6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A trio of thieves make their getaway by kidnapping a young hot-rodder, and take over a mountain cabin for a hideout after overpowering its occupants.
Starring: Joan Evans, Ben Cooper (I), Marla English, Jan Merlin, Nick Adams (I)Film-Noir | 100% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | 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 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo verified
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
William Witney's "A Strange Adventure" (1956) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only bonus feature on the disc is an exclusive new audio commentary by film historian Toby Roan and Jay Dee Witney. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
And then we'll live the good life
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, William Witney's A Strange Adventure arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
The release is sourced from a recent 4K remaster that was prepared by Paramount Pictures Archive. It is a wonderful remaster and there is no doubt in my mind that the film has never looked this fresh and vibrant on a home video release before. Clarity, depth, and fluidity are simply terrific, and the competent grading ensures that solid and very nicely nuanced appearance that makes these types of black-and-white films look very stylish. There is room for some minor encoding optimizations, but for the most part grain is nicely exposed and resolved. Image stability is terrific. A few minor flecks and blemishes remain, but there are no large cuts, damage marks, or torn frames to report. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.
If there ever were any serious background anomalies now it is impossible to tell. Balance is also good, but there are a couple of segments where the male characters mumble a bit so the exchanges could be a bit tricky to understand. Dynamic intensity is excellent. There are no audio dropouts or digital distortions to report.
A Strange Adventure is a small film that Republic Pictures produced with a fittingly small budget. So, even though two of its stars, Marla English and Jan Merlin, are quite good, it does not really flourish in the same way that some of the popular film noir titles from the same era do. However, I found this 'weakness' to be quite attractive because it helps its realism without the stylization that the big classics are typically praised for. Give it a try, maybe very late at night, and you might end up enjoying it as much as I did. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a very nice new 4K remaster that was prepared by Paramount Pictures Archive. RECOMMENDED.
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