Too Late for Tears (1949)
Woman on the Run (1950)
Company: Flicker Alley
My Reviews and Thoughts:
My Rating:
Films: 5 out of 5
Today we have a wonderful double feature of two amazingly
done Blu-ray and DVD combo’s. Something that needs to be said and expressed are the amazing product's that Flicker Alley does. Flicker Alley creates one of a kind product’s
that shine above and beyond a lot of other companies.
Flicker Alley in reality
gives the greatest Special Edition's ever to grace the Blu-ray/DVD
world. They
never let the movie fiend, lover of cinema down. Once again Flicker Alley has
put together two dynamic products to highly praise and sing about the wonderment
of these two products. The production put into Flicker Alley’s products, is an art
form in itself.
This time I speak of two of their latest flicks on Special
Edition Blu-ray and DVD combo. 1949’s Too Late for Tears and 1950’s Woman on
the Run. Two classic Film Noir’s. Two lost Film Noir’s lovingly restored for
this modern movie loving generation.
First I want to speak about 1949’s Too Late for Tears. This
classic American Crime film is something to experience. This being the first time that I
have seen it, it was a total treat to experience this classic Noir setting on a
high quality Blu-ray. Starring the beautiful Lizabeth Scott. The plot starts
out in a classic fashion. Your main players Jane and Alan Parker are on their
way to a party, driving in Hollywood Hills. During this trip a person in a
convertible throws a case into their car. Inside the bag is money, lots of
money. Soon they are chased by others, but get away. The couple have differing
ideas on what to do. Alan wants to do the good guy reality and turn it over to
the police, where Jane wishes to keep the money. So begins a battle of want and
need, of greed, and the good old right and wrong aspect.
Lizabeth Scott was one beautiful lady. She was able to showcase
her brilliance, through performances in flawless ways. She captures the part of Jane
in a flawless means of brilliance. Scott was a lady that expressed total
perfection, mastery, and true stardom in her career. It’s hard to believe as
brilliant as she was, she only starred in 22 films. She was a true treasure and
her performance in Too Late for Tears showcases that treasure perfectly.
Also starring the amazing Don Defore, Dan Duryea and Arthur
Kennedy. This is a surprisingly brilliant crime thriller that is a must see.
Next up is Woman on the Run. This 1950 film noir is another
prime example of capturing flawless cinema. Starring the beautiful,
multi-talented Ann Sheridan, the brilliant Dennis O’Keefe, Robert Keith and
Ross Elliott. This also is my first time
seeing it and I have to say, this is a perfectly brilliant experience. Just like Too Late for
Tears, Woman on the Run is golden .
You start off with Frank Johnson walking his dog. There he
witnesses a man being shot. The killer see’s Frank, tries to kill him, misses.
Soon the police are involved. Frank learns the man that was shot was a witness
against a gangster. Now Frank is neck deep into trouble as the police want him
to testify. And so begins the plight of Frank Johnson, man in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
Too Late for Tears was directed by one of my favorite
directors Byron Haskin. Haskin was responsible for some of the greatest Cult
Following movies out there. Also director of some of the great films period
such as the one and only, 1950’s Treasure Island. He is responsible for some of
my favorite classic Sci-fi films, the classic 1953’s War of the Worlds, 1958’s
From the Earth to the Moon and my personal all-time favorite 1964’s true
classic Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Haskin was a cinema genius that expressed a
brilliance about him that just shines in many ways on screen.
Woman on the Run was directed by Norman Foster. He was a
director that sadly has been lost by time, but should be remembered. His work
expresses the brilliance of showcasing characters in flawless ways through a
tight direction that allowed the viewer to become a part of the film, that they
are watching. He not only directed feature films, but did a lot of television
also including many favorites of mine, Zorro, 1966’s Batman series, Walt
Disney’s Wonderful World of Color TV films. Whatever he was doing he captured
gold and Woman on the Run is a prime example of that gold.
Audio/Video:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Both fantastic restorations. The audio if spot on, crisp,
clear. The black and white is vibrant and is an excellent viewing of just how to treat an olden film through restoration.
Special Features:
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Something that is truly priceless about the products that
Flicker Alley puts out is the dynamic art form they give to the special
features. They basically give flawless special features. They always amaze me
at how perfect the special features are.
Woman on the Run
Audio Commentary Track – by the amazing film noir guru and
cinema loving god Eddie Muller. A great listen, very informative. A film
historian that knows his stuff. Eddie Muller is a great writer. I love reading
his stuff about film. He has a total passion for cinema, especially for Film
Noir and it shows in everything he does. His commentaries are really fantastic
and some of the best out there. I have been a fan of Muller for many years now,
always great to hear him talk about the passion of Film Noir.
“Love is a Rollercoaster: Woman on the Run Revisited” – this is a great program which was produced by
Steven Smith and the Film Noir Foundation. This is a small documentary on the
making of the film. Great incite into this movie.
“A Wild Ride: Restoring Woman on the Run” – another program
produced by Steven Smith and the Film Noir Foundation. This was a fantastic
history lesson into what it took for this film to be restored. A great program
that is a fantastic experience in what it took to get this movie restored and
brought out.
"Woman on the Run Locations Then and Now" – another
one of a kind program hosted by Brain Hollins. Hollins seeks out, hunts down and
lets you experience the many shooting locations for this film.
“NOIR CITY” – A great short documentary directed by Joe
Talbot. This showcases the Noir City film festival.
And the amazing one of kind 24-Page Souvenir Booklet – this
is jam packed with photographs, poster art, original lobby cards, and most of
all a wonderful essay by the Film noir guru Eddie Muller.
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Next special features for Too Late for Tears:
Audio Commentary Track – this is another fantastic listen by
a brilliant film historian Alan K. Rode.
“Chance of A Lifetime: The Making of Too Late for Tears” – this
was produced by Steven Smith and the Film Noir Foundation. Three iconic film
guru historians Eddie Muller, Kim Morgan, and Julie Kirgo. This showcases a
behind-the-scenes reality to this movie. A wonderful program.
“Tiger Hunt: Restoring Too Late for Tears” – this was produced
by Steven Smith and the Film Noir Foundation. Another great program on what it
took to get this picture restored and this lost film noir classic, was just
that, almost lost.
A yet again another fabulous
read of a 24-Page Souvenir Booklet – jam packed with photographs, poster art,
original lobby cards, and most of all a wonderful essay written by noir-expert
Brian Light.
Overall:
I will say this again, as I have said many times before.
Flicker Alley is one of the greatest companies out there supplying and giving to
movie lovers, fans and film historians a great trip into the world of lost, and
sometimes sadly forgotten gems of the olden days of cinema. Flicker Alley has
done it yet again with these two priceless examples of top quality, high class
products.
I can’t say this enough, highly recommended.
INFO: