Customer Reviews

Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 1 (The Asphalt Jungle / Gun Crazy / Murder My Sweet / Out of the Past / The Set-Up)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The irresistible lure of 5 film noir classics, handsomely packaged in one classy prsentation is certain to make this boxed-set a best-seller.

The official Amazon reviewer sums it all up beautifully. Each one of these films is a true American masterwork, a definitive example of why film noir continues to captivate audiences as a unique style of filmmaking.

I've spent the better part of the last three days watching all five films, and then again exploring the commentaries. It's been an amazing experience. I've seen all these films before in battered condition, but each one of these DVDs present the motion pictures with stunning quality that brings out all the nuance in the gorgeous cinematography. Obviously a great deal of meticulous restoration as gone on here, and Warner Bros. should be proud of the fine work that they've put in to these releases.

They look so good, you could almost say they look like they were filmed yesterday....except I doubt anyone today could quite re-create the look of the way these films were shot as exqiuisitely today. Just wonderful.

Do yourself a favor, a get this collection. Settle down with Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Sterling Hayden, John Dall, Robert Ryan, and a bunch of hard-boiled dames like Jane Greer or Peggy Cummmins. Your life will never be the same!

Don't even think about not buying this set even if you had one or two individual copies as I had OUT OF THE PAST on VHS and two others on tape. If you know the films no need to read on.THE ASPHALT JUNGLE is one of Mr Huston's best films and he made many. A thinking man's noir about the burden of some vice each man carries, loyalty between men and duty and deservedly considered a minor classic in the tragic mold. OUT OF THE PAST has ripper dialogue, wit, style, Mr Kirk Douglas looking like an ad out of Gentlemen's Quarterly and a plot convoluted enough to rival THE BIG SLEEP. GUN CRAZY is a cult classic. MURDER MY SWEET Dick Powell gets drugged, beaten up and double crossed. THE SET UP superbly shot, wonderfully acted by Mr Robert Ryan, and directed by Robert Wise, is another film of tragic proportions and perhaps one of the best on the boxing game. Buy two
copies of this set so there are no disputes during the divorce settlement.
AN ABSOLUTE BARGAIN AND ESSENTIAL PURCHASE FOR FILM LOVERS.

I managed to find an early copy of this boxed set yesterday afternoon, and stayed up until the wee small hours watching ALL the films.

What a SENSATIONAL collection. The transfers are all new and sparkling. They look and sound terrific. Probably some dweeb on here may find a speckle or (I love this B.S.) an "age related artifact". but the truth is I've never seen any of these films presented so beautifully, and anyone who picks up this collection is in for a treat.

GUN CRAZY and OUT OF THE PAST are my two favorite film noirs. Period. They really define the genre. They are amazing, unique films from under-appreciated directors, Joseph H. Lewis and Jacques Tourneur. Amazing performances, great writing and superb direction.

The commentaries here are all quite fascinating, mostly from noir experts and scholars, but on THE SET-UP, Robert Wise himself is there to reflect on his own direction, aided by wise and insightful comments from none other than Martin Scorsese.

The box is nicely designed, but inside are five gorgeous keepcases with original poster art from each film. They look sensational.

...and at Amazon's bargain price, this comes out to about $7 a film. (I paid slightly more from a local retailer who put it out a little early, and it was more than worth it for me!). This is phenomenal film history, presented with class and panache, and at an irresistible price.

Once again Warner Brothers home video sets the standard for how to present classic films on DVD, leaving all the other companies in the dust!

This is easily the best noir box set available, and as one reviewer has already pointed out, is a fine introduction to the world of noir. I had not seen two of these films (Gun Crazy and The Set-Up) but was wonderfully surprised by both. Gun Crazy is a hugely energetic and inventive road movie that, in the way of story and direction, follows few conventions of the day. The Set-Up is a marvellous slow-boil of a story that has Robert Ryan in a career-best, subtle performance, and again is wonderfully inventive. The other three films are widely acknowledged classics. The dialogue of Murder, My Sweet has to be heard to be believed (Marlowe: "My fingers looked like a bunch of bananas"), but Dick Powell pulls it off with aplomb. The Asphalt Jungle generates unbearable tension and boasts a gorgeous performance from Sterling Hayden, trapped in a noir net he cannot escape from. And Out of the Past? Well, there is no better noir! Mitchum can't help oozing cool from every pore and Jane Greer is a perfect psychotic femme. The photography will leave you breathless and the plot dizzy!

