Onesmedia

Region 0 - NTSC

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.60 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.

Onesmedia (The Whistler: The Film Collection)

Sony Pictures (Choice Collection)

Dolby Digital Mono (English)

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
� 8 movies on 4 discs

DVD Release Date:

Chapters 17

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
� None
 

Chapters 6

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 Whistler series 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, make releases from Sony easy to recommend. 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. 4 releases from Sony Pictures have already been reviewed here at DVD Beaver - The Whistler, The Power of the Whistler, Voice of the Whistler and Mysterious Intruder. The final three features were released in July 2015 - The Secret of the Whistler, The Thirteenth Hour and The Return of the Whistler - all enjoyable and each has its own merits, but are lacking compared to the first films in the series. Richard Dix retired from acting after The Thirteenth Hour, so Michael Duane took over as the lead for The Return of the Whistler. He did OK in the role of prospective groom, but unfortunately we would never know how he would fare in a more sinister role - the film flopped and it became the last one in the series. Michael Duane retired from acting soon after, when Columbia Pictures did not renew his contract. The Whistler would resurface for 39 episodes in a syndicated TV series in mid-1950's with William Forman providing the title voice. The discs from Sony Pictures hopefully will revive interest if Whistler series. The films get our recommendation for any film noir fan and hopefully we will see a better priced boxset release that includes The Mark of the Whistler.

 - Gregory Meshman