Search - 5 Film Noir Killer Classics (D.O.A./Detour/The Stranger/Scarlet Street/Killer Bait) on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 3/5/2021...

1/5 Rating - Detour - The video quality was poor in poor but if you like these old school cheesy plotlines, this film noir is for you!

Not Exactly Crisp......

Michael C. Glancy | Clinton,OK United States | 06/28/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The liner notes say that these are "...crisp, archival prints". Well, not exactly. This set is pretty good, but not fantastic. The authoring leaves some pixellation and blotchiness in the darker scenes. Also, they have tinted some of the scenes grey. I guess that was to try and cover up some fading. "D.O.A." is pretty good, but a clearer version is the one put out by Image Entertainment. This set does contain the best and most complete version of "DETOUR" that i have seen, although it still needs more restoration (Criterion, can you hear me?). I think "THE STRANGER" looks OK, but ROAN GROUP puts out a better disc of it. Concerning "SCARLET STREET", it looks about as good as what anyone else is putting out. I guess no one has been able to find a nice, clean, fine grain print of this movie yet. The movie "KILLER BAIT" is also known as "TOO LATE FOR TEARS" and it looks better in this set than the "TEARS" disc that Image puts out. As for content, all of these movies are good ones."

DON'T WAIT! GET THIS NOW!

T. A. Hansen | eagan, mn USA | 06/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When word gets around about the quality of this set it will sell out because this is an amazing bargain. You get five movies that, while not up to Criterion standards, are of very good quality. There is very little hiss and the images are mostly crisp. For example, The Stranger seemed perfect to me and D.O.A. was 98% crisp.You also get two documentaries, about an hour of trailers and a gallery of film posters. You can't go wrong with this set."

A bit of gold in black and white.

Robin Benson | 08/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A very worthwhile package for the money. All the movies are well-known and good examples of the genre, the copies are reasonable except, as another reviewer has mentioned, 'Scarlet Street' which has a rather soft focus. The packaging graphics have had some thought put into them, too. Disc six with the Extra Features is interesting and it includes the following:

1. A thirteen minute documentary (narrated by silver throated Ed Ragozzino) 'What is Film Noir', not a bad summing up of the style.

2. 'Femme Fatale - The Noir Dame', a seven minute wrap-up of the ladies, the commentary is snowing clichés after a few seconds though.

3. 'Film Noir Trailers', at seventy-eight minutes, this was one reason I bought the package though it has to be said it is rather wide ranging because it includes, for example, 'Citizen Kane' and 'Magnificent Ambersons', hardly noir!

4. 'The Posters of Film Noir', a good selection of thirty or so posters that the pause button was made for.



So, a good deal for the price.

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