Evans Above

I like the various actor collections that Warner Archive put out. It’s a great way to see a series of films from one artist. In this case, we’re looking at the Humphrey Bogart Collection Blu-ray, which gives us a sampling of his work including 1940’s They Drive by Night, 1944’s Passage to Marseille, 1945’s Conflict, and 1950’s Chain Lightning. Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Warner Archive, I had a chance to take a look.

Directed by Raoul Walsh, 1940’s They Drive by Night stars George Raft and Humphrey Bogart as two brothers trying to make it in the cutthroat trucking industry. Along the way they encounter dangerous roads and a more dangerous woman. The cast also includes Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, Gale Page, and Alan Hale Sr.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Based off a 4K scan of the original negative, the Blu-ray transfer has great clarity and detail from the facial features of the actors to the costumes on their backs. Blacks are deep and everything in the grayscale to the whitest whites looks good. The image doesn’t show any source scratches and digital artifacts and there’s a nice level of film grain.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. The mono soundtrack is mixed well, with room for the score and clear dialogue.

The Blu-ray does not come with a digital code. We get a 44 minute radio play adaptation where Raft is joined by Lana Turner and Lucille Ball. “Divided Highway: The Story of They Drive by Night” examines the film and filmmakers with commentary by film historians Leonard Maltin and Robert Osborne and Bogart biographer Eric Lax. We also get the 1938 Technicolor short “Swingtime in the Movies”, a spoof where a frazzled director is working on a Western. Bogart appears in a cameo. Finally, there’s the theatrical trailer.

1944’s Passage to Marseille is directed by Michael Curtiz, who had worked with Bogart on Casablanca two years earlier. Through a series of flashbacks, we follow the story of newspaper publisher Jean Matrac, who had been framed for murder and sentenced to the prison on Devil’s Island. He and four others manage a daring escape and get picked up by a French ship just as France surrenders to the Nazis. Will Matrac be handed over to the Vichy government collaborators or will he be able to join the Free French resistance? Bogart is joined in the cast by Claude Rains, Michèle Morgan, Philip Dorn, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, George Tobias, Helmut Dantine, John Loder, and Victor Francen.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Warner Archive’s transfer is from a 2K scan and it looks great. First off, kudos to the film’s design team and cinematographer James Wong Howe, who made a replica ship on a California soundstage look like it was shot on location. Details are sharp, though there is some softness when rear projection effects shots are used, but that’s the technology of the day. The image has a wide grayscale from deep blacks to crisp whites. There are no compression artifacts and it’s just a lovely presentation.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Despite its age, the soundtrack is absent of any issues. Dialogue is clear and the effects pack a punch. Max Steiner’s score also sounds great.

The movie does not come with a digital code. One extra, called “Warner Night at the Movies” contains 5 short pieces: a trailer for Uncertain Glory with Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas, newsreel footage of female Marines in training, the short “I Won’t Play” which stars Dane Clark as a soldier telling his buddies tales about Hollywood, “Jammin’ the Blues”, another short featuring a jazz jam session, and “The Weakly Reporter”, a Merrie Melody cartoon directed by Chuck Jones that spoofs war-time newsreels. Other extras include “The Free French: Unsung Victors”, which has historians giving us some context about the Free French resistance, “Breakdowns” which is a series of gag reels from various films, and finally the theatrical trailer.

Curtis Bernhardt’s 1945 film noir, Conflict, which stars Bogart, Alexis Smith, and Sydney Greenstreet, sees Bogart play an unhappily married husband who is accused by his wife (Rose Hobart) of loving her sister (Smith). When his wife dies after he sends her ahead on a trip, he begins to see signs that she may still be alive.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Warner Archive did the transfer from a 4K scan of the original negative. Details in faces, hair, clothing and locations are sharp. The grayscale is wide from deep blacks that still show detail all the way to light reflections on cars and rainy streets. The film grain is refined and natural.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Dialogue is clear and overall there’s only the occasional bit of hiss. The score adds weight to this moody thriller.

There’s no digital code for this movie. We get a trailer plus two Technicolor Merrie Melodies shorts: “Life With Feathers”, which marks the debut of Sylvester the Cat and “Trap Happy Porky” which features our porcine hero trying to outwit a cat and mouse who won’t let him sleep. We also get two Knox Manning narrated shorts: “Peeks at Hollywood” which has two young women stargazing for Hollywood stars and “Are Animals Actors?” which features animal acts. Finally, we get “Theater of Romance”, a radio play adaptation of Conflict also starring Bogart.

