Indicator’s got a third Columbia Noir Blu-Ray box on the way, and it’s gonna be another good one.
Johnny O’Clock (1947)
Written and directed by Robert Rossen
Starring Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, Lee J. Cobb, Jeff Chandler
Dick Powell is cool in his second noir picture, Burnett Guffey’s cinematography is often stunning. Robert Rossen does a good job guiding us through the rather complex plot.
The Dark Past (1948)
Directed by Rudolph Maté
Starring William Holden, Nina Foch, Lee J. Cobb
William Holden is an escaped convict in this remake of 1939’s Blind Alley. Lee J. Cobb is a psychologist who’s held hostage and analyzes his captor along the way.
Convicted (1950)
Directed by Henry Levin
Starring Glenn Ford, Broderick Crawford, Millard Mitchell, Dorothy Malone, Carl Benton Reid, Frank Faylen
Another remake of The Criminal Code, with Glenn Ford an inmate and Broderick Crawford the warden. Burnett Guffey shot this one, too, which is always a good thing.
Between Midnight And Dawn (1950)
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Starring Mark Stevens, Edmond O’Brien, Gale Storm, Madge Blake
A prototype for the buddy cop movies, with Edmond O’Brien and Mark Stevens childhood friends who end up cops. Gale Storm is the dispatcher they talk to throughout their shift.
The Sniper (1952)
Directed by Edward Dmytryk
Starring Adolphe Menjou, Arthur Franz, Gerald Mohr, Marie Windsor, Frank Faylen
Arthur Franz plays a freak with a rifle before the freak-with-a-rifle sub-genre even existed. Dmytryk does a terrific job, as does DP Burnett Guffey. Essential.
City Of Fear (1959)
Directed by Irving Lerner
Starring Vince Edwards, Lyle Talbot, John Archer
Vince Edwards escapes from San Quentin and has what he thinks is a vial of heroin. Turns out it’s the ultra-dangerous Cobalt-60, which could wipe out LA. Edwards gets sicker as the movie plays out — and time runs out. A very cool little movie.
The set comes with the kind of extras — commentaries, video essays, shorts (including six from The Three Stooges!), trailers, galleries and more. You don’t wanna miss this one.
Johnny O’Clock a must-have. Ss this going out on Bluray, or not?
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I guess it is. Sorry, about that. I was so excited about Johnny O’Clock and equally disinterested in the other titles.
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Johnny O’Clock is terrific. So is The Sniper!
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I’m very excited about BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN from
Gordon Douglas’ “Prime Years” he was certainly knocking ’em out of
the park at that time.
I enjoyed Donald Buka’s role as the gangster that is very hard to nail.
Buka did loads of TV but sadly few movies-he was also aces in STREET
WITH NO NAME and when is that going to get a much needed high-def
upgrade. I love the skid row,seedy flop house aspect of STREET WITH
NO NAME captured with real verve.
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Just thinking how wonderful it would be if Indicator gave us just one
volume of obscure Columbia 50’s Westerns with titles like THE LAST
POSSE,THREE HOURS TO KILL,REPRISAL!,THE HARD MAN,
FACE OF A FUGITIVE and so on…
I wonder if a set like that would sell.
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They would regret it.
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