7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A widow is forced to turn to prostitution to support herself. Recruited by the Austrian Secret Service as a spy, she becomes an expert in ferreting out secrets about the enemy but meets her match in the form of a Russian agent named Kranau.
Starring: Marlene Dietrich, Victor McLaglen, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Warner Oland, Lew CodyDrama | 100% |
Romance | 43% |
War | 4% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.19:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.2:1
English: LPCM Mono
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Josef von Sternberg's "Dishonored" (1931) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage documentary by Harry Kümel; featurette by critic Tag Gallagher; introduction by Nicholas von Sternberg; and production stills. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.19:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Josef von Sternberg's Dishonored arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The release is sourced from a 4K remaster that was struck from 35mm nitrate prints held by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. It is the same remaster that Criterion utilized for the North American release of Dishonored.
The basic qualities of the technical presentation are very solid. There are a few transitions where grain fluctuations produce minor unevenness -- undoubtedly inherited from the elements that were used to produced the remaster -- but the overall consistency of the visuals is still very good. The grading is convincing as well. The blacks are lush and stable, while the whites and grays appear nicely balanced. A few very minor scratches and blemishes remain, but all noticeable age-related imperfections have been carefully removed. (Note: This is a Region-B "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 LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
There is some sporadic thinness that occasionally affects the dialog, and if the volume is tuned up a bit in the background extremely light hiss can be recognized. However, clarity and stability remain excellent. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or distortions.
Dishonored is the most underwhelming film that Marlene Dietrich and Josef von Sternberg made together. It is an odd spy thriller that struggles to balance the comedy and drama from Daniel Rubin and von Sternberg's script and ends up relying exclusively on the beauty and charm of its star to engage. There are bits of it that look good, but the rest is instantly forgettable. This release is sourced from a recent 4K remaster that was also used to produce the North American release of the film. It comes with an interesting vintage documentary produced by Belgian director Harry Kümel.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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1932
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1930
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1932
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1934
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1935
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