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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/lang.htm
USA 1944

A classic noir thriller with Robinson in top form as the likeable professor of criminal psychology who finds his most vivid fantasies and fears fulfilled when his wife and kids take a vacation and leave him alone to cope with the evils of the big city. Meeting up (innocently, it seems) with the woman of his dreams - the subject of a painting in a gallery window he passes regularly - he becomes involved first in the violent killing of a man, then in blackmail. Meanwhile his DA pal (Massey) keeps him in touch with the police's search for the killer. With Bennett and Duryea superb as the eponymous heroine and the blackmailer, and atmospheric camerawork by Milton Krasner, it's not merely a dazzling piece of suspense, but also a characteristically stark demonstration of Lang's belief in the inevitability of fate: Robinson, basically a good man, makes one small slip in a moment of relaxation, and he's doomed.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 3rd, 1944

Reviews                                                                              More Reviews                                                                     DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

 

Box Covers

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

Distribution MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Masters of Cinema Spine #204 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:39:12  1:34:50.040 (4% PAL Speedup)  1:39:26.126 1:39:24.083
Video 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.29 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s 

1080i Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 12,623,982,252 bytes

Feature: 12,536,659,968 bytes

Codec: MPEG2 Video

Total Video Bitrate: 15.96  Mbps

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,569,608,846 bytes

Feature: 18,741,288,960 bytes

MPEG4-AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 21.92  Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 37,388,303,259 bytes

Feature: 30,869,837,184 bytes

MPEG4-AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.86  Mbps

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

Bitrate:

Bitrate: Spanish Blu-ray

Bitrate Kino: Blu-ray

Bitrate Eureka: Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital mono), DUBs: Spanish (Dolby Digital mono), French (Dolby Digital mono)

Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 384 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 384 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1557 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1557 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles English, Spanish, None Spanish, None English, None English, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: MGM Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• none

DVD Release Date: July 10th, 2007

Keep Case
Chapters: 20

Release Information:
Studio: New Line Films

 

1080i Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 12,623,982,252 bytes

Feature: 12,536,659,968 bytes

Codec: MPEG2 Video

Total Video Bitrate: 15.96  Mbps

 

Edition Details:

• none

Blu-ray Release Date: May 5th, 2015
Standard
Blu-ray Case

Chapters:

Release Information:
Studio: Kino

 

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,569,608,846 bytes

Feature: 18,741,288,960 bytes

MPEG4-AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 21.92  Mbps

 

Edition Details:

• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
• Theatrical Trailer (1:45)

Blu-ray Release Date: June 19th, 2018
Standard
Blu-ray Case

Chapters:

Release Information:
Studio: Masters of Cinema

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 37,388,303,259 bytes

Feature: 30,869,837,184 bytes

MPEG4-AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.86  Mbps

 

Edition Details:

• Brand new and exclusive video essay by critic David Cairns (22:35)
• Feature Length Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith, author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A Collector s booklet featuring new essays by film journalist and writer Amy Simmons; and film writer Samm Deighan; alongside rare archival imagery

Blu-ray Release Date: May 20th, 2018

Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters:

 

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' Blu-ray (May 2019): The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray transfer is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate and improves on the Kino - notable, at most, in-motion. It appears to be the same source and exemplifies the grain textures beautifully. We compared three below and you can see the similarities. 

Masters of Cinema also advance on the audio with a 24-bit (as opposed to Kino's 16-bit) linear PCM track in the original mono. Aside from some aggression thrills there is also a wonderfully Noirish score by Arthur Lange (99 River Street, Cry Danger, Casanova Brown) and, uncredited Hugo Friedhofer's (Man in the Attic, Ace in the Hole, Body and Soul, Gilda), Bruno Mason, and Charles Maxwell (Grand Hotel, Along Came Jones). There are optional English subtitles on the Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

Masters of Cinema duplicate the audio commentary by Imogen Sara Smith - author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City as, also, found on the Kino. They add a brand new and exclusive video essay entitled 'Framed' by critic David Cairns running over 22-minutes where he does some further analysis during certain scenes. It's enjoyable and educational. As with the Kino there is also an original theatrical trailer. Masters of Cinema add a collector's booklet featuring new essays by film journalist and writer Amy Simmons; and film writer Samm Deighan; alongside rare archival imagery. 

So, almost predictably, Masters of Cinema advance on the previous editions with better audio/video and supplements to create the best Blu-ray package - with the best cover to boot! I love this film and am so glad to own this release.

***

ADDITION: Kino - Region 'A' Blu-ray (June 2017): Kino have rectified the flawed 'New Line' Blu-ray with a proper 1080P (AVC) transfer with a higher bitrate and a substantially improved image that has superior contrast, tighter, more detail, is brighter and has more information in the frame (notable on the left edge.) The Kino looks solid in-motion - a revelation compared to what we had in the past.

Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit). There are optional English subtitles on the Region 'A'-locked disc.

Kino include an excellent audio commentary by Imogen Sara Smith - author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City. She fills the film with interesting details and subtle analysis - well worth the indulgence. There are also a few 'dark cinema' trailers including one for the film.

Fritz Lang, am Essential Noir, Joan Bennett, Edward G., Raymond Massey, Duryea... an adept a/v Blu-ray with commentary! What are you waiting for?

***

ADDITION: New Line Films - Region FREE Blu-ray (March 2016): Warning. Joan Bennett gets a 10/10, Fritz Lang's Woman in the Window get a 9/10 and the New Line Blu-ray gets a 1/10. It's flaws are egregious - MPEG2, 1080i transfer in PAL timing, horizontally stretched, puny file size and bitrate, muddy - lossy, poor, English, audio - but is watchable on a small enough screen. No extras. The out-of-print DVD is the way to go but I had high hopes for this New Line which looks like a blow-up from SD. We say 'pass' - as we do on many Spanish BDs.

There is a pricey PAL DVD HERE. Let's just hope this Noir gem gets a proper 1080P release sooner rather than later and adds some extras too... 

***

ON THE DVD: (Jan 2007): Another decent, if not stellar, progressive, single-layered, transfer from MGM. Fairly good contrast and grey tones and the image is (again - as Bullet For Joey) fairly clean. Still some artifacts but it's a pleasant surprise from the usual lackluster manner that MGM has tended to treat such classics.

No extras at all but there are optional subtitles and a couple of DUBs available. The lack of extras would make the price on the exorbitant side if it wasn't that the film is absolutely marvelous! It also begs the point that it definitely deserves some bona-fide supplements. I suppose it is just great to finally have this Lang gem on my shelf now. Edward G. has a different kind of role (for him) and Joan Bennett is as comely as ever. Pure Noir gold and strongly recommended!

Gary W. Tooze


DVD Menus


New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Masters of Cinema Spine #204 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample

 

1) MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray SECOND

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Masters of Cinema Spine #204 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

Screen Captures

 

1) MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray SECOND

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Masters of Cinema Spine #204 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray SECOND

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Masters of Cinema Spine #204 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


More Blu-ray Captures

1) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


Box Covers

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

Distribution MGM Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC New Line Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Masters of Cinema Spine #204 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray




 

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