Finally, the collection contains 1950’s Chain Lightning, directed by Stuart Heisler. It’s an aviation adventure with Bogart as Lt. Colonel Matthew “Matt” Brennan, a retired WWII bomber pilot who accepts a job as a test pilot of an experimental high-speed fighter jet. Along the way, Brennan also reunites with a WWII flame, Jo (Eleanor Parker), who works for the owner of the aircraft company played by Raymond Massey. Will Brennan crash in either situation? The aviation sections are part of that early Cold War era “look at our power and science” battle between the USA and USSR. It’s interesting to note that the story of the film is credited to J. Redmond Prior. That was a pseudonym for the blacklisted writer Lester Cole, a member of the so-called “Hollywood Ten”, a group of writers who were blacklisted by the studios after they refused to answer questions about left-wing affiliations before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Cole’s credit was officially restored by the Writers Guild in 1997. I digress a bit here, but if you want to understand Hollywood and the era Chain Lightning was made in, that’s a rabbit hole to jump down.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The detail in the transfer is sharp, from the faces to the textiles and locations. The grayscale moves easily from inky blacks to crisp whites. There’s one scene where the highlights off Jo’s sequinned purse are so crisp and bright. There’s rarely any digital artifacts to speak of. It just looks really good.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. The soundtrack has a wide range, taking us from the roaring jet engine of the fighter plan to quiet moments between Bogart and Parker. Dialogue is clear and prioritized in the mix.

There is no digital code for this movie. In terms of extras, Warner Archive have included “Bear Feat”, a Technicolor Looney Tunes cartoon featuring the trio of Henry, Mama, and Junyer Bear as they try to become a circus act. We get the Joe McDoakes short “So You Want to Be an Actor”. Oart of a series of shorts that always sees McDoakes (George O’Hanlon) “behind the eight ball”, this one sees our hero trying to be an actor. The final extra is the film’s theatrical trailer.

I like these Warner Archive collections and the Humphrey Bogart Collection Blu-ray gives someone just learning about the actor a starter pack of four of his films from different times of his career. They all have great audio and video presentations and a nice selection of extras. Recommended.

Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 historical fiction, the 2025 drama Hamnet, co-written by O’Farrell and director Chloé Zhao, examines William Shakespeare’s family life with Anne Hathaway and hypothesizes that the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, may have inspired elements of one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley star as the couple and are joined in the cast by Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Noah Jupe. Universal has now released a 4K of the movie and I had a chance to take a look at it.

The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with Dolby Vision and HDR10 is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The transfer does justice to cinematographer Łukasz Żal’s camera work presenting it in amazing detail. From worn wood and textiles, from faces to the outdoor settings, we get amazing clarity in the image. The colour palette is dominated by the muted, earthy tones of the English countryside. Black levels are deep and details are in the shadows and darker scenes without signs of crushing.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby Atmos soundtrack that folds back to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French, and Spanish. The subtle soundtrack is in keeping with the emotional tone of the story. The surrounds and heights place us into the environment gently while the subwoofer adds some weight to distant thunder. The score supports but does not overwhelm the story. Dialogue is crisp and clear.

The Hamnet 4K comes with a Blu-ray copy and a digital code, though once again, there’s no digital code for the Canadian version. In terms of bonus materials, we get a commentary by Chloé Zhao, “Family Is Forever” which has the cast and crew discussing the Shakespeare family dynamic, “Cultivating Creativity” which discusses the film’s creative process and includes one of the film’s producers, Steven Spielberg, and finally, “Recreating The Tudor Period” a piece that delves into the movie’s production design.

Hamnet is not an historical recreation, but an historical imagining that intertwines the facts we know about Shakespeare’s life with the possibilities of the areas that are less documented. Pair the story with great acting, and a beautiful audio and video presentation and Hamnet is easily recommended.

Warner Archive keeps releasing these great sets of movie collections focusing on a performer or genre. Today, we’re looking at six examples of Broadway musicals that made the leap to the big screen with the Broadway on the Big Screen 6-Film Collection Blu-ray. The set includes 1954’s Brigadoon, 1955’s Guys and Dolls, 1957’s The Pajama Game, 1958’s Damn Yankees, 1962’s Gypsy, and 1971’s The Boy Friend. Thanks to Warner Archive and Allied Vaughn, I had a chance to take a look. Let’s raise the curtain and take a look.

1954’s Brigadoon, directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner (who also wrote the 1947 musical), is a musical fantasy about a Scottish village that appears out of the mist for a day every one hundred years. When two Americans happen upon the village on this magical day, there is romance, but also events that may make the village disappear forever. It stars Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse, along with Elaine Stewart, Barry Jones, and Albert Sharpe.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.55:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio. The video presentation is from a 2K scan and detail is super sharp, from faces and tartans to the soundstage locations. The colour palette is bright and the primaries leap off the screen like dancers. The grain pattern subtle and natural. One thing that does stick out is the slight colour shifts during optical dissolves, but otherwise this is great to look at.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Brigadoon originally had a stereo soundtrack but for this release the original elements have been remixed into a surround soundscape. Dialogue is clear and the musical numbers are bright and dynamic.

This disc does not come with a digital code. Extras include four musical numbers cut from the theatrical release and the film’s trailer.

Guys and Dolls, a 1955 musical written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, is based on the 1950 Broadway Tony Award-winning musical by composer and lyricist Frank Loesser. Set in Times Square, Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) needs $1,000 to host his ongoing craps game. To get the funds, he bets high-roller Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) that Sky can’t get a temperance mission worker, Sister Sarah (Jean Simmons), to go on a date to Havana. Add to the mix Nathan’s fiancée, Adelaide (Vivian Blaine), who wants him to go straight, a mobster, and the cops, and you have a recipe for musical hijinks.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.55:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio. Detail is quite good with the facial features and textiles (those suits!) but it’s the colour palette that steals the show with the various suits and dresses popping off the screen. Black levels are generally good, but we do sometimes get a lack of detail in darker scenes or backgrounds.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French, and Spanish. The original soundtrack has been remixed for 5.1. Dialogue is front and centre, though some musical and effects elements have made their way into the surrounds.

The disc does not come with a digital code. Extras include “From Stage to Screen”, which looks at adapting the musical to the screen, “More Guys and Dolls Stories” which is a compilation of behind-the-scenes info, direct links to some musical numbers, and a theatrical trailer.

1957’s The Pajama Game, directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen and choreographed by Bob Fosse, is a romantic comedy musical that mixes love into a wage battle between union and management in a pajama factory. Doris Day stars as the union rep, while John Raitt plays the newly hired manager. Most of the cast, including Raitt, were in the 1954 Broadway musical.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The transfer comes from a 4K scan and it’s a stunner. Details are sharp and the colours leap of the screen with bright reds and blues. The film grain is natural and there are no source or digital blemishes to speak of.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Dialogue is clear and the music os good, but given that several earlier musicals had stereo soundtracks to give the number some more sonic space, it’s a shame that The Pajama Game’s source material is mono.

There’s no digital code for this movie. We’re a bit light on the bonus features as well, getting only the deleted song “The Man Who Invented Love”, which was written for the movie version and but used, as well as a theatrical trailer.

1958’s Damn Yankees, is based on the 1955 musical and was directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen. The Broadway cast reprise their roles, except for the role of Joe Hardy, which is played by Tab Hunter. The cast includes Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, Shannon Bolin, Robert Shafer, Rae Allen, Nathaniel Frey, James Komack, Albert Linville, and Jean Stapleton. A middle-aged fan of the terrible Washington Senators baseball team says he’d sell his soul to the Devil if his team could beat the Yankees. The devil obliges, turning him into a young, talented player (Hunter) but will he give up all that he had in order to get all that he wants?

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Sourced from a 4K transfer, we get a detailed video presentation with a fine grain. It’s the colours that stand out. Bright red lipsticks, pale blues, dark woods, rich blues, and the sun-bleached green of the grass on the baseball diamond. You know I have to say it: the video presentation is a home run.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. This is another musical that didn’t get an original stereo soundtrack, but despite that the music is still bright and dynamic and the dialogue clear.

Sadly, the only extras are the US and UK trailers. The Brits found the title offensive back then so there it was called “What Lola Wants.”

Mervyn LeRoy’s Gypsy is a 1962 musical based on the 1959 show. With lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and music by Jule Styne, it tells the tale of a domineering stage mothe, Rose (Rosalind Russell), who is trying to get her two daughters – June (Morgan Brittany), the younger, talented one and Rose (Diane Pace) – work as vaudeville headliners. When vaudeville dies off and years pass, June (Ann Jillian) leaves and Rose (Natalie Wood), still pushed by her mother, ends up as a burlesque performer. Karl Malden plays Herbie, an agent who loves Rose despite her flaws.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.41:1 aspect ratio. The HD restoration looks very good, with fine detail in the costumes and sets. Its the colour palette that catches your attention, with primaries popping off the stage. There’s no sign of digital noise or compression artifacts and the image retains a fine grain.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. We get a stereo mix here, but despite the dialogue being clear, the musical numbers come off a little flat.

There is no digital code. In terms of bonus features, we get two deleted songs “Together Wherever We Go” and “You’ll Never Get Away from Me” as well as the trailer.

The final movie in the collection is Ken Russell’s 1971 musical The Boy Friend, based on the 1953 stage version. Rather than just adapt the stage musical, writer/director Russell sets it as a play within a play…or a play within a movie. A small theatre is about to do a matinée performance of The Boy Friend when they learn the star has broken her ankle. The director (Max Adrian) convinces the assistant stage manager, Polly (Twiggy), to take her place. Meanwhile the cast learns a Hollywood director is in attendance and the cast goes gaga. The show must go on, but so must the hijinks. The cast also includes Christopher Gable and Tommy Tune.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The 2K scan brings the cinematography of David Watkin (Out of Africa, Chariots of Fire) to life. The detail is crystal sharp from facial features to the costumes and sets. The colour palette brings out the dark blues rich reds and other bright colours of the theatres production and cast. There’s detail in the shadows and a nice film grain too.

On the audio side of things, we have an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. The team at Warner Archive went back to the four-track stereo mix and revamped it into a 5.1 soundscape. Dialogue is clear, but the real star is the music which has some extra room to breathe in the extra tracks.

There is no digital code for this movie. We do get a promotional behind-the-scenes piece with Ken Russell and Twiggy and a theatrical trailer.

There was a time when musicals were all over the cinemas and the Broadway on the Big Screen 6-Film Collection Blu-ray gives us six great examples from a 17-year period. With great audio and video presentations, this set is recommended.

Written and directed by Craig Brewer, 2025’s Song Sung Blue is a biopic based on Greg Koh’s 2008 documentary of the same name. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson play Mike and Claire Sardina, who perform together as the Neil Diamond tribute act Lightning & Thunder. The film is sentimental and melodramatic and chock full of Neil Diamond song performances. Sixteen to be exact. For some that will be a great thing and for others maybe not, but performances by Jackman and especially Hudson make it engaging. Universal is releasing a Blu-ray and I had a chance to take a look.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The video presentation has great detail in the trio of facial features, textiles, and locations. The colour palette pops and black levels are good with details in shadows and darker scenes. It’s a clean transfer with no sign of digital compression or noise.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 soundtrack, a descriptive video service track, as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French, and Spanish. The musical numbers sound great and dialogue is always clear and centred. The surrounds put you in the audience and the subwoofer gives nice power to the bass in the musical numbers.

Song Sung Blue comes with the Blu-ray disc and a digital code, though there is no code for the Canadian edition. Extras include a commentary track by writer/director Craig Brewer, extended performances of “Crunchy Granola Suite” and “Sweet Caroline”, Hugh and Kate discussing their characters’ love story, a piece with Brewer on bringing the story to life, and a featurette on the costumes.

Song Sung Blue is highly sentimental and melodramatic, but Hudson and Jackman are engaging to watch and the musical numbers are done well. With a very good audio and video presentation, I’m sure fans of Diamond will enjoy adding this to their collection.

Warner Archive has released the Spencer Tracy 4-Film Collection Blu-ray that gives us a sampling of the actor’s MGM films: 1936’s Fury and Libeled Lady, 1940’s Northwest Passage, and 1955’s Bad Day at Black Rock. Thanks to Warner Archive and Allied Vaughn, I had a chance to take a look at this four-disc release.

