Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Shanghai Express Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 22, 2019

Josef von Sternberg's "Shanghai Express" (1932) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include new audio commentary by David Thompson; new program with critic Jasper Sharp; production stills; and more. The release also arrives with a limited 120-page book featuring a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

It is quite interesting that at approximately the same time Josef von Sternberg was finishing Shanghai Express thousands of miles away Walter Forde was also putting the final touches on Rome Express. The latter even has a better story but no one that could match the star power of Marlene Dietirch. Needless to say, today only folks who have a special interest in early British cinema are likely to be aware of Forde’s film.

Von Sternberg does a number of interesting things with the energy and tempo of the film to imitate the actual rhythm of a moving train. Almost immediately after the Shanghai Express leaves the station in Peking -- and this is some of the most memorable footage from the entire film as the train is literally in the middle of a big, very narrow and overcrowded street -- one gets the sense that the movement occurs in real time. The editing is particularly good, especially for such an early film, as the smart juxtaposition of the interior and exterior footage essentially makes it impossible to tell that the journey to Shanghai is simulated.

As the motley crew of passengers in first-class settle down someone mentions that the notorious courtesan Shanghai Lily (Dietrich) is amongst them and a few panic. But they don’t know how to recognize her, so they are left speculating and even doubting whether the revelation is legit. The only passenger that knows Lily is Captain Donald Harvey (Clive Brook), a British doctor who is on his way to Shanghai where he is expected to perform an urgent operation. The doctor is Lily’s former lover who years ago left her after she played a trick on him to test the strength of their relationship. However, at the time her name was Madeline, which is why the doctor has no idea that she is the notorious courtesan that everyone is concerned with. The former lovers meet and as they learn more about the pain they struggled with after their breakup realize that they are still very much in love. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Express is frequently slowed down by political drama involving secret revolutionary agents and supporters of Chiang-kai shek’s government.

Shanghai Express has that special appearance that ‘old Hollywood’ loved and promoted and this is basically what makes the film so attractive. However, the real magic comes from von Sternberg’s clear understanding of how to capture his muse so that she looks glamorous even when placed in an extremely casual environment.

The film has two rather obvious flaws. The first is Brook’s inability to emerge as the type of special man that a stunning beauty like Dietrich would fall for and then because of his departure choose to become a courtesan in order to suppress her heartache. He looks awkwardly stiff and frequently so unapologetically cold that it is actually hard to believe that a woman would even contemplate a relationship with him. The needed chemistry for the romantic drama to look legit simply isn’t there. The second flaw is easier to ignore. A few of the subplots that involve the other passengers and their true identities rush their climaxes and when it happens it does feel like the primary goal was to enhance the period flavor. This is particularly obvious with the character transformation that the Eurasian businessman Henry Chang (Warner Oland) undergoes.

Lee Garmes won an Oscar Award for Best Cinematography, but in her memoirs Dietrich confirmed that von Sternberg actually did the bulk of the lensing.

Shanghai Express Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Josef von Sternberg's Shanghai Express arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from the same 4K restoration that Criterion used to produced the North American release of the film. Obviously, the technical presentation shares the same basic characteristics. The elements that Universal worked with to deliver the new remaster of Shanghai Express must have been in an overall better condition than those that were available for Morocco as large areas of this film have more consistent density. However, there are still segments where it is easy to tell that ideally depth and shadow definition should be better. The grading is good, but I felt that during some of the darker/indoor footage perhaps some better efforts could have been made to avoid light crushing. Grain retention is pleasing, but some very small traces of digital work are visible. Image stability is very good. Debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, and all other conventional age-related imperfections have been removed as best as possible. My score is 4.25/5.00. (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).

Shanghai Express Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

I mentioned in our review of the Criterion release that I was quite happy with the quality of the lossless track. It is because the 'thinness' from the DVD release, which I tested for the previous review, is essentially eliminated. Overall balance also sounds better to me. So, my guess is that when the film was restored a lot attention was given to the audio as well, and many meaningful improvements were made.

Shanghai Express Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction - a new video introduction to the film by Nicholas von Sternberg. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Commentary - David Thompson discusses the conception of Shanghai Express, its visual appearamce (with some good comments about the employment of dissolves), the quality/management of the dialog, Marlene Dietrich's image and presence before and behind the camera, etc. A very good commentary.

• Trouble in Hollywood - in this new program, critic Jasper Sharp discusses Anna May Wong's background and acting career as well her contribution to Shanghai Express. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Gallery - a collection of production stills.

• Booklet - limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more.

Shanghai Express Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shanghai Express is a glamorous, old-fashioned Hollywood romantic melodrama that was conceived and delivered as an exotic fantasy film. In terms of style, it has everything that made Josef von Sternberg's work special, from imaginative sensual lighting and exceptionally elegant framing to pure atmosphere defined by a rather spectacular awareness of rhythm and space. It is also amongst the most beautiful films that von Sternebrg made with Marlene Dietirch. This release has an excellent exclusive commentary from writer, critic, and documentarian David Thompson, so if you enjoy the film you should consider picking up a copy for your collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.