House of Bamboo Blu-ray

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

USA 1955

Writer-director Samuel Fuller’s House of Bamboo (1955) is a gangster-noir for the post-war world: hard, fast, and out of control. Shot entirely on location in Tokyo and Yokohama by the brilliant cinematographer Joe MacDonald, it gives us a look at a brutally exploitative Japanese-based American gang led by a compelling sadist (the one and only Robert Ryan). Caught up and over his head is the relatively innocent Eddie (Robert Stack), whose burgeoning love for a “kimono girl” (the lovely Shirley Yamaguchi) is counterpointed by his involvement with the complicated crime boss. Also featuring sterling performances from Cameron Mitchell and Sessue Hayakawa.

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Theatrical Release: July 1st, 1955

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Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. UFA (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray

1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) UFA (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers			Coming to the UK on Blu-ray from Masters of Cinema in December 2020:
Distribution	20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC	UFA (Germany) - Region 2 - PAL	Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:42:24	1:30:18 ($% PAL speedup)	1:42:32.646
Video	2.55:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.58 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	2.55:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.4 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	2.55:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 31,142,064,882 bytes Feature: 30,814,697,472 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: FOX
Bitrate: UFA
Bitrate: Twilight Time Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 4.0), DUBs: Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0), French (Dolby Digital 1.0)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0), DUBs: German (Dolby Digital 2.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 3121 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3121 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) Commentaries: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1188 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1188 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1799 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1799 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Isolated Score: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1485 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1485 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	German, None	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 2.55:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by film historians James Ursini and Alain Silver • Fox Movietone News: Behind-the-scenes footage, Landing in Japan • Theatrical trailer • Spanish trailer DVD Release Date: June 7th, 2005 Keep Case Chapters: 16	Release Information: Studio: UFA (Germany) Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 2.55:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical Trailer (2:13) • Other trailers DVD Release Date: May 21st, 2007 Transparent Keep Case in package with another Transparent Keep case of Cry of the City Chapters: 16	Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 31,142,064,882 bytes Feature: 30,814,697,472 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary with Film Historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman • Audio Commentary with Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini • Isolated Score Track • Fox Movietone Newsreels (1:07, 2:06) • Original Theatrical Trailer (2:19) Blu-ray Release Date: August 11th, 2015 Black-Standard Blu-ray case Chapters 24

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Twilight Time - Region FREE Blu-ray August 2015': Twilight Time's new 1080P looks very impressive beside the, older DVDs with their faded visuals. The HD image is darker, with significantly richer and deeper colors. There may be a touch of teal leaning but the transfer looks amazing in-motion showing a shade more in he side edges and a bit off the top and bottom - still maintaining the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio. Side-by-side it is a staggering difference with the SD presentation.

Twilight Time go with a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track attempting to replicate the original Western Electric Recording 4-Track Stereo. It is extremely robust handling the films sound requirements with some pleasing separations. The score by Leigh Harline (Pickup on South Street, 23 Paces to Baker Street, Johnny Come Lately, Broken Lance etc.) seems to benefit occasionally sounding dramatic and atmospheric via the lossless. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region FREE - playable on Blu-rays machines worldwide.

Twilight Time include the excellent Fox audio commentary with film historians Alain Silver and James Ursini from 2005 as well as the short Fox Movietone Newsreels and a trailer. They add a new audio commentary with film historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman expanding on further details of the production and their usual isolated score track. This disc is a Limited Edition of 3,000 Units.

The a/v improvement of a Samuel Fuller film alone makes this a must-have but add the new commentary and we have our highest recommendation! Don't delay if you are keen!

***

ADDITION: UFA Region 2 - PAL - March 08': This comes in a package entitled Hollywood Highlights 7 - Thriller from UFA in Germany. The film has a German translation calling the disc Tokio-Story . It comes in its own transparent keep case along with another keep case of single-layered film Siodmak's Cry of the City (called Schrei in der Großstadt in this package).

Visually it that looks exactly the same as the Fox - possibly sharper and a bit brighter in some scenes - but the difference is marginal. It offers original English and an optional German DUB. There is a tab on my computer for German subtitles but I couldn't get them to work. There is a trailer for the film and some others in this series. What it lacks is wonderful commentary by Ursini and Silver on the Fox. Considering it also contains Cry of the City then some may wish to indulge at 20.95 EUR = $32.10 USD (at the writing of this review).

Top notch DVD from Fox. Colors are strong and slightly dulled in spots, but the 2.55 tight anamorphic widescreen looks totally filmic with sharpness and good contrast. I loved the Ursini and Silver commentary filled with more Fuller tidbits and occasional anecdotes. The behind the scenes footage is also a neat 'backroom' addition. The 4.0 audio is not as defined as one might expect, but it is far from a disaster. Subtitles are of Fox's regular excellent quality. Certainly the price is right on this fine DVD package. out of