whitney who, admittedly, doesn't recall the production much. There are also trailers for 4 others films.

A Strange Adventure is quite a pleasing 50's 'B' crime yarn. Not rich Noir but it suffices as a kiss'in cousin to the cycle. Short, enjoyable - a fantastically detailed commentary - and priced right. This Blu-ray is recommended!