Search - Classic Film Noir, Vol. 2 on DVD

A nice set, but with vol. 1 superceded by St. Clair's Ultima

Rudolf Schmid | Kensington, CA | 05/20/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In 1/05 St. Clair issued the first volume of Classic film noir, a 3-DVD set (UPC 777966883694) containing 9 films (in alphabetical order): Detour (1945); D.O.A.(1950); Hitch-hiker, The (1953); Man who cheated himself, The (1950); Quicksand (1950); Scar, The (AKA Hollow triumph) (1948); Strange love of Martha Ivers, The (1946); Stranger, The (1946); Too late for tears (1949). Extras include: Disk 1: a poster gallery [4.5 min--1 B&W, 29 color posters, including of non-noir movies as Casablanca (1942) and Outlaw (1943)]; disk 2: a featurette (5 min--"About film noir"); disk 3: 7 trailers (16 min).

In 11/06 St. Clair issued volume 2 of Classic film noir, a 3-DVD set (UPC 777966874395) containing 9 films (in alphabetical order): Big bluff, The (1955); Buried alive (1939); Chase, The (1946); He walked by night (1948); Jigsaw (1949); Kansas City confidential (1952); Port of New York (1949); Suddenly (1954); Whistle stop (1946). Extras include: Disk 1: 5 trailers (14 min); disk 2: a poster gallery (2 min--1 B&W, 14 color posters); disk 3: radio show (23 min--"Trouble is my business" by Raymond Chandler, broadcast 5 Aug. 1947, w/ Van Heflin as Philip Marlowe).

Update 22 June 2007 (original post 20 May):

The above listing is from the actual DVD sets and corrects a mis-listing in my first post. The big bluff (1955), Buried alive (1939), The chase (1946), and Port of New York (1949) appear to be new to PD collections of film noir.

The films are in 5.1 sound and are "re-mastered for best possible picture quality" from public domain (PD) films. Considering the low price for 9 classic film-noir films from 1939-55 and the fact that this set has some interesting extra features, this is good value for the money. I've watched several films and found their video quality quite watchable, although this is variable, as with all PD issues.

Summary: If you have volume 1 get volume 2. However, a better alternative if you have neither volume is to get St. Clair's 2/07 reissue of both volumes 1-2 available in a 6-DVD set, "Ultimate film noir collection" (UPC: 777966861593)."

Danger! Watch for duplications

J. Don Le Couteur | CA Desert | 02/22/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I know, I know...it's my own damn fault for buying a collection without having looked inside, but I thought I'd try to spare some of you out there the same shock I got when Vol 2 and Vol 3 arrived in my mailbox. I'd purchased Vol 1 of this series last year and enjoyed the 9 movies so much I blithely ordered these two "companion" volumes. Why was I shocked when they arrived? Four of the 9 movies on Vol 2 are also on Vol 1: The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Quicksand, The Scar, and The Stranger.

I've read elsewhere there are aparently various "re-releases" of each of these volumes and that is supposed to account for the 'accidental repeats'. Sorry, I don't buy it. Nor do I buy Amazon not helping us any by making it difficult to discover exactly which movies are contained on the volumes.

That said, I feel my money was well spent here. There's a lot of good entertainment here for both the movie buff (guilty) and those who like to feel superior about recognizing unrealistic dialog and cheap production values. Something for everyone!"