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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
Directed by
Henry Hathaway
USA 1947
Kiss of Death is a semi-documentary thriller, one of a cycle of
documentary-based noirs, which began life not as pulp fiction but as a version
of the facts, derived from the case files of Eleazar Lipsky, an aspiring
novelist and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney. Ben Hecht, screenwriter of
The Front Page and Scarface, and Charles Lederer, a frequent collaborator,
delivered the script. *** Small-time crook Nick Bianco gets caught in a jewel heist and despite urgings from well-meaning district attorney D'Angelo, refuses to rat on his partners and goes to jail, assured that his wife and children will be taken care of. Learning that his depressed wife has killed herself, Nick informs on his ex-pals and is paroled. Nick remarries, gets a job and begins leading a happy life when he learns one of the men he informed on, psychopathic killer Tommy Udo, has been released from custody and is out for revenge against Nick and his family. *** A gritty tale of deceit and manipulation filmed with an almost documentary-style realism, this hard-edged noir thriller stars Victor Mature as a gangster who takes the rap for a jewelry-store heist to protect his wife and children. But when his friends on the outside fail to honor their promise, he turns the tables on the mob and works with the FBI to incriminate the men who helped put him away. Richard Widmark debuts as the evil mobster with the manic laugh. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: August 27th, 1947
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Comparison:
20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL vs. Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray
1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT 2) BFI - Region 2 - PAL SECOND 3) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray THIRD 4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT |
Box Cover |
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Distribution | 20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC | BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL | Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:38:54 | 1:34:51 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:38:59.308 | 1:38:59.433 |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 9.3 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.96 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:11080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,884,497,884 bytesFeature: 23,768,968,320 bytesCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 27.93 Mbps |
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:11080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 27,827,365,829 bytesFeature: 27,632,093,184 bytesCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 26.99 Mbps |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Signal One Blu-ray |
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Bitrate Twilight Time Blu-ray |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 1.0), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), DUB: Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0) | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1968 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1968 kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1700 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1700 kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 2026 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2026 kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
Subtitles | English, Spanish, None | English, None | English (SDH), None | English (SDH), None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Commentary
by film historians James Ursini and Alain Silver |
Release Information: Edition Details:
• Interview with Richard Widmark (18:27)
• 14-page liner notes booklet with photos and
essay by Lee Server |
Release Information:
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:11080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,974,933,390 bytes Feature: 21,163,343,424 bytesCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps
Edition Details: • Feature-length audio commentary with film historians James Ursini and Alain Silver
• Interview with Richard Widmark (2002): the celebrated
actor in conversation at the National Film Theatre
(18:30) |
Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:11080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 27,827,365,829 bytesFeature: 27,632,093,184 bytesCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 26.99 Mbps
Edition Details: • Audio Commentary with Film
Historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 24 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Twilight Time Blu-ray - February 17': Firstly, very similar. I am certain I heard that the restoration was done by the same individual and it then becomes a matter of the BD transfer - which is almost identical. It looks fabulous - excellent contrast. I did not a couple of inconsequential macro-blocking incidents on the Twilight Time - you can see it in the capture near the bottom with Brian Donlevy sitting at his desk - behind his right shoulder, on the wall. Still, very impressive in-motion. Audio is also lossless and 24-bit and optional English (SDH) subtitles are available. The Twilight Time Blu-ray is region FREE and limited to 3,000 units. Twilight Time add their usual isolated score option - by David Buttolph (Somewhere in the Night, Pete Kelly's Blues, Rope, Three Secrets, Blood and Sand and many more) plus the same James Ursini and Alain Silver commentary (as found on the Signal One and the 2005 Fox DVD) and a trailer. But Twilight Time add a new commentary with Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman and their usual liner notes leaflet with an essay. Great release - the Signal One is about $6 cheaper - not including shipping, but the Twilight Time's additional commentary, isolated score option and liner notes make up for that.. either way, this Blu-ray is a must-own for Noir fans. * **ADDITION: Signal One - Region 'B' Blu-ray (July 2016): 20th Century Fox offered a solid DVD back in 2005 but the higher resolution adds another film-like layer to the visuals. It's authentically darker, deeper black levels , fine texture and a touch of depth.Audio goes linear PCM 2.0 channel in original English and supports the film's effects well. The score works very well with the docu-feel and despicable characters like Tommy Udo. It sounds flawless in the uncompressed and dialogue is clear and consistent. The Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked. Extras include the best of the past 2 DVDs with the excellent commentary by film historians James Ursini and Alain Silver - as found on the 20th Century Fox DVD as well as a 2002 interview with Richard Widmark from the National Film Theatre as found on the BFI SD. There is also a theatrical trailer.
This is a Noir that continues to impress me over
time - always love
Coleen Gray - the commentary helps with the appreciation but
it's a tough, grim, realistic crime drama. Fans of the
cycle should have this
Blu-ray
in their library.
***
ADDITION: BFI - Region 2- PAL (October 07'): Image quality is excellent
on the BFI - dare I say - an exact match of the Region 1 Fox - there are
some slight differences but overall we have
6-of-one-half-dozen-of-the-other in terms of the image. Audio and
subs - we have no complaints - many know I personally prefer the white
over the yellow subtitles but on an English language film - this is not
a deal breaker for me.
What is the significant difference is in the supplements - the
Widmark interview with Adrian Wootten from 2002 at the National Film
Theatre (Crimescene Festival) is pretty good and I appreciate BFI adding
it (and the liner notes booklet), but... the
Ursini / Silver commentary is golden by comparison. Price favors the,
always reasonable, Fox release, but for PAL locked audiences the BFI
supports a strong recommendation.
Fabulous Noir entry!
****
On the Fox:
Very good image quality from Fox - it is a little soft in spots but
contrast is superb and a see a tiny amount of good film grain. It is
typical of their previous
Noir releases - well maybe a notch
ahead. I only listened to the mono track and it was a little
inconsistent with hushed dialogue and explosive interludes. I had never
seen this film previously and was blown away by Vic Mature performance -
it might be the best I have ever seen him. I can also see why Widmark
got a reputation for his characterization- WOW! Ursini and Silver make a
great commentary combination playing off each other very well and their
love/obsession with the
Noir genre really shows through
again. This film really impacted well on me and is definitely in my list
of favorite Noirs right now - this disc may even get a mention in the
DVD of the Year category. Well done Fox!
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(20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL RIGHT)
Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Twilight Time - Region 'A'- Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample
NOTE: Not exact frame
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BFI - Region 2 - PAL
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1) 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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More Blu-ray Captures
1) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City by Nicholas Christopher |
Shades of Noir: A Reader by Joan Copjec |
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 |
Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era,
1940-1959 by Michael F. Keaney |
Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Box Cover |
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Distribution | 20th Century Fox Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC | BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL | Signal One - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray |