Blu-Ray News #376: Republic Pictures Horror Collection (1944-1946).

Kino Lorber will release the Republic Pictures Horror Collection (1944-1946) Blu-ray set later this year. Republic didn’t do much horror stuff, but when they did, the results were usually pretty great. 

The Lady And The Monster (1944)
Directed by George Sherman
Starring Erich von Stroheim, Vera Ralston, Richard Arlen

This adaptation of Curt Siodmak’s novel Donovan’s Brain stars the great director Erich von Stroheim and the Czech skater Vera Ralston, the girlfriend of Herbert J. Yates, the head of Republic. George Sherman directed, with John Alton behind the camera. How could this not be terrific? Rest assured, folks, it is.

The Phantom Speaks (1945)
Directed by John English
Starring Richard Arlen, Stanley Ridges, Lynne Roberts

A killer is executed and his spirit possesses a scientist and the killings continue. A reporter (Richard Arlen) and the police don’t make the connection.

John English directed a number of serials (paired with William Witney) and B Westerns for Republic and quite a few Gene Autry pictures at Columbia before heading into TV.

The Catman Of Paris (1946) 
Directed by Lesley Selander
Starring Carl Esmond, Lenore Aubert, Adele Mara, Douglass Dumbrille, Gerald Mohr, Fritz Feld, John Dehner, Anthony Caruso

The Catman Of Paris (1946) was directed by Lesley Selander, one of the best B directors of them all, and it’s got Adele Mara and Douglass Dumbrille in it — what more do you need to know?

There’s a “were-cat” clawing people to death in the streets of Paris, and the author (Carl Esmond) of a popular book about a “cat man” is suspected of being responsible.

Valley Of The Zombies (1946)
Directed by Philip Ford
Starring Robert Livingston, Lorna Gray, Ian Keith, Thomas E. Jackson

John Ford’s nephew directs a zombie movie that doesn’t have any zombies in it. Ian Keith needs frequent blood transfusions and that blood has to come from somewhere — eventually the police start looking into it. Some talk of voodoo is about as close to zombie-ness as it gets.

Robert Livingston played The Lone Ranger in the Republic serial The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939). Adrian Booth was in everything from a Three Stooges short to Republic serials to The Man They Could Not Hang (1938) with Boris Karloff to William Elliott pictures like The Last Bandit (1949) — even Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939).

This thing’s gonna be great.

Blu-Ray News #365: Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949).

Directed by William Castle
Starring Howard Duff, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Tony Curtis, John McIntire, Gar Moore, Leif Erickson

Kino Lorber is continuing their terrific noir Blu-Ray series Film Noir: The Dark Side Of Cinema with Volumes VI and VII.

Volume VI contains John Brahm’s Singapore (1947), with Fred MacMurray, Ava Gardner and Roland Culver; George Sherman’s The Raging Tide (1951) with Shelley Winters, Richard Conte, Stephen McNally, Charles Bickford, Alex Nicol and John McIntire; and William Castle’s Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949).

In Castle’s picture, Federal agents need Johnny Evans (Dan Duryea), who’s doing time in Alcatraz, to rat on some drug dealers and hit men. Johnny’s not to hip to the idea. It’s a solid effort from Castle. Recommended.

Volume VII will contain Byron Haskin’s The Boss (1956) starring John Payne; Sidney Salkow’s Chicago Confidential (1957) with Brian Keith, Beverly Garland and Dick Foran; and Dana Andrews, Dick Foran and Marilee Earle in Jacques Tourneur’s The Fearmakers (1958).

Blu-Ray News #340: Larceny (1948).

Directed by George Sherman
Starring John Payne, Joan Caulfield, Dan Duryea, Shelley Winters

While I’m a sucker for his Westerns, you can count me in on anything from George Sherman. He was a top-notch “journeyman” or contract director, and please don’t take that as a knock to his prowess. He made some great movies.

Larceny (1948) is built around one of the scuzziest plot points ever — a con man (John Payne) trying to snake a war widow (Joan Caulfield) out of money allegedly for a memorial to her husband. When Payne has second thoughts, and develops a thing for the widow, the boss (Dan Duryea) won’t let him out of it — then Duryea’s moll (Shelley Winters) really louses things up.

Noir works best when it’s kept lean and tight, which makes it perfect for George Sherman. This is a terrific movie, and it’ll be great to see Irving Glassberg’s cinematography in high definition. Coming to Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber in July. Highly recommended.

Blu-Ray News #332: Larceny (1948).

Directed by George Sherman
Starring John Payne, Joan Caulfield, Dan Duryea, Shelley Winters

George Sherman was at Universal-International from 1948 to 1956. He directed a lot of Westerns, along with some crime/noir pictures and adventure things. Not a lot of ’em have made their way to DVD, much less Blu-Ray. So Larceny (1948), a cool noir with John Payne and Dan Duryea, coming to Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber is big news.

We should see it turn up this summer.