Fritz Lang’s Fury is a film noir that sees Tracy play Joe Wilson, a man who is almost killed by a lynch mob for a child kidnapping he didn’t commit and then seeks revenge on his would-be killers. Tracy is joined in the cast by Sylvia Sidney, Walter Abel, Bruce Cabot, Edward Ellis, and Walter Brennan. The film received a Best Writing (Original Story) Oscar nomination for Norman Krasna at the 9th Academy Awards.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The transfer is sourced from a 4K scan and we end up with sharp details. The black levels are deep, the grayscale is without banding, and there’s a nice grain structure too. Great work from Warner Archive.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. The dialogue is clear and nicely prioritized over the effects and score by Franz Waxman. There’s only the occasional hiss and crackle from this 1936 recording.

As for extras, there is not an included digital code, but we do get a commentary track from filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich that also includes snippets of a 1965 interview he did with director Fritz Lang. There’s also a theatrical trailer.

The comedy Libeled Lady, directed by Jack Conway, sees Tracy teamed up with Jean Harlow, William Powell, and Myrna Loy. Tracy plays a newspaper editor trying to extricate his paper from a libel suit by launching a screwball scheme on a cruise liner. Libeled Lady was nominated for Best Picture at the 9th Academy Awards.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. It’s another great restoration from a 4K scan by Warner Archive. The transfer was most likely compiled from multiple sources, so though some scenes may appear a bit softer than others, for the most part we’re getting amazing detail and clarity. It’s a great day when you can see each detail on a suit in a 90-year-old movie. There’s a natural grain and the grayscale from black to white looks great.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Though dialogue is clear, the source material does have the occasional hiss and the score can get a bit tinny on the high end, but it’s still a solid soundtrack.

There is no digital code for this Blu-ray. Extras include the 1935 WB short “Keystone Hotel” which sees many of Mack Sennett’s usual gang (including Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin, and Chester Conklin) in a Keystone Cops caper. There’s the 1936 MGM short “New Shoes”. Though technically starring Arthur Lake and Jean Chatburn, the real stars are the singing and dancing shoes. We also get the 1936 Technicolor animated short “Little Cheeser”, a Happy Harmonies piece where a young mouse is tired of being treated like a baby and decides to venture off and take on the cat. There’s “Leo Is On The Air”, a radio segment from a long-running show that is promoting the movie, and a theatrical trailer.

Up next in the collection is Northwest Passage, a Technicolor Western directed by King Vidor. Also starring Robert Young, Walter Brennan, and Ruth Hussey, it’s based on the St. Francis Raid by Rogers Rangers during the French and Indian War in 1759. The film is a product of a time when Hollywood definitely had a good guy/bad guy view of Whites and First Nations and the slaughter of a sleeping village is portrayed as an heroic act.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Another Blu-ray transfer sourced from a 4K scan, the image quality has me reaching for the superlatives. There’s the amazing detail and clarity. A colour palette that goes from bright primaries to the muted tones of the uniforms and forest. Black levels are mostly good, though some darker scenes exhibit some crush.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Hiss is mostly absent and dialogue and effects are placed well in the mix.

There’s no digital code. There’s “Northward, Ho!”, a black and white promotional piece and a theatrical trailer.

Finally, the collection wraps up with Bad Day at Black Rock, a neo-Western film noir directed by John Sturges. Tracy plays a one-armed war veteran looking for a man named Komoko. As his search deepens, he realizes the residents of the desert town he’s in are hiding a secret. The cast also features Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Walter Brennan, John Ericson, Ernest Borgnine, and Lee Marvin. It received Best Director, Actor and Screenplay nominations at the 28th Academy Awards.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.55:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio. The wide aspect ratio really shows the expanse and isolation of the setting. The transfer is apparently from a 2K scan and the folks at Warner Archive have given us a great video presentation. The faces, places and textiles are presented with great detail and the light film grain is present. Sun-bleached earth tones dominate the palette, so when we do get a pop of primary colour, it really pops. The black levels are deep with nice detail in the darker scenes and their is no digital noise or compression artifacts to speak of.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Dialogue is clear and priortized in the mix, effects are clear, and the score by André Previn is bright and dynamic in the stereo mix.

There is no digital code. Extras include a commentary by film professor Dana Polan and a theatrical trailer.

Warner Archive’s Spencer Tracy 4-Film Collection Blu-ray gives us a nice intro to 20 years of the actor’s career. All the movies have very enjoyable audio and video collections and a nice smattering of bonus materials. Recommended.

A hard-boiled police detective and a slain gangster’s widow. Add mob assassins and a moving train and you have the recipe for Richard Fleischer’s 1952 film noir, The Narrow Margin, which stars Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor, and Jacqueline White. Like a speeding train, the film packs a tight storyline into a 72 minute runtime. Produced on a low budget, audiences loved the film and it was very profitable for RKO Studios. Warner Archive has now released it on Blu-ray and thanks to them and Aliied Vaughn, I had a chance to take a look.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The transfer is from a 4K scan of the original camera negative and wow, it just looks great. Crisp clean detail highlight facial features, textiles and locations. The grayscale palette flows nicely and the black levels are deep with detail in the shadows. There’s no real sign of print damage or digital noise.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. This is a noir and the rapid-fire dialogue is crisp and prioritized in the mix. Ambient sounds and effects are present but never distract.

The Narrow Margin Blu-ray does not come with a digital code. Extras include filmmaker William Friedkin provides a commentary track that includes interview snippets with Richard Fleischer. “So You Never Tell a Lie” is a 1952 comedy short starring George O’Hanlon as Joe McDoakes, a character he played in sixty-three shorts. We also get the Technicolor animated short “The Super Snooper”, where Daffy Duck plays a private eye, ear, nose, and throat. I love that Warner Archive includes these contemporary shorts. We also get a trailer for the movie.

The Narrow Margin is a great film noir with a fantastic audio and video presentation, a commentary and a couple of fun contemporary shorts. Recommended.

Jason Bateman first popped onto our screens at age 10 and he still seems to be everywhere. We saw him on the wholesome Hogan Family sitcom, but as an adult we know him best for the quirky Arrested Development, the raunchy Horrible Bosses, and the dark dramas Ozark, The Outsider, and Black Rabbit. Given this popularity (includng his voice work on the hit Zootopia 2), Universal has decided to re-release his film directorial debut, 2013’s Bad Words, on Blu-ray, though this release is missing the previously included DVD and digital copies. Since I missed it the first time around, I decided to take a look and thanks to Universal and Allied Vaughn, I was sent a review copy.

In Bad Words, Bateman plays Guy Trilby, an 40-year-old eighth grade dropout with an intense dislike and distrust of the rest of humanity. Using a loophole, he enters the Golden Quill Spelling Bee. While he does everything to disrupt the competition, the event organizers do everything they can to stop him. Kathryn Hahn plays Jenny Widgeon, a journalist who accompanies him and is trying to find the deeper reason for his fixation on the Bee. Along the way, he meets fellow contestant Chaitanya Chopra (Rohan Chand), a 10-year-old spelling whiz. The sweet kid tries to befriend Trilby and they become an awkward and unlikely duo throughout the film. The cast also includes Ben Falcone, Philip Baker Hall, and Allison Janney.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The colour palette has a desaturated, almost sepia quality to it, an artistic decision by Bateman to reflect the dark and gritty story, though when the film switches to scenes that are televised, the colours are much brighter. Detail is very good from out-of-place hairs, to Bateman’s corduroy and facial features. Black levels are deep.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack or a Spanish DTS 5.1 track. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French, and Spanish. Though this is a dialogue-driven movie, the surrounds and subwoofer still get to do some work immersing us into the events unfolding before us.

As mentioned, this new Bad Words Blu-ray release does not come with a DVD or digital copy. Extras include deleted and extended scenes, a commentary by director and star Jason Bateman, and an eleven minute behind-the-scenes featurette entitled “The Minds and Mouth Behind Bad Words.”

Bateman’s Bad Words is a tight 90 minute dark comedy with an excellent cast. Universal has given us very good audio and video presentations, so if you like Bateman or this genre and missed it the first time around, this is worth picking up.

Directed by Curtis Bernhardt, 1955’s Interrupted Melody is a musical biopic about opera singer Marjorie Lawrence (Eleanor Parker) who was stricken with polio. Glenn Ford plays Dr. Thomas King, who helps her perform again. The cast also includes Roger Moore and Cecil Kelloway. Nominated for three Oscars, the script by Sonya Levien and William Ludwig won Best Story and Screenplay. Warner Archive has now released a Blu-ray of the movie and thanks to Allied Vaughn, I had a chance to take a look.

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.55:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio. Based off a 4K restoration, the detail in the Blu-ray is very sharp. The opening scenes in Australia captures the dust and worn down buildings, while the operatic scenes shine with detail on costumes and sets. The colour palette goes easily from the muted hues of Australia to the popping primaries of the opera stage. It really looks nice.

On the audio side of things, the disc comes with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Eileen Farrell provided the singing voice for Parker’s character and the musical number here sound great in the stereo soundscape. Ambient sounds are placed well in the mix and dialogue is clear.

The Interrupted Melody Blu-ray does not come with a digital code. We do get a Tom and Jerry cartoon entitled “Tom and Chérie.” Jerry is trying to get love letters to a lady mouse, while his little sidekick, Tuffy, is constantly getting into sword fights with Tom. This was the series’ 94th cartoon. The disc also includes a trailer and a menu that takes you to the film’s thirteen musical numbers.

Interrupted Melody gives us a great audio and video presentation with a large number of operatic performances. If you love opera, then you’ll truly enjoy this.

Michael Apted’s Thunderheart is a neo-Western mystery released in 1992. It stars Val Kilmer as Ray Levoi, an FBI agent of Sioux heritage who is sent to investigate a homicide on a Native American reservation. He’s there to assist lead agent Frank Coutelle (Sam Shepard), and in turn the two are aided in their investigation by tribal police officer Walter Crow Horse, portrayed by Graham Greene. Fred Ward and Sheila Tousey round out the lead cast. Drawing inspiration from the Wounded Knee incident in 1973, the film is also a political thriller as the investigation uncovers events surrounding abuses of power and Native American activism. Levoi realizes his assignment is more than what he initially thought. Sony has now released the film on 4K and thanks to Allied Vaughn, I had a chance to look at it.

The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with Dolby Vision and HDR10 is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The video presentation has great clarity, from details on faces and clothing, to worn down buildings and the rugged terrain of South Dakota. The colour palette can range from primaries to the sun-bleached landscape. Black levels are deep with no loss of detail in darker scenes and there’s a pleasing grain structure. Shot by cinematographer Roger Deakins, Thunderheart looks great.

On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack as well as an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Subtitles are available for English and English SDH. The soundtrack is front-focused though the surrounds do get some work for occasional action and atmospheric cues. James Horner’s score supports the story well and dialogue is clear and prioritized well in the mix.

The Thunderheart 4K is a bit slim on extras and given the relatively recent passings of Kilmer and Greene, it would have been nice to see something updated. On video, we do get a few minutes of standard definition press kit soundbites from cast and crew and a trailer. There is an informative commentary by screenwriter John Fusco. A digital code is included.

The Thunderheart 4K has a great cast, looks and sounds great, and though light on other extras, the commentary by John Fusco is interesting. Recommended.

Wicked for Good continues the events of Wicked and is based upon (there are some changes) the second half of the Broadway musical. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is in hiding as she continues her efforts to take down the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) is the public face of good, surrounded by fawning sycophants but few real friends. Then there’s the matter of that young girl from Kansas and her little dog Toto too. Universal has just released Wicked for Good on 4K and I had a chance to take a look.

The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with Dolby Vision and HDR10 is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The video presentation will magically fill you with superlatives to describe it. Brighter primaries lushly pop of the screen, while Elphaba’s darker world drowns in deep shades that don’t lose details in the shadows. The clarity and detail is evident in everything from hair and makeup, to sets and textiles. Whites are brilliant and the HDR makes spectral highlights dazzle.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby Atmos track that folds back to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital 7.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French and Spanish. The soundtrack has a wide range, able to soar with the big musical numbers but also feel intimate for quiet moments between characters. The heights and surround firmly place you in Oz, while dialogue is always clear.

The Wicked for Good 4K also comes with a Blu-ray copy and Digital code, though once again, there’s no Digital option on the Canadian release. Extras include a sing-along mode, a 50 minute “making of” piece, closer looks at the thematic roles of the Wizard, Oz and Glinda, deleted scenes, and a feature commentary by director John M. Chu.

The Wicked for Good 4K looks and sounds gorgeous and has a nice selection of extras. Fans of Wicked won’t go wrong if they choose to add this to their collection.

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