Search - The St. Valentine's Day Massacre on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children Movie Release: 1967 DVD Release: 05/23/2006 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 40 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 4 Genres: Crime, Crime Drama, Gangster Film

Schlockmeister Roger Corman produced this graphically violent chronicle of the Chicago gangster wars of the 1920s and the events that lead to the bloody title showdown between rival mobsters Al Capone (Jason Robards) and Bugs Moran (Ralph Meeker) that marked a brutal end to a terrifying era. Fred Steiner's film score is effectively mixed with popular songs from the 1920s, and the re-creation of gangster-era Chicago is a credit to the set designers. Historic and insightful narration is dramatically provided by Paul Frees, giving the film the flavor of a docudrama. Jean Hale plays Moran's gun moll, who is mercilessly kneed in the stomach while arguing over a fur coat. Though The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was heralded by critics at the time of its initial release, their opinion of the film has changed with each decade as they waver on the cinematic value of all of Corman's work. Audiences continue to relish the film, which is often shown on the anniversary of the bloody executions. Watch for Jack Nicholson as one of the unfortunate victims. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Jason Robards, Jr. - Al "Scarface" Capone
George Segal - Peter Gusenberg
Ralph Meeker - George "Bugs" Moran
Jean Hale - Myrtle Nelson
Clint Ritchie - "Machinegun Jack" McGurn

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre gets a no-frills treatment on this disc. The only extra is a trailer, which is sure to disappoint fans. Since Roger Corman frequently does commentaries and interviews for DVDs, it would have really enhanced the disc's value to have him involved. That said, the most important thing on a disc is the quality of its transfer, and thankfully The St. Valentine's Day Massacre is a knockout in this respect. The letterboxed, anamorphic transfer finally returns the film to its original, scope-format glory, and the results are impressive: the colors are rich, the detail level is sharp as a tack, and the overall image is virtually free of blemishes. Mono and stereo options are offered for the listener and both offer a vivid, crisp soundtrack. More supplements would have been appreciated, but this excellent transfer does the film justice and makes this disc of The St. Valentine's Day Massacre worth its midrange price tag. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide