6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Mal Granger is telephone repairman who uses his knowledge to help his bookie expand his business to increased profits and rises to the top. But when syndicate head Otto Kruger wants to take over, things start to get dicey — and Granger's in too deep to call the cops.
Starring: Edmond O'Brien, Joanne Dru, Otto Kruger, Barry Kelley, Dorothy PatrickDrama | 100% |
Film-Noir | 69% |
Crime | 42% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Joseph Newman's "711 Ocean Drive" (1950) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage production and promotional materials; audio commentary by critic Glenn Kenny; and short films. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
A single play can change your life, Mal. Are you interested?
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, 711 Ocean Drive arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The master that was used to produce this release is very obviously not new, but I like it a lot and think that there is very little on it that could be improved. For example, there are a few density fluctuations here and there that introduce some sporadic soft spots, with the most obvious ones usually appearing before or after transitions, but even they have very strong organic qualities. Yes, delineation and depth could be better, but I assure you that everything still looks really, really good. Then there are the scattered white specks and a few tiny scratches, but the film still looks very healthy. I consider these to be cosmetic issues that do not really impact the overall quality of the technical presentation. The rest looked great on my system. For example, a lot of the darker footage boasts wonderful ranges of nuances background details, and while some could struggle with a bit of black crush, it is very easy to tell that the master was carefully graded. Depth is good too, especially during daylight footage where there are plenty of gray and white nuances. There are no stability issues. A newer restoration could introduce some enhancements, but I am not convinced that they would make a noticeable difference. I even liked the fluidity of the visuals. So, this is a very strong organic technical presentation that makes viewing the film even on a very large screen quite a treat. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The dialog is very clear and sharp. Stability is excellent as well. I did not notice any issues in the upper register either, though it is possible that there is some room for cosmetic cleanup there. The bottom line is this: there are no age-related anomalies, or any other anomalies for that matter, that may potentially affect your viewing experience. I think that when the current master was prepared the audio was optimized as best as possible.
I think that 711 Ocean Drive works very well because it produces a couple of lessons whose clarity and logic are timeless. Why does Edmond O'Brien's character struggle to preserve his success? Because he fails to figure out when is the right time to stop making risky plays. In the business he is in, if you are smart, you remain a winner; if you are not, you could lose everything, sometimes even your life. This upcoming release is sourced from an older but very solid organic master. It is included in Indicator/Powerhouse Films' Columbia Noir #2 six-disc box set, which will be out in February. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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