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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
directed by
Robert Wise
USA 1959
Harry Belafonte was both producer and star of this hard-edged film noir crime drama. Dave Burke (Ed Begley, Sr.) is an ex-cop who has been kicked off the force for refusing to inform on his colleagues to the State Crime Committee. Short on money, the former policeman jumps to the other side of the law and plans to knock over a bank in upstate New York. He'll need help, so Burke brings in two other men to assist him -- Johnny Ingram (Belafonte), a jazz musician with an addiction to gambling that's put him deep in debt to gangster Bacco (Will Kuluva), and Earl Slater (Robert Ryan), a disturbed war veteran who hasn't been able to find work after serving time for manslaughter. While their common greed and desperation has brought these men together, their differences threaten to tear them apart, especially when Slater's fear and hatred of black men rises to the surface. Blacklisted screenwriter Abraham Polonsky co-wrote the screenplay for Odds Against Tomorrow, using his friend John O. Killens as a "front." John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet contributed a memorable musical score. *** Considered by many to be the last of the true 40s and 50s film noirs, is the story of a daring robbery gone wrong. When ruthless killer Earle Slater (Robert Ryan) teams up with crooked ex-cop Dave Burke (Ed Begley), and gambler Johnny Ingram (Harry Belafonte) to rob a New York bank, things quickly start to go wrong. Fuelled by his racist hatred, Earle continually clashes with Johnny resulting in the heist quickly spiralling out of control. With the escalating tension comes increasing violence as Slater's prejudice drives both him and Ingram to the very edge. With its dark jazz score and brooding atmosphere Odds Against Tomorrow represents one of the most important films about race and racism, and was directed by four time Oscar winner Robert Wise (The Sound of Music, West Side Story). |
Posters
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Theatrical Release: October 15th, 1959 - USA
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Comparison
:MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Box Covers |
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Coming to Blu-ray from Kino in January 2024: |
Distribution | MGM - Region 1- NTSC |
BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Olive Films Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:36:00 | 1:35:46.500 | 1:36:18.814 |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.48 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,096,182,668 bytes Feature: 28,274,804,736 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.04 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,793,517,870 bytes Feature: 23,643,985,920 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate BFI Blu-ray: |
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Bitrate Okive Blu-ray: |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) |
LPCM
Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1996 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1996 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
Subtitles | English, French, Spanish, None | English (SDH), None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • None |
Release Information: Studio: BFI Video Publishing
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,096,182,668 bytes Feature: 28,274,804,736 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.04 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Odds Against Tomorrow post screening Q+A with Harry Belafonte (49:14) • Adrian Wootton on Odds Against Tomorrow (29:31) • The Guardian Interview: Robert Wise at the National Film Theatre ( 1:13:50) • The John Player Lecture: Robert Ryan at the National Film Theatre
• Original trailer (3:10)
Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 10 |
Release Information: Studio: Olive Films
1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,793,517,870 bytes Feature: 23,643,985,920 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • None
Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 10 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.ADDITION: (May 2018) Olive Region 'A' - Blu-ray: The distinguishing feature of the Olive Blu-ray is that it is in the 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio. It is only single-layered and seems to have the exact same light vertical scratches. The bitrate is slightly lower and the image may not be as crisp but it looks quite pleasing in-motion with nicely layered contrast. I didn't have any complaints. Olive use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono track (24-bit) supports the film's moody score by Jazz pianist John Lewis. He, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson and drummer Kenny Clarke who were the original members of the Modern Jazz Quartet. It sounds atmospheric and moody in lossless. Of course, we also get the bonus of Harry Belafonte's My Baby's Not Around and All Men Are Evil. The Olive have optional English subtitle sin a gaudy yellow, 'shouting' (CAPITALS). font - see sample below. Their Blu-ray disc is Region 'A'-locked. No extras - not even a trailer. Fans of the film will appreciate that this is in widescreen - which, debatably, is the correct theatrical aspect ratio. The lack of extras are unfortunate - but the accurate AR should sway many. Kind of a must-own... *** ADDITION: (October 2016) BFI Region 'B' - Blu-ray: WOW - does this ever look amazing. The essential Noir Odds Against Tomorrow get the Blu-ray treatment from BFI in the UK and the results are leaps and bounds beyond the greenish 2003 DVD from MGM. The film's magnificent shadow and light cinematography comes through so well with the layered contrast of 1080P resolution. I can't say more than the captures - there are some speckles and light vertical scratches but this is a huge triumph for Noir fans. The grain is consistent and fine. It looks just as brilliant in-motion. The dispute rages on about the Aspect ratio... one day a 1.85:1 will surface! BFI use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit). There are optional English subtitles on the region 'B'-locked Blu-ray. I haven't had a chance to indulge in the extras - tonight I will make the time. BFI stack the package starting with a 50-minute Odds Against Tomorrow post screening Q+A with Harry Belafonte from August 2009 - Chicago, Adrian Wootton on Odds Against Tomorrow for just shy of 1/2 and hour. A 1 1/4 hour Guardian Interview: Robert Wise at the National Film Theatre and The John Player Lecture: Robert Ryan at the National Film Theatre that appears to play alongside the film. There is an original trailer and a liner notes illustrated booklet with new writing on the film.
I'm very pleased with this
Blu-ray. You can
appreciate Odds Against Tomorrow to a much higher degree with
both the stellar a/v and the extensive supplements. I could have taken
captures of the latter scene with Gloria Grahame and Ryan all day. We
give this our highest recommendation!
***
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Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
Film Noir: An Encyclopedia Reference to the American
Style |
The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir by Foster Hirsch |
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) |
The Art of Noir: The Posters and Graphics from the
Classic Era of Film Noir |
The Little Black and White Book of Film Noir:
Quotations from Films of the 40's and 50's |
Film Noir |
Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era,
1940-1959 |
Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir |
More Than Night: Film Noir in Its Contexts |
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BFI Video - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
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Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample - Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - MIDDLE3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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More
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP3) Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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Box Covers |
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Coming to Blu-ray from Kino in January 2024: |
Distribution | MGM - Region 1- NTSC |
BFI Video Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Olive Films Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |