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Directed by Howard Hawks
USA 1930
Howard Hawks (Twentieth Century) made his first film for Columbia Pictures with this pre-Code prison movie. The great Walter Huston (Dragonwyck) stars as a district attorney-turned-prison warden who gets to witness first-hand the effects of his convictions, especially Phillips Holmes (An American Tragedy), imprisoned after killing a man in a drunken brawl. Co-starring Boris Karloff (Frankenstein), The Criminal Code is tough, no-nonsense, quintessential Hawks. *** After young Robert Graham commits a murder while drunk and defending his girlfriend, he is prosecuted by ambitious Mark Brady and sentenced to 10 years. Six years later, Brady becomes the prison warden and offers the beleaguered Robert a job as his chauffeur. Robert cleans up his act, but, on the eve of his pardon, his cellmate drags him back into the world of violence, and he faces a difficult choice that could return him to prison. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: December 31st, 1930
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Comparison:
Sony Pictures / TCM (Karloff: Criminal Kind - TCM Vault Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
Available from Indicator in a standard Blu-ray release in June 2023: Bonus Captures: |
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Distribution | Sony / TCM - Region 1 - NTSC | Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:36:15 | 1:36:27.782 |
Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.56 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33 :1 1080P Single-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 23,152,508,845 bytesFeature: 17,138,673,024 bytes Video Bitrate: 19.99 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital mono) |
LPCM Audio English
1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Sony Pictures / TCM Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 11 |
Release Information: Studio: Indicator
1.33 :1 1080P Single-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 23,152,508,845 bytesFeature: 17,138,673,024 bytes Video Bitrate: 19.99 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Audio commentary with film historian Nora Fiore (2021)• Behind the Mask (2021, 25:16): author and critic Kim Newman discusses the non-horror career of actor Boris Karloff • Codes and Convictions (2021, 29:12): video essay by Jonathan Bygraves on the many adaptations of Marvin Flavin’s The Criminal Code • The Howard Hawks Masterclass with John Carpenter (1997, 36:14): archival audio recording of a presentation by the cult filmmaker from the British Film Institute’s 1997 Howard Hawks retrospective at the National Film Theatre, London • Lux Radio Theatre: ‘The Criminal Code’ (1939, 58:34): radio adaptation starring Edward G Robinson, Beverly Roberts and Paul Guilfoyle • Image galleries: on-set and promotional photography from The Criminal Code and its lost Spanish-language version, El código penal • Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Philip Kemp, Howard Hawks on The Criminal Code, an archival article on Hawks by Henri Langlois, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits World premiere on Blu-ray Limited edition of 3,000 copies
Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 10 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added 45 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their
Blu-ray,
Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English
language. It is another advancement in the film's audio and score by Sam
Perry (1930's
All Quiet on the Western Front,
The Man Who Laughs, 1923's
The Hunchback of Notre Dame and 1925's
Phantom Of The Opera), where dialogue is at the mercy of the
film's original elements. Indicator offer optional English subtitles on
their Region 'B'
Blu-ray.
The Indicator
Blu-ray
has a new commentary from the well-prepared Nora Fiore (The
Nitrate Diva) discussing the wonderful Art Deco, how The
Criminal Code was remade twice by Columbia; as Penitentiary
in 1938 and
Convicted in 1950 directed by Henry Levin and starring Glenn
Ford. She informs us that Howard Hawks was not the first choice to
direct The Criminal Code, the visual attributes of the film, it's
Pre-Code-ness, the cinematography of James Wong Howe and why he
didn't finish the film (his year-long sabbatical etc.), other prison
pictures of the era (The
Big House), and much more. She's great. I could listen to her
all day. There are more supplements; Behind the Mask has author
and critic Kim Newman discusses the non-horror career of actor Boris
Karloff - recorded in 2021 and running 25-minutes. It is at his usual
informative and enjoyable level. Codes and Convictions is a new
1/2 hour video essay by Jonathan Bygraves on the many adaptations of
Marvin Flavin’s The Criminal Code. There is an appealing audio
extra: The Howard Hawks Masterclass with John Carpenter from 1997 -
running about 37-minutes. It is an archival audio recording of a
presentation by the cult filmmaker from the British Film Institute’s
1997 Howard Hawks retrospective at the National Film Theatre, London.
Also on the audio-front; we get a Lux Radio Theatre adaptation from
1939; ‘The Criminal Code’ This hour long radio piece stars Edward
G Robinson, Beverly Roberts and Paul Guilfoyle. There are two image
galleries of on-set and promotional photography from The Criminal
Code and its lost Spanish-language version, El código penal.
The package contains a limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a
new essay by Philip Kemp, Howard Hawks on The Criminal Code, an
archival article on Hawks by Henri Langlois, an overview of contemporary
critical responses, and film credits. This is a limited edition of 3,000
copies.
Howard Hawks' The Criminal Code
has rich history. Karloff finally got his big break by reprising
his theatrical role as a prison trustee with an unforgiving sense of
justice in this early example of the prison film. Director Howard Hawks
consulted actual Death Row inmates on how the picture should end—with a
chilling climax that would etch Karloff in the minds of moviegoers as a
doer of evil deeds. This was the first feature film of 1931 for Karloff,
a year in which he would appear in sixteen movies including the picture
that launched him to stardom,
Frankenstein.
The Indicator
Blu-ray
has appeal to Howard Hawks, Karloff, prison + Pre-Code films, and
vintage cinema fans. Strongly recommended!
Gary Tooze
ON THE
Karloff: Criminal Kind DVD
Boxset (2013): This is the first
authorized set on the market of Boris Karloff movies filmed
before the success of the Frankenstein monster. All three crime
dramas feature Karloff in supporting roles, but even a few
minutes of screen time show his star quality that is about to
explode. The Criminal Code was a film adaptation of a
stage play and allowed Karloff to reprise his stage role. The
Guilty Generation was released in theaters days before
Universal premiered
Frankenstein
in November of 1931. Behind the Mask was filmed right
after The Criminal Code, but set on a shelf due to
similarities to the earlier film. The success of
Frankenstein allowed Columbia to get Karloff on the
posters of Behind the Mask for its 1932 release. Each
film is presented on a single-layered disc in an excellent
progressive transfer. There is softness in some scenes and grain
is evident, but it is never distracting. There is very little
damage and mono sound is decent. No subtitles or captions are
provided, but we get an informative introduction by Robert
Osborne on the first disc and a number of galleries for each
film. A recommended release.
|
Sony / TCM - Region 1 - NTSC
Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
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1) Sony / TCM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Sony / TCM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Sony / TCM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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Box Cover |
Available from Indicator in a standard Blu-ray release in June 2023: Bonus Captures: |
|
Distribution | Sony / TCM - Region 1 - NTSC | Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
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