Firstly, a HUGE thanks to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential. We are always trying to expand Patron benefits... you get access to the Silent Auctions and over 5000 unpublished screen captures (in lossless PNG format, if that has appeal for you) listed HERE. Please consider helping with $3 or more each month so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you so much. We aren't going to exist without another 100 or so patrons.


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Vincente Minnelli
USA 1955

 

Step inside “the Castle,” a large private psychiatric facility. Here, Dr. Stewart McIver (Richard Widmark) devotes night and day to his profession while neglecting his pining, voluptuous wife (Gloria Grahame). A colleague (Charles Boyer) with a fondness for booze and a pretty face seeks to comfort the wife. Now add Lauren Bacall, Lillian Gish, John Kerr, Susan Strasberg, Oscar Levant and subplots of love, life and derangement and you have the entanglements of The Cobweb. Some critics gleefully skewered the film’s labored storyline about patient involvement in the choice of library draperies, but pay no heed. With its top cast and Vincente Minnelli’s command of color and melodrama, this film is popcorn for fans of soaps.

Posters

Theatrical Release: 7 June 1955 (USA)

Reviews                                                                                          More Reviews                                                                        DVD Reviews

 

DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Warner Archive Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 2:03:32
Video

2.53:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.21 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

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

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.53:1

Edition Details:
• Theatrical trailer (2:48)

DVD Release Date: January 18th, 2011
Keep Case

Chapters 26

 

Comments

Warner Archive Collection released a number of Vincent Minnelli CinemaScope pictures recently, including The Cobweb. Despite the provocative poster, featuring Gloria Grahame in a femme fatale pose that would make you think it's a noir thriller, this is a psychological drama set in and around a psychiatric clinic. Richard Widmark stars as a head doctor of the clinic married to Gloria Grahame who may be crazier than any patient in his clinic. Unfortunately, the film is very dated now, but it's worth at least a single viewing just for the great ensemble cast.

The dual-layered disc from Warner Archive has enough space on the disc to prevent serious compression issues. Unfortunately, some scenes are very murky especially at reel changes, but this is mostly due to the original cinematography rather than any issues with the transfer. CinemaScope image is very wide (2.53:1) presenting the film in its original aspect ratio and the stereo soundtrack is very good. Per usual, there are no subtitles, but the disc includes a theatrical trailer for the film.

NOTE - William said: "I have to say that, having seen THE COBWEB in a good 35mm print many years ago, I can't get on board with the statement that 'the softness and darkness of the image in the DVD is mostly due to the original cinematography'. When I saw it, it looked fresh and sharp." (Thanks William!)

  - Gregory Meshman

 



DVD Menus
 

 


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

 




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

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!