6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Four college students visiting Reno witness a failed casino robbery. As they leave, a cop tells them that there is no way to rob a casino. One of the students decides to prove the cop wrong as a goof, planning to return the money in the end. But another student, a war veteran with a head injury, has other ideas about what to do with the cash.
Starring: Guy Madison, Kim Novak, Brian Keith, Alvy Moore, Kerwin MathewsDrama | 100% |
Film-Noir | 58% |
Crime | 41% |
Heist | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Note: This film is available as part of
Noir Archive Volume 2: 1954-1956.
Kit Parker Films and Mill Creek Entertainment mined an interesting nonet of features for their Noir Archive Volume 1: 1944-1954, and now a second volume is forthcoming, with
another nine outings that show what a reliable purveyor of noir or at least noir-ish films Columbia Studios continued to be through
the mid-fifties. As the subtitle for the first volume made clear, that collection spanned a decade, from what was arguably the apex of noir
in the mid-forties to the arguably somewhat less fertile era of Eisenhower. This second volume picks up in 1954 and continues forward two years,
assembling a rather diverse collection of writers, directors and stars, some of whom at least many would probably consign to the so-called “B list”,
though others, like Kim Novak, Jack Finney and even William Castle, certainly have claims to "A list" fame. One way or the other, though, there are
some
interesting titles in this second collection, and noir fans may well find this as appealing a set as the first outing.
5 Against the House is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Kit Parker Films and Mill Creek Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. This is another presentation which features a rather heavy grain field, and there are also a few passing issues with damage down the right side of the frame (as in the opening credits). This has some impressively deep black levels, however, and detail levels are often quite satisfying, especially when close-ups are employed. While there are some weirdly recurrent white specks, one of them, in a scene with Novak reclining (see screenshot 2) I'm assuming is actually a small piece of glitter or something on Novak's temple, since it kind of fades and disappears when she moves her head. Some of the process photography can look a bit ragged, and the entire presentation looked just a bit dark to me.
5 Against the House features a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track that is rather full bodied throughout, and which provides a nice accounting of the jazz inflected score, though it is arguably over bright on the high end, something that makes the high frequencies of the omnipresent sounds of chips and background chatter in some casino scenes just a bit shrill sounding. Novak hadn't quite mastered the art of lip syncing, as evidenced by her song in the film, but the music itself sounds warm and distortion free.
None of the three discs in this set feature any supplements.
There are some really interesting elements to 5 Against the House, and I'd kind of be curious to see what some modern day filmmakers might do with this at times odd mash up of heist elements and wartime psychological angst. There are a few passing issues with video, but audio is generally fine, for those considering a purchase.
(Still not reliable for this title)
1945
1950
1958
Bob the Gambler
1956
1948
1950
1955
1941
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1955
1976
1948
1952
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1955
1947
4K Restoration
1948
1981
1948
1950
1956
1955