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Naked Alibi (Blu-ray)
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Powerhouse Films Review written by and copyright: Rick Curzon (5th December 2022). |
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The Film
 A new series of box sets – following Indicator's acclaimed Columbia Noir series – focusing on the film noir output of another of the major Hollywood studios, Universal Pictures. Starring such high-profile talents as Burt Lancaster, Joan Fontaine, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Vincent Price, Edmond O’Brien, Sterling Hayden, Gloria Grahame, and Jeff Chandler, the six films in this volume feature embezzlement and murder (The Web), confidence tricksters (Larceny), lovers on the lam (Kiss the Blood Off My Hands), an adoption racket (Abandoned), transatlantic criminals (Deported) and police brutality (Naked Alibi). This stunning collection marks the UK Blu-ray premiere of all six films, and also features an array of fascinating contextualising extras, including newly recorded commentaries for each film, critical appreciations, archival short films, and a 120-page book. Strictly limited to 6,000 numbered units.
Video
Involving, hard edged noir has cop Stirling Hayden obsessed with baker Gene Barry being responsible for the deaths of several cops despite no real evidence. One of the better films in the set. Originally shot in 1.37:1 Academy but designed to be matted in projection to either 1.85:1 or 2:1 with the former being the chosen ratio for Universal's master. Image is very strong with a beautifully grainy monochrome image in the matted ratio. This means it's slightly softer than the Academy ratio productions owing to being zoomed in. Grain is still ever present, generally fine although it can e courser due to the zooming. It is all beautifully handled by the encode, typical for a Powerhouse Films release . Detail is strong and gamma is perfectly balanced so we get no colour bias. Image is stronger when it's standard shots, softer with optical work like fades, scene changes and during the credits ('A-'). 1080p24 / AVC MPEG-4 / BD50 / 1.85:1 / 85:51
Audio
English LPCM 1.0 Subtitles: English HoH Sound is the standard mono with the usual, limited range that we've come to expect from a 1.0 track from this era. It gets the job done well with clarity, some mild hiss when played very loud. It's on a par with most of the 1.0 tracks I've experienced from films of this vintage. Dialogue is always clear, the score well balanced in the mix and sound effects are crisp. There's obviously little base. Excellent hard of hearing subtitles are provided ('B+').
Extras
Audio commentary with film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson (2022) Howarth and Thompson are dab hands at these commentaries and both have done these in partnerships before so work well here being good mates. They've done their research, know the film well, counterpoint with humour and cover all the usual bases one would expect. Presented in lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 mono. "Lucy Bolton on Gloria Grahame" 2022 interview (41:50) Bolton is not a familiar name to me, at least off hand and her online bio states: Lucy Bolton is Reader in Film Studies at Queen Mary University of London. She is the author of Film and Female Consciousness: Irigaray, Cinema and Thinking Women (2011) and Contemporary Cinema and the Philosophy of Iris Murdoch (2019, EUP) as well as the co-editor of' Lasting Screen Stars: Images that Fade and Personas that Endure (2016). She is co-series editor of EUP's Visionaries series.she's well qualified to provide us with a detail, extensive, in depth career overview of star Grahame interspersed with choice clips from Grahame's films: The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), The Big Heat (1953), Crossfire (1947), Human Desire (1954), In a Lonely Place (1950), It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Naked Alibi (1954), Oklahoma! (1955) and Sudden Fear (1952). Presented in 1080p24 1.78:1 with lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo sound. "The Cinematographer" 1951 short film (9:31) Fascinating promo piece directed by Naked Alibi's director Jerry Hopper, highlighting the role of the cinematographer with Karl Struss as the star. Presented in 1080p24 1.37:1 with lossy Dolby Digital 1.0 sound. Naked Alibi Image Gallery: Original Promotional Material (49 images) Trailer (2:17) Vintage trailer presented in 1080p24 1.37:1 with lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 mono. 120-page liner notes book with new essays by Iris Veysey, Jill Blake, Karen Hannsberry, Sabina Stent, Sergio Angelini and Walter Chaw, extensive archival articles and interviews, new writing on the various short films, and film credits 18 pages are devoted to Naked Alibi. The usual superb hard-copy companion that enhances one's enjoyment of the films contained within the set. These booklets are worth the price almost on their own.
Packaging
Not provided for review.
Overall
Disc six contains the involving Naked Alibi. It's the only film in the set to be in a matted widescreen aspect ratio despite being originally shot in Academy. 1954 was an early year for widescreen and Naked Alibi was made