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Burt Lancaster walks out of the
shadows and into some of the most glorious studio layered light (shot by Frank
Planer) and a sunny prelude to his ultimate chump's demise in one of my
favorite shots from all Noir. The movie is also Siodmak's best (IMO) Noir, Criss Cross (1949) which has a surprise
debut in Blu-ray on On no frills label Shock, from what I presume to be the
meticulous video transfer prepared by Universal years ago for their (then)
superb DVD.
Despite the age this is still a
great video incarnation, swoon and faint knockout drop dead fabulous for
dynamic range, sharpness, stability and rez, as is the now lossless, crystal
clear PCM audio track which delivers the killer Esy Morales Rhumba band items
with total oomph. Esy's sets were among the first Cuban music to appear in a
Hollywood feature back in 1949 and partner stylistically to a tee with another
KO score from Siodmak's Noir regular, the great Miklos Rosza. Once again
SIodmak's amazing taste in music is one of the best in movies.
Simply a must buy, although the
label warns Region B fixed. I can't think this won't make further appearances
soon in region free land starting perhaps with France and the UK. The title
frankly deserved a no holds barred Criterion treatment years ago but that label
seems to be reshaping its demographic these days. Meanwhile suck it up and dive
right in with no limits to pleasure here. Best Blu of the year so far and
that's in a class of unbelievable contenders, including Elephant's recent Blonde
Venus (reviewed earlier if you click on the link).
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