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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
Directed by
Robert Siodmak
USA 1944
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Siodmak's first American success, a moody thriller from a Cornell Woolrich novel which set the mould for a string of dark classics. The wife of an engineer (Curtis) is murdered, his female alibi's very existence is denied by every witness, and he faces the chair. His secretary (Raines) and a curious off-duty cop (Gomez) investigate... Siodmak's angled compositions and dramatic lighting might be uncharitably ticked off as genre staples, but his manipulation of the film's key motif is masterly. He concentrates on the tangible and psychological evidence - the 'records' - of absence: the wife's portrait, the messages on the office dictaphone, the court transcript, the dead witness' typed address, the hat that recalls a dead fiancé. And the film's quest is for a woman who exists only in the memories of the condemned man and the audience. |
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Theatrical Release Date: January 28th, 1944
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DVD Comparison:
Carlotta - Region 2 - PAL vs. TCM - Region 1 - NTSC
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1) Carlotta - Region 2 - PAL LEFT
2) TCM - Region 1- NTSC -
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| Distribution | Carlotta Films - Region 2 - PAL | TCM - Region 1 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 1:23:03 (4% PAL Speedup) | 1:26:51 |
| Video | 1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.2 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.55 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | English (Dolby Digital 1.0) - DUB in French (mono) | English (Dolby Digital 1.0) |
| Subtitles | French, (possibly forced on some machines when original English dialogue is chosen though none of my systems were displaying them as forced) | None |
| Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: NOTE: NONE OF THE EXTRAS ARE IN ENGLISH OR HAVE ENG. SUBS
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Release Information: Edition Details: • Marsha Hunt on Film Noir (1:59) • Eddie Muller on Robert Siodmak (2:52) • Eddie Muller on Phantom Lady (3:18)
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ADDITION: TCM - Region 1 - NTSC - November 2012: (comments duplicated - covering all three releases) So TCM has put together a new Noir package with the, long awaited in NTSC, black-cinema classics - The Blue Dahlia, Phantom Lady and The Glass Key. So, as Eddie Muller repeats in the DVD extras section, 'finally'. The Ladd/Lake noirs (This Gun For Hire, The Blue Dahlia, and The Glass Key) are an essential part of the cycle and Eddie considers Siodmak (Phantom Lady, Criss Cross, The Dark Mirror) the greatest of all Noir directors. All three transfers are single-layered and appear to be from the same source as their PAL counterparts with the same light damage/speckles. Contrast improves significantly in The Glass Key and there is notable improvement as well in The Blue Dahlia. Less so in Phantom Lady but the biggest appeal is getting these three iconic Noirs in there theatrical running time (no PAL speedup). Extras have Eddie Muller giving short input on all three discs - twice in multiple subjects, we also have a brief, and still classy, Marsha Hunt discussing Noir and an introduction by Ben Mankiewicz for The Glass Key. All three also have Digital image galleries with Behind-the-Scenes Photos, Publicity Stills, Lobby Cards and Movie Posters. I treasure this set - would love the films in 1080P but it seems such an unfairly long period of time for these important films to reach NTSC. I'll be buying a second set to store in a safety deposit box. Certainly recommended! ***
ON THE FRENCH DVD: Phantom Lady has some visible damage marks - lots of speckles and some light, but extensive, scratches (see last screen capture). Detail is quite good and there are moments of visible digital artifacts. Audio quality was consistent. There are extra features but they are either in French or German (with French subtitles) and are not English friendly. |
DVD Menus
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1) Carlotta - Region 2 - PAL LEFT
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Subtitle Sample
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Screen Captures
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1) Carlotta - Region 2 - PAL TOP
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1) Carlotta - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) TCM - Region 1- NTSC -
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1) Carlotta - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2) TCM - Region 1- NTSC -
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More TCM Captures
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| Distribution | Carlotta Films - Region 2 - PAL | TCM - Region 1 - NTSC |
Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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Film Noir: An Encyclopedia
Reference to the American Style by Alain Silver, Elizabeth Ward |
Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City by Nicholas Christopher |
Film Noir Reader 4 : The
Crucial Films and Themes (Film Noir Reader) by Alain Silver |
The Art of Noir: The Posters
and Graphics from the Classic Era of Film Noir by Eddie Muller |
The Little Black and White
Book of Film Noir: Quotations from Films of the 40's
and 50's by Peg Thompson, Saeko Usukawa |
Film Noir by Alain Silver |
Detours and Lost Highways: A
Map of Neo-Noir by Foster Hirsch |
More Than Night: Film Noir in
Its Contexts by James Naremore |
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Gary Tooze
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