Twentieth Century Fox (Cinema Archives)

Region 0 - NTSC

1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Pan-and-scanned from original 2.35:1
Average Bitrate: 6.49 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.

Aspect Ratio:
Pan and scan - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• None

DVD Release Date: July 31st, 2012
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Chapters 8

Twelve Hours to Kill is a modest intrigue-thriller. I was expecting a bit more but in truth it's not that bad a film... just not the heavy Noir I was in the mood for. It was interesting to see Barbara Eden ('I Dream of Jeannie'). More concise, stylistic flashbacks, could have benefited the cohesiveness and I'd say that there wasn't much in the director's control of Twelve Hours to Kill .

Unfortunately, there is an unforgivable issue with the transfer. It starts by saying the film was modified from its original aspect ratio to fit your screen (that warning certainly requires updating - have they seen TV's lately?) Then the opening credits are seen - in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio (letterboxed to the 4:3 transfer). THEN the film, is shown in an awkward pan-and-scan 1.33:1 AR. Composition is notably bastardized (see samples below) with 3/4 chopped  characters on the side edges of the screen.

Aside from that, it is standard single-layered, progressive and a bit hazy. This is labeled under the Fox's "Cinema Archive" MoD marquee and the image has artefacts and inconsistencies (that may very well stem from the pan-and-scanning!) Nothing looks particularly impressive except Barbara Eden's gait.

The mono sound is decent but unremarkable and there are no subtitles offered. There are no supplements at all.

Because of my indifference to the film and the drastic manipulation of the original appearance - I'd say this is an easy 'pass'.  

  - Gary Tooze

Twentieth Century Fox (Cinema Archives)

Region 0 - NTSC