Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Shack Out on 101 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 6, 2024

Edward Dein's "Shack Out on 101" (1955) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only supplemental feature on the release is an exclusive new audio commentary recorded by film scholar Jason A. Ney. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The real spy game is a strange game. There are many reasons for this, but perhaps the most consequential one is that it is played by incredibly difficult to profile characters who routinely do things considered to be illogical and unprincipled. Where is the evidence that this statement is true? The famous British writer John Le Carre, who spent many years of his life being a spy, often described the spy game as strange and stated that among those who play it the most effective are the least principled.

If you accept that Le Carre was right, you are not going to be surprised by Edward Dein’s Shack Out on 101, a small film about spies whose biggest critics have argued is devoid of logic. Shack Out on 101 is devoid of some logic, but it is why it is worth seeing. Before I explain precisely why, here’s a quick summation of it:

In a quiet coastal area in Southern California, aging bachelor George (Keenan Wynn) runs a small diner whose biggest attraction is not the food cook Slob (Lee Marvin) prepares in the kitchen, but the attractive waitress Kotty (Terry Moore). Unsurprisingly, the diner’s clientele is overwhelmingly male, looking to engage Kotty, if she is in a good mood, maybe even score a date with her. While Kotty does not mind being courted, all offers coming her way are promptly shot down because she is already in a relationship with Professor Sam Bastion (Frank Lovejoy), another aging bachelor, who spends most of his time in a nearby research center. On a day like any other, shortly after George opens the diner, this seemingly straightforward routine begins to change. Initially, a few male clients force George and Slob out of their comfort zones, then Kotty clashes with Slob, and eventually, Sam creates drama that produces lasting static in the air. Then, while attempting to reimpose his authority, George effectively loses control of the diner, which is rapidly revealed to have been a hideout for communist spies and a prime target for spy hunters.

Shack Out on 101 is a small film that never pretends to be anything else. This clarification is important because it invalidates ancient claims that Shack Out on 101 does not do enough to recreate convincingly the complex nature of the spy game. In other words, anyone expecting Shack Out on 101 to be a multi-layered film with grand twists and character transformations like the ones that will emerge decades later in Le Carre’s famous novels is guaranteed to be underwhelmed.

However, Shack Out on 101 has a proper grasp of something else that is very important. It is the paranoia running through any real spy game and inevitably becoming the catalyst behind everything real spies do that appears illogical and unprincipled to casual observers. In Shack Out in 101, there is a crucial reset that unleashes the paranoia, and after its characters begin reacting to it, their behavior changes dramatically. The change can appear illogical, but only if it is taken out of context, and, more importantly, if one incorrectly assumes that conventional logic is synonymous with spy logic. (In Le Carre’s novels, many of the biggest surprises are made possible because the reader is tricked into deconstructing their enigmas with conventional logic. But to do so successfully, more is required, especially early, and the more always has something to do with the paranoia that begins to flourish plus the spy logic needed to navigate through it).

Unfortunately, Shack Out on 101 also reveals an eccentric side that just about destroys its integrity. The material that allows for this to happen produces a few decent laughs, but it instantly cheapens the drama and makes it impossible for anyone to take the complete film seriously.

Despite the obvious production limitations, Shack Out on 101 has several very stylish sequences. In one of them, Marvin and Moore are seen on a stunning beach, which is where later the communist spies and the spy hunters clash.

Dein’s director of photography was Oscar winner Floyd Crosby, who lensed the legendary western High Noon.

Shack Out on 101 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Shack Out on 101 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Shack Out on 101 made its high-definition debut with this release, produced in 2013 by Olive Films. I have it in my library and think that it offers a lovely presentation of the film. However, Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a very recent 4K master struck from the original camera that is simply fantastic. In fact, excluding a few tiny specks and blemishes that pop up in a few areas, I think that it is perfect. For example, delineation, clarity, and depth are almost always outstanding. Even in a few spots where minor density fluctuations are present, the visuals still looked terrific. The grayscale is sensational as well. Yes, it does help that a lot of the visuals feature controlled lighting, but all dark areas look striking, plus existing ranges of shadow nuances and highlights could not be any better. Grain exposure is terrific. Finally, there are no image stability issues to report. My score is 4.75/5.00. (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).

Shack Out on 101 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0.Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did not encounter any distracting age-related anomalies to report in our review. All exchanges are very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. The music score does not produce great dynamic contrasts, but I would not say that it has an instantly forgettable supporting role either. It is just that the production has obvious limitations, which affect the soundtrack as well.

Shack Out on 101 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by film scholar Jason A. Ney.

Shack Out on 101 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

All professional spies are taught to be great chameleons and improvisors, and the best ones always are. But a lot of their improvisational work is rarely as sophisticated and advanced as the rational mind imagines it is because they are also trained how to always be a few steps ahead of it. In other words, professional spies, and especially the best ones, are not what they are touted to be. Shack Out on 101 works with material messaging this exact point, which makes it a curious film, but reveals an eccentric side that damages its integrity. It is a small film, too, so it is probably best to see it on a night when you have spent time with one of its bigger and better relatives. Kino Lorber's release introduces a wonderful recent 4K makeover of it prepared by Paramount. It is included in Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXI, a three-disc box set. RECOMMENDED.