Man on the Run - Derek Farr

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1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

(aka 'Man on the Run')

directed by Lawrence Huntington

UK 1949

A key post-war British Noir unseen since the late 1940s, Man on the Run stars Derek Farr as an army deserter unjustly accused of murdering a policeman during an armed robbery. Co-starring Edward Chapman and Laurence Harvey, and featuring an early appearance by Kenneth More, it is presented here as a brand-new High Definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio.

Army deserter Peter Burdon makes a new life for himself in London. Short of cash, he tries to pawn his old service revolver and is caught up in an armed robbery, during which a constable is shot and killed. Suspected of being part of the gang, Burdon must go on the run to prove his innocence.

***

Set in post-war England, demobbed Cpl Newman (Kenneth More) bumps into Army deserter Peter Burdon (Derek Farr) working as a barman in a coastal public house, and being down on his luck blackmails his old colleague for £2pw to keep his silence.

In response Burden goes on the run again, this time to London, but owing money to his landlord he decides to pawn his old service revolver to pay the rent. Just as Burden pulls out his empty revolver to show the store keeper, two armed crooks burst into the jewelry store to commit a robbery – assaulting the jeweler and killing a police constable during the getaway. Burden is suspected of being a member of the gang, and expecting the police won’t believe the word of a deserter, he goes into hiding in the East End. He is taken in by attractive war widow Jean Adams (Joan Hopkins), who believes his alibi and offers to help prove his innocence. But the only clue they have is that one of the crooks has the top of his middle fingers missing...

Excerpt from BritMovie.co.UK located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 20th, 1949

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Comparison:

Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL vs. Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover
		Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Media Target Distribution Region FREE - PAL	Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:16:57 + alternate ending: 1:15:06 (4% PAL speedup	1:22:52.000
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.14 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 17,901,292,007 bytes Feature: 17,386,426,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.87 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	English 2.0 for alt version - German DUB for 86-minute version	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles	None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Media Target Distribution Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: June 22nd, 2012 Standard Keep Case Chapters 6	Release Information: Studio: Network 1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 17,901,292,007 bytes Feature: 17,386,426,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.87 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Image Gallery • Alt German Ending (3:24 in German) Blu-ray Release Date: April 6th, 2020 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Network Blu-ray (April 2020): Network have transferred The wonderful British Noir "Man on the Run" to Blu-ray. It is obviously from a different source than the German DVD - without duplicating damage or cue-blip marks (see capture comparison below). The 1080P still has marks but fewer than the SD transfer. It is far 'lighter' and in the correct 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The Network HD looks a little waxy and, at times, too bright, but is still quite a step ahead of the older DVD. It has triple the bitrate. I thought it looked okay in-motion. This is in the theatrical running time - no PAL speedup.

NOTE: We have added 21 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Network use a linear PCM 2.0 channel mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. It is another advancement in the film's audio and score by Philip Green (The Girl Hunters, The Man Who Finally Died, Basil Dearden's Victim, The League of Gentlemen, Sapphire and All Night Long). Network offer optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The Network Blu-ray includes the 3.5 minutes of the German ending (in German / no subtitles) and an image gallery. There is also a PDF, in the root of the disc, of the German programme.

I just love this clandestine Noir. Perhaps it would make a great double feature with Woman on the Run - although the films have few similarities - except their massive vintage Noir appeal. I'm holding on to this - relatively bare-bones, some warts but this Network Blu-ray is a keeper. An easy recommendation to the right crowd!

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVD: This was made by the Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) in 1949. It's a cracker of a thriller. It has Laurence Harvey in his feature film debut playing a lesser but important role. I wanted very badly to watch it as I suspected it had some Noir conventions. It is an excellent suspense film and it flirts with the 'dark cinema' in some major way. However Wilkie Cooper's cinematography is impressive - later in his career he would be DoP for Harryhausen films Mysterious Island, Jason and the Argonauts and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

There are two versions of the film on this DVD - a German DUB'ed version that runs slightly longer (less than 2-minutes) - and a second termed 'with alternate ending' as the English version. The trouble is that this has been out-of-print in, this, the only DVD version I am aware of - by a German company; 'Media Target Distribution' - and hence, is fetching more than is generally acceptable because of both its scarcity and lauded film status. The source has some rougher patches and plenty of small-to-medium scratches and speckles - see damage captures below - but I like the grain and contrast seems fine - indicating some decent density in the print. It can be a bit frail but I don't see over-digitization. It is highly imperfect but still thoroughly watchable, IMO.

NOTE: I watched the German version and the ending is different enough that I'd like to see it in original English one day.

The lossy audio fares about as well as the video with some pops and hiss but none too-dominating. I watched the original English language version not the German DUB.) There are no subtitles on the region FREE PAL disc.

No extras and only one menus screen - this was a very pragmatic SD production.

Man on the Run is a wonderful British thriller and someone should restore the film and release a proper extra-filled version. Obviously we can't recommend a purchase at the current offered price - but if you ever see this for cheap-enough don't hesitate. It's a film you will, certainly, re-watch and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

- Gary Tooze

Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL

Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

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

Subtitle Sample - Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Different Damage Marks

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

From the Alt German Ending

1) Media Target Distribution - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

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Network - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

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