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directed by William Castle
USA 1946

 

The 1940's were full of private eyes from Sam Spade to Phillip Marlowe. None, however, equals the sheer sleaze of key-hole peeper Don Gale. He's a distinctive creation of writer Eric Taylor's clever little screenplay, with more twists and turns than one of those old Toni home permanents. The brief opening between Gale and his secretary tells all we need to know about his brand of professional ethics and is a great bit of subtle innuendo. Richard Dix is perfect as Gale with all the phony charm and shifty eyes of an oily medicine man. If Gale has any redeeming qualities like Spade or Marlowe, I can't find them, making him one of the most unusual lead characters of the day.

The movie starts off posing a neat little mystery-- why would anyone want to kill for some worthless old keepsakes. The solution is a novel one, although the story sometimes unfolds in a complex fashion that's hard to follow. There're some nifty little touches, such as the trigger-happy neighbor who apparently shoots at anything that moves or the safe-house matron who looks like she could go a few rounds with Mike Tyson. However, not everything is roses. Little old man Stillwell should carry a sugar-overload warning, while plug-ugly Mike Mazurki mugs it up shamelessly as the towering menace. The bare-bones street scenes might blemish most movies, but here they come across as just plain cheap like Gale himself.

Excerpt of review from Doug Doepke for imdb.com located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 11 April 1946 (USA)

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DVD Comparison:

Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for all the Screen Caps!

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

 
Distribution

Onesmedia

Region 0 - NTSC

 Sony Pictures
Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime 1:01:36 1:01:38
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.65 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.29 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.
Bitrate:

 

Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection)

 

Bitrate:

 

Sony Pictures (Choice Collection)

 

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)

Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Onesmedia

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
� 8 movies on 4 discs

DVD Release Date:

Chapters 17
 

 Release Information:
Studio: Sony Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
� None
 

DVD Release Date: June 2, 2015
Keep case

Chapters 6

 

 

 

Comments

The Whistler series of eight movies was probably the most requested film series from Columbia library to get a DVD release and it was missing from authorized digital media until now. There were many questionable releases from various companies, like from Onesmedia compared here, a company specializing on radio compilation CDs and DVDs that also releases some film series based in radio plays. Their early release of The Whistlerseries also includes a DVD of over 235 hours of The Whistler radio mystery plays, but it's no longer available on Amazon. While it was nice to see all eight films collected in one made-on-demand package, the quality of transfers is poor and new made-on-demand discs from Sony Pictures blows the transfers in all regards. The excellent contrast, grain structure and lack of any damage on the print, including annoying watermarks with a company logo seen on Onesmedia releases, makes releases from Sony easy to recommend. The progressive single-layered disc also provides better audio with no clicks or pops heard on earlier transfers. The Sony disc doesn't have any menus, so the film starts right after FBI warning screens. So far Sony skipped the second entry in the series, The Mark of the Whistler, which was based on Cornell Woolrich's story, Dormant Account, likely due to clearance. The Whistlerand The Power of the Whistler has been already released in May and the last 3 pictures were already announced for July and we will add reviews to them as well. The first 5 pictures of the Whistler series, starring Richard Dix in a different role, are all excellent and each one can be easily recommended.

For more on The Whistler films we recommend a book on the series, The Whistler: Stepping Into the Shadows.

 - Gregory Meshman

 

DVD Menu
(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC
 

 

 

Screen Captures

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Sony Pictures (Choice Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
Cue mark

 

 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Sony Pictures

Sound:

Sony Pictures
Extras: Onesmedia

 
DVD Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

 
Distribution

Onesmedia

Region 0 - NTSC

 Sony Pictures
Region 0 - NTSC

 

 


 

 



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