To top it off, there are commentary tracks on each DVD. To hear Robert Wise, the man himself (!), commenting (very charmingly) on his The Set-Up, is simply magical. Also, all of the transfers are terrific, better than anything previously available. So go on, just get it!

If you like film noir, and who doesn't, this collection is worth the money. Out of the Past is the classic film noir and the best picture Jane Greer ever made. Previously the movie, which was filmed dark, suffered from a murky print which made some viewers not sure which woman Jane Greer is (at the opening), but now restored she shines like a steady lighthouse beam through the fog of the plot she's involved in up to her pretty little neck.

The Asphalt Jungle, one of Marilyn Monroe's greatest "serious parts" has never looked better. It was filmed at the end of the noir cycle and shows the signs of a movie from a genre that has seen better days. It is to true film noir what Webster's THE WHITE DEVIL is to Shakespeare, a decadent afterthought, and yet what a delightful one.

Then there is GUN CRAZY, featuring the kittenish UK actress Peggy Cummins in what might be her best part, although she also did great work opposite Dana Andrews in a later Tourneur. GUN CRAZY, it is said, influenced Scorsese and Altman. It looks like a film from the so called "New American Cinema" of the early 70s.

In the extras to THE SET UP, hooray, we hear the master director Robert Wise speak. He is a great raconteur and seems to be able to remember everything. He is a national treasure despite the hideous low quality of his later films like STAR and TWO PEOPLE. This one is a winner, and you will be bouncing off the ropes as the plot and suspense deliver one jab after another.

Finally, there is MURDER MY SWEET with one of Americam's greatest actors DICK POWELL. Often thought of as a sugary sweet tenor from all the Busby Berkeley films he did with Ruby Keeler for Warners in the 30, Powell matured after a terrible personal tragedy and became hard as steel in his later roles. Even in a trifle like SUSAN SLEPT HERE Powell is tougher than anything, he makes John Wayne look like ZaSu Pitts (OK, not really).

A Pandora's box of evil dreams and wishes, open at your own risk!

If you want to buy one film noir collection, this "Film Noir Classic Collection, Volume 1" from Warner Brothers is the one to get. These are all 5-star films. "The Asphalt Jungle", "Gun Crazy", "Murder, My Sweet", and "Out of the Past" are top-notch films from the height of the film noir movement 1944-1950, each representing at least one iconic film noir motif. "The Set-Up" is not film noir, but it's brilliant nonetheless. All of the films in this collection are accompanied by audio commentaries that vary in quality and focus but are worthwhile for film noir buffs. A better sampler of crime films from Hollywood's Golden Era could not have been assembled.

"The Asphalt Jungle" (1950) is a steadily paced, thoughtful heist film. The requisite crew of mastermind, safecracker, driver, stick-up man, and financier are assembled to pull a grand jewel heist. Complex characters and themes make this a great deal more than a typical heist flick. Based on the novel by W.R. Burnett and directed by John Huston, "The Asphalt Jungle" was nominated for 4 Academy Awards. The audio commentary is by film historian Drew Casper, and there is a short introduction to the film by John Huston.

"Gun Crazy" (1949) is a Bonnie-and-Clyde-inspired fugitive couple film that might be the most blatant expression of the sexualization of violence in the film noir canon. Sharpshooting femme fatale Annie Laurie Starr lures her equally "gun crazy" nice-guy husband Bart into a life of crime. Their "amour fou" is irrational but, at the same time, completely fascinating. The audio commentary is by film critic Glenn Erikson.

"Out of the Past" (1947) typifies the noir style so elegantly and in so many ways. Retired private detective Jeff Bailey has settled down to a quiet life in a small town when his past comes back to haunt him. Years before, he was hired by a wealthy gambler in New York to track down the man's errant mistress Kathie. But Jeff fell head over heels for the beautiful, duplicitous Kathie, and now both the lady and her lover insist on his loyalty. Actors Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer make a striking pair, accented by beautiful low-key light. The audio commentary is by film noir historian James Ursini.

"Murder, My Sweet" (1944) exemplifies labyrinthine plots in the style of Raymond Chandler, upon whose novel the film is based. Private detective Philip Marlowe finds that two of his cases may be related when a quest to find the girlfriend of an insistent thug and a case of missing jewels lead him around in circles but always to Mrs. Helen Grayle, the lady whose jewels went missing. The audio commentary is by film noir historian Alain Silver.

"The Set-Up" (1949) is not film noir, but an introverted character drama starring Robert Ryan as a boxer past his prime, clinging to hopes of moderate success in the ring. "The Set-Up" is perhaps best remembered for being shot in real time, including15-minutes in the ring. With a beautiful naturalistic visual style and a subdued, sympathetic performance from Robert Ryan, "The Set-Up" is one of the most memorable boxing films made. The audio commentary is by directors Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese, who were recorded separately.

The mid to late 1940s produced a string of classic film noir motion pictures that effectively paved the road to more cynicism and realism in the movies. Now, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment effectively brings together five of the most riveting examples of the genre in one compelling box set. What follows is a brief plot outline of each of the five films included.

GUN CRAZY: Sigmund Freud would have a field day with Bart Tare (John Dall), the gun crazy marksman who just can't live without always having a firearm in his possession. Feeling more than a little inadequate, shall we say, Bart soon teams up with Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins) a woman for who the moniker - girls gone wild - must have been invented. Laurie's high life fuels both their rabid passions for each other and a life of crime. The film is one of those cautionary tales that attempts to chart what happens to individuals to whom life does not follow the straight and narrow trajectory.

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE: is an artfully gritty jewel heist caper gone horribly wrong. Director, John Huston employs both an economy of plot and depth of his characters to flesh out the story. Sam Jaffe is Doc, the criminal mastermind with a weakness for hoop earrings and tight skirts. Louis Calhern is the middle aged, penniless fencer, Ennrich, and sugar daddy to Marilyn Monroe. There is nothing cartoonish or cliché about Sterling Hayden's particularly powerful Dix Handley, the tense enforcer of the group.

Jacque Tourneur's OUT OF THE PAST stars Robert Mitchum as sleepy-eyed Jeff Bailey, the ultra-cool, ultra savvy former P.I. hiding out from his former life as a gas station owner. But the past catches up with Bailey in the embodiment of Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) enters the picture as the atypical femme fatale, whose bite is more venomous than the poisonous web of destruction and deceit that she manages to ensnare everyone in.

In "MURDER, MY SWEET Dick Powell is detective Philip Marlowe - hired by an ex-con (Mike Mazurki) to hunt down his old flame. But the plot spins out of control when a murder leads to Marlowe's engagement by a manipulative woman (Claire Trevor), to recover her missing jewels.

Finally, there's the forgotten gem, THE SET-UP, a taut and exciting 71 minute masterpiece that pulls no punches when it comes to exposing the seedy underworld racket of professional boxing. The sadly forgotten Robert Ryan stars as Stoker, a once optimistic, once handsome pugilist who falls prey to two unscrupulous fight promoters who make a deal with an underworld kingpin to throw the fight. The wrinkle: nobody tells Ryan that he's got to lose, hence he's driven to win.

THE TRANSFERS: In keeping with Warner's current trend of not doing all that is humanly possible to completely restore and remaster classic movies on DVD, the cumulative quality of these film is just above average. The gray scale for each is nicely balanced with deep solid blacks and relatively clean whites. There's a considerable amount of film grain and a lot of age related artifacts for a visual presentations that, while a considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes, are still below par for what might have been if more digital wizardry had been applied. There's also a considerable amount of fine detail shimmering, particularly in OUT OF THE PAST as well as pixelization and edge enhancement. Though the picture quality of all films in this box set can be solidly rendered, over all the quality for each is inconsistently rendered. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.

EXTRAS: The real disappointment here is in the extra features which amounts to little more than a string of audio commentaries by film noir authors. But the commentaries aren't very informative. James Ursini's commentary - for example - boils down to the obvious with him telling the viewer throughout every scene how dark and starkly contrasted scenes are a hallmark of film noir. Drew Casper doesn't even introduce himself or his credentials for his audio commentary on THE ASPHALT JUNGLE until a good fifteen minutes into his rambling viewpoint. There are theatrical trailers too but hey, for a box set it would have been nice to have a retrospective of the history on film noir, don't you think?

BOTTOM LINE: These films are a definite must for anyone's home library. Their lack of consistent quality not withstanding, I recommend this box set.

From Warner Home Video comes the Film Noir Classic Collection, Volume 1, featuring, in no particular order, the following films...

The Asphalt Jungle (1950), directed by John Huston and starring Sterling Hayden as a streetwise hooligan hired on as muscle for a big-time heist, caught in the middle when things go seriously sour. The picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), looks very good, limited to a few, very minor flaws, and the Dolby Digital audio, available in both English and French, comes across sharp and clean. There is a so-so commentary track featuring author/film noir specialist Drew Casper with co-star James Whitmore, along with a theatrical trailer, an introduction by director John Houston (0:49), and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Gun Crazy (1949) aka Deadly Is the Female, directed by Joseph H. Lewis and starring John Dall and Peggy Cummins as a pair of pistol packing newlyweds who embark on a life of crime because it's a hell of a lot easier (and exciting) than actually working for a living, that is at least until the Johnny Law makes the scene...the picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), looks very good, limited to a few, very minor flaws, and the Dolby Digital audio is sharp and clean. There is a commentary track featuring author/film noir specialist Glenn Erickson, along with subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Murder, My Sweet (1944), directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell and Claire Trevor, the former playing Private Eye Philip Marlowe, caught up in a mystery involving a stolen jade necklace, a couple of hot tomatoes, and a corpse or two. The picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), looks very clean and clear, and the Dolby Digital mono audio comes across clearly. As far as extras, included is a commentary track with author/film-noir specialist Alain Silver, a rough looking theatrical trailer, and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Out of the Past (1947), directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. Mitchum plays a once private eye now fulltime schlub whose past catches up to him after getting too close to a dame he was only supposed to find for a well to do client, and ultimately ends up on the wrong end of a murder investigation. The picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), is strong, and the Dolby Digital mono audio comes across well. As far as extras, included is a commentary track with author/film-noir specialist James Ursini and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

The Set-Up (1949), directed by Robert Wise and starring Robert Ryan as an aging boxer who gets crossed by his unscrupulous manager while going for his last, big shot. The picture, presented in fullscreen (1.33:1), comes across well with few, if any, noticeable flaws, and the Dolby Digital mono comes through cleanly. As far as extras, there's an audio commentary track featuring director Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese, along with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

While each film in this set is outstanding in its own right, my personal favorites are The Asphalt Jungle and Murder, My Sweet.

Cookieman108

By the way, if you dig on these, you might want to check out the other DVD sets in the series, listed below...and the quote I used for the title of this review came from the film Murder, My Sweet.

Film Noir Classics Collection, Volume 2
Born to Kill (1947), Clash by Night (1952), Crossfire (1947), Dillinger (1945), The Narrow Margin (1952).

Film Noir Classics Collection, Volume 3
Border Incident (1949), His Kind of Woman (1951), Lady in the Lake (1947), On Dangerous Ground (1952), and The Racket (1951). This set also includes a bonus disc which includes a handful of short features

If you are a die-hard film noir fan like I am, this boxed set is a great collection of classics that you are sure to love. The Asphalt Jungle is one of the first and greatest heist movies to come out of Hollywood. The atmosphere is classic Noir, and the plot makes for some great climax moments toward the end. Gun Crazy was the weakest of the five, with poor dialogue, worse acting, and an ending that just makes you think quietly to yourself: oh, well. However, it is the forerunner to Bonnie and Clyde, so it isn't all bad. Despite the corny title, Murder, My Sweet is a teriffic example of a Philip Marlowe detective novel brought to life on the early Hollywood screen. Why no one makes this type of hard-boiled detective movie today is beyond me. The dialogue is superb thanks to the talents of Raymond Chandler and the delivery from Dick Powell as the private dick is just as good. I would have to say that Out of the Past is the best of the lot, for the simple fact that there will never be anyone who plays the hard-boiled role better than Robert Mitchum. A nearly flawless story, acting that was way ahead of its time, and great direction compliment every second of this film. The set up, though tedious at times, allows this set of movies to have a better variety. The fight sequences are a bit long, and the plot lacks any kind of emotional aspect that helps you feel better about the extremely short climax. Overall, the box set is a must have for those who like the classic detective or the dark and depressing films that contrasted some of the Hollywood fluff that came out of the period. And for $34.00 it is one hell of a deal, baby.

Five terrific noir films in pretty good to excellent transfers, all in keep-cases (thanks, Warner) with wonderful period cover art, and commentaries too! I had not see three of the five films in the box - I bought it for "Asphalt Jungle" and "Gun Crazy," but all are worth watching and re-watching. And at $35 this is an amazing bargain.