The Crimson Kimono Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

USA 1959

Maverick writer-director Samuel Fuller’s The Crimson Kimono (1959) is a noir-ish tale of two Los Angeles cops (James Shigeta, Glenn Corbett) attempting to solve the murder of a stripper in Little Tokyo. But along the way, Fuller typically introduces themes of racism and sexual identity, particularly when a young woman (Victoria Shaw), a possible key witness, enters the picture, disrupting the relationship of the two police partners.

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Samuel Fuller sat in the director’s chair for the first time at Columbia Pictures for The Crimson Kimono (1959), for which he also wrote the screenplay and produced. This taut film noir concerns two L.A. detectives investigating the murder of a stripper. As their search takes them through skid row, Little Tokyo and other atmospheric neighborhoods, the tension between the two cops rises to a boil as they both fall for the same girl. Fuller’s cast includes two actors making their film debuts: Glenn Corbett (Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street) and James Shigeta (Bridge to the Sun, Flower Drum Song), along with Victoria Shaw (The Eddy Duchin Story, Edge of Eternity) and Anna Lee (This Earth is Mine). The Crimson Kimono has a running time of approximately 82 minutes and is not rated.

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Theatrical Release: August 21st, 1959 (Rochester, New York)

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Comparison:

Sony (7-disc Samuel Fuller Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray

1) Sony (7-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Sony (7-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC	Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:21:18	1:21:24.921
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.67 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 31,125,118,052 bytes Feature Size: 21,840,254,976 bytes Total Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital Mono)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1977 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1977 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Isolated Score: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1719 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1719 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, French, None	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Sony Aspect Ratio: All Original: 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Previews (Norman Lear Collection, Three Stooges, Columbia Classics) • Tim Robbins Search for Truth with Sam Fuller (7:05) • Sam Fuller Storyteller (24:13) • The Culture of The Crimson Kimono (9:22) • Martin Scorsese on Underworld U.S.A. (5:08) DVD Release Date: October 27th, 2009 One Keep Case Chapters: 12 X 7	Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time Disc Size: 31,125,118,052 bytes Feature Size: 21,840,254,976 bytes Total Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC Edition Details: • Sam Fuller Storyteller (24;14) • Curtis Hanson: The Culture of The Crimson Kimono (9:23) • Isolated Music Track • Original Theatrical Trailers (1:02, 0:22, 16mm- 1:51) • Liner notes by Julie Kirgo • Limited to 3,000 copies Blu-ray Release Date: July, 2017 Standard Blu-ray case Chapters 24

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray July 17': The Samuel Fuller Collection DVD set was appreciated in it's day just to see the great director's films. Of course, our tastes have vastly improved and we have become far more discerning in regards to a/v quality. The Blu-ray is a real breath of fresh air by comparison to the overly green image of the Sony SD transfer. Contrast and grain texture support seem the biggest areas of improvement. The 1080P resolution looked very pleasing and consistent in-motion without speckles or damage. We may gain a smidgeon of information in the frame.

Twilight Time use a stable DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track at 1977 kbps. There is some aggression which isn't much of an issue for the lossless track and the score by Harry Sukman (Forty Guns, Verboten!, Salem's Lot, Underworld U.S.A., Someone's Watching Me!) adds just the right amount of atmosphere and Noir flavor to the presentation. It is also offered as an isolated score choice. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles (in a far more pleasant white font than the gaudy yellow of the SD) and the Blu-ray disc is Region FREE.

Twilight Time include the excellent 25-minute Sam Fuller Storyteller and 10-minute Curtis Hanson: The Culture of The Crimson Kimono featurettes that are found in the Fuller DVD collection, plus they add the aforementioned isolated music track, 2 trailers in 35mm and one in 16mm and the package has linear notes by Julie Kirgo. It is limited to 3,000 copies.

What a great film to have in this updated a/v presentation. Noir fans should consider themselves lucky. This Twilight Time Blu-ray is the absolute best way to view it in your home theater - you can never go back to the SD once you have. Strongly recommended!