Johnny Allegro Blu-ray

We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that some of our followers would be willing to donate a small amount to keep DVDBeaver alive. We are a tiny niche, so your generosity is vital to our existence.

We are talking about a minimum of $0.10 - $0.15 a day, perhaps a quarter (or more) to those who won't miss it from their budget. It equates to buying DVDBeaver a coffee once, twice or a few times a month. You can then participate in our monthly Silent auctions.

To those that are unfamiliar, Patreon is a secure/verified third-party service where users can agree to a monthly donation via credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below.

Search DVDBeaver

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

(aka "Hounded" )

directed by Ted Tetzlaff
USA 1949

Ex-gangster Johnny Allegro (George Raft) makes the acquaintance of the beautiful Glenda Chapman (Nina Foch) when he helps her out of a tight spot. As a result, a Government agent persuades Allegro to exploit his new contact to go undercover and infiltrate a crime ring led by Glenda's husband, Morgan Vallin (George Macready, Gilda). Allegro achieves his objective, arriving at an island owned by Vallin, but realizes quickly that Vallin is a formidable opponent with a disturbing hobby. Can Allegro trust Glenda - the wife of the man he's trying to bring down? Will Vallin discover that he and Allegro are on the opposite sides of a dangerous and deadly game?

Posters

Theatrical Release: 26 May 1949 (USA)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Sony Pictures (Screen Classics by Request) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Kit Parker Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the DVD Review!

1) Sony - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) Kit Parker Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Cover
Distribution	Sony Pictures Region 0 - NTSC	Kit Parker Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:20:57	1:21:08.196
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.32 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,009,469,595 bytes Feature: 16,540,631,040 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate Blu-ray
Audio	Dolby Digital Mono (English)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 825 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 825 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Sony Pictures Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: September 21st, 2010 Keep Case Chapters 9	Release Information: Studio: Kit Parker Films 1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,009,469,595 bytes Feature: 16,540,631,040 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • No extras - shares the disc with The Black Book and The Killer That Stalked New York Blu-ray Release Date: April 23rd, 2019 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 13

Comments

ADDITION: Kit Parker Blu-ray (April 2019): Kit Parker Films in association with Millcreek Entertainment have released the first (of three announced) of these 3 Blu-ray / 9 Film Noir features Boxsets. Volume One is described as:

"Stalwart noir directors and casts highlight these hard to find features Address Unknown (1944) dir/William Cameron Menzies, cast/Paul Lukas, Carl Esmond, Peter Van Eyck; Escape in the Fog (1945) dir/Oscar (Budd) Boetticher cast/Otto Kruger, Nina Foch, William Wright; The Guilt of Janet Ames (1947) dir/Henry Levin cast/Rosalind Russell, Melvyn Douglas, Sid Caesar; The Black Book (aka The Reign of Terror) (1949) dir/Anthony Mann cast/Robert Cummings, Richard Basehart, Arlene Dahl; Johnny Allegro (1949) dir/Ted Tetzlaff cast/George Raft, Nina Foch, George Macready; 711 Ocean Drive (1950) dir/Joseph M. Newman cast/Edmond O'Brien, Joanne Dru, Otto Kruger; The Killer That Stalked New York (1950) dir/Earl McEvoy cast/Evelyn Keyes, Charles Korvin, William Bishop; Assignment Paris (1952) dir/Earl McEvoy cast/Dana Andrews, Marta Toren, George Sanders; The Miami Story (1954) dir/Fred F. Sears cast/Barry Sullivan, Luther Adler, John Baer - all in high definition presented in their original aspect ratios."

So, 3 films on a dual-layered Blu-ray, with a decent bitrate in 1080P and the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. It has some thickness but detail also rises in many scenes to advance over the SD. The textures are consistent and appealing.

The audio is 24-bit lossless (DTS-HD Master) exporting the score by George Duning (Assignment - Paris, The Guilt of Janet Ames, The Man From Laramie, 3:10 to Yuma, Jeanne Eagels, The Shadow on the Window, Tight Spot, etc.). It sounds clean with minor depth. The Blu-ray offers optional English subtitles on this Region FREE Blu-ray package.

No supplements - but the disc is shared with The Black Book and The Killer That Stalked New York. Iconic George Raft and sexy Nina Foch navigating the underworld of dark cinema. Not premium for the cycle but another viable reason this set is a keeper.

***

ON THE DVD: Johnny Allegro was one of the first 100 titles released by Sony Pictures through their new made-on-demand service "Screen Classics by Request" back in September. The near-film-noir crime drama looks very attractive in this single layered disc. There is virtually no damage on the print and the contrast is impressive.

The mono soundtrack is decent. There is no extras on the disc and no menu, so the film starts when you insert the disc after a couple of unskippable FBI warning screens. Unfortunately, the film is a bit dull and George Raft is a bit wooden in his performance, but the film is saved by interesting George Macready's character with his bow-and-arrow fetish and always attractive Nina Foch.

- Gregory Meshman

Kit Parker Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray