7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Teenage Meg convinces her schoolmate Nath to come help with chores on the farm where she lives with her aunt and uncle, Ellen and Pete. When Nath insists on using a short cut home through the woods, Pete warns him of danger associated with a mysterious red house. Curious, Meg and Nath ignore his warnings and begin exploring.
Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Lon McCallister, Judith Anderson, Rory Calhoun (I), Julie LondonFilm-Noir | 100% |
Horror | 17% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Edward G. Robinson enjoyed an incredibly long and relatively varied career which spanned almost six full decades, from the apparently lost silent Arms and the Woman in 1916 to 1973’s kitschy but beloved Soylent Green. While Robinson acted in a huge gamut of films, he, like his early Warner Brothers stable mate James Cagney, is often best remembered for his tough gangster roles from the thirties. What’s interesting about Robinson’s first claim to fame is how he parlayed that gritty, sometimes violent bent into a series of really interesting character roles in a number of films noirs in the forties. These roles could either be solid but questioning supporting types (as in the iconic Double Indemnity or the noir-esque The Stranger), or more troubled (even neurotic) souls, as in his two collaborations with Fritz Lang, The Woman in the Window and Scarlet Street. The Red House came out in 1947, smack dab in Robinson’s noir era, and while it may not be a traditional noir (much like The Stranger), it’s a moody, tense piece of filmmaking that shows what a remarkably versatile actor Robinson really was, one who could segue from sweet tenderness to murderous rage at the drop of a thundering Miklos Rozsa score cue. While the film doesn’t exactly keep its secrets hidden especially artfully, it’s an often spooky little film that casts an interesting light on post-War rural America and the roiling passions not so subtly buried underneath calm exteriors, something somewhat similar to Hitchock’s Shadow of a Doubt in a way. Robinson portrays one-legged farmer Pete Morgan, who works his large spread with his devoted sister, Ellen (Judith Anderson in a rare sympathetic role), and their adopted ward Meg (Allene Roberts). Meg has a crush on local boy Nath Storm (Lon McCallister) and gets him a job on the farm as a hand, leading to an almost Freudian explosion of emotion and unbridled Id. Playing out against this rather odd ménage a trois of Pete, Meg and Nath is another convoluted intertwining of romances, including local hussy Tibby (Julie London in an early role), who is playing the field both with Nath and local tough guy Teller (Rory Calhoun).
The Red House is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Film Chest and HD Cinema Classics with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. As with other Film Chest – HD Cinema Classics releases, those who can't stand digital noise reduction had best stay far away from this release, as it has been vigorously scrubbed, leaving it with a quasi-video looking ambience that will no doubt drive a lot of people slightly batty. The restoration demo does show that significant improvement was made in contrast and sharpness despite the aggressive DNR, though it must also be admitted that blacks are still often pretty milky in several scenes, robbing the film of at least a little of its chiaroscuro lighting scheme. The elements here were either in pretty decent shape or have been digitally restored, as there are surprisingly few damage issues to report here, other than occasional flecks and couple of small scratches.
The Red House features a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono audio mix delivered via DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Unfortunately there's some consistent distortion on this track that keeps it from receiving a higher score. While dialogue comes through mostly cleanly and clearly, Rozsa's score suffers, with audible fuzziness especially in the midrange in several key cues. The problems seem to be worse at the very beginning and especially end of the film, with things somewhat better in the bulk of the middle section. Fidelity is acceptable if never fantastic, and dynamic range is quite good, all things considered.
The Red House is a moody little thriller that may be predictable to modern day mystery lovers but which still manages to be surprisingly effective. The best thing about this film is the performances, especially Robinson, who is simultaneously sympathetic and terrifying, no mean feat to pull off. Anderson is something of a minor revelation in a completely atypical role for her, and the supporting cast of young players also does very fine work for the most part. Some may think of perhaps better films (like Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt) which similarly pull off the thin veneer of respectability to divulge sins of the past (and, frankly, present), but The Red House has its own charms which can't be denied. DNR-phobes will most likely hate this release, and unfortunately the audio here has some noticeable issues as well. For those who can get past that, there's quite a bit here to enjoy, but cautious consumers may want to check this out as a rental first.
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