We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that
some of our followers would be
willing to donate a small amount to keep DVDBeaver
alive. We are a tiny niche, so your
generosity is vital to our
existence.
We are talking about a minimum of
$0.10 - $0.15 a day, perhaps a
quarter (or more) to those who won't
miss it from their budget. It
equates to buying DVDBeaver a coffee
once, twice or a few times a month.
You can then participate in our
monthly
Silent
auctions,
and have exclusive access to many 'bonus' High Resolution screen captures - both
4K UHD
and
Blu-ray
(see
HERE). |
(aka "Personal Column" )
directed by Douglas Sirk
USA 1947
Early Sirk serial killer thriller set in London, with a brassy Ball as an American gal enlisted by Scotland Yard to trap the culprit. As they frequently do in the movies, the serial killer meets his victims through the personal columns and sends gloating announcements to the police in verse form, just before he commits a murder. Nice of him to meet them half way and provide a tangible paper trail. As this is a studio-bound London somewhere in California, there are no prizes for guessing who plays the supporting Brits: Karloff, Hardwicke, Napier and Zucco - a nice brace of red herrings. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: 28 August 1947
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Kino - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Cohen Media Group (Two Films by Douglas Sirk Double Feature) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!
1) Kino - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT2) Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT |
Box Covers |
|
|
Distribution |
Kino Region 0 - NTSC |
Cohen Media - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:42:32 | 1:42:50.164 |
Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 35,888,765,588 bytes Feature: 32,070,242,304 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.99 MbpsCodec: 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 Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono |
LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48
kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | None | English (SDH), None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Kino Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 16 |
Release Information: 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 35,888,765,588 bytes Feature: 32,070,242,304 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.99 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
•
Re-release Trailer (1:12) |
Comments |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc.
ADDITION: Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (October 2016): Cohen's new, restored, 1080P transfer of Sirk's Noir Lured is paired in their Two Films by Douglas Sirk Double Feature package with A Scandal In Paris - also directed by Sirk - and made a year before and fully reviewed on Blu-ray HERE. It also suffers from some inconsistency - around the middle of the running time where it can looks inordinately softer than the preceding sequences. It is not as crisp or glossy as A Scandal In Paris, but I'm glad we could compare it as it is light years ahead of Kino's 2000 SD. There is some waxiness but I'd be more inclined to believe this was the source limitations rather than digitization. Even with the weaknesses - it's a substantial improvement over the, chroma-infested, DVD.
Cohen use a linear PCM 2.0 channel at 2304 kbps (24-bit) and it sounds clean with the score by Michel Michelet (Fritz Lang's Indian Epic, Renoir's Diary of a Chambermaid, Arthur Ripley's The Chase, Joseph Losey's M) adding some atmosphere to the film's suspense. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and the Blu-ray disc is region 'A'-locked.
Cohen include an audio commentary, as they have with A Scandal In Paris. This one is by film historian Jeremy Arnold, author of "Turner Classic Movies” The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter. It is very professional and informative. He discusses the original 1939 French film on which this is based, Lucille Ball, Noir and so much more - a educational pleasure to indulge in. We should note that the volume is a tad quieter when he references a film scene - than his own voice. There is also a re-release trailer - and as we mentioned the package contains a second Blu-ray with A Scandal In Paris.
Sirk fans should definitely indulge and Noir fans should also benefit seeing how poor the old DVD was. Lots of value here with A Scandal In Paris included. Absolutely recommend! *** ON THE DVD: One of Kino's better efforts - although speckles, artifacts and chroma are the visible culprits here. There may be some black boosting as well. Cue blips from theatrical viewing are present (see below). Overall though this is very suitable for CRT viewing with decent sharpness. Audio, like the image, has inconsistencies. There are no subtitle options offered and no supplements making the price offered on the high end. Sirk students and Noir fans will get the most benefit - it has moments of strong atmosphere. Gregory Meshman |
DVD Menus
|
|
Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample - Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Screen Captures
1) Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP2) Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
|
1) Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP2) Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
|
1) Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP2) Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
|
1) Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP2) Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
|
1) Kino - Region 0 - NTSC TOP2) Cohen Media Group - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
|
'Cigarette burn' or 'cue blip' visible on upper right of image...
1)
2)
|
Bad Chroma evident on DVD...
1)
2)
|
More Blu-ray Captures
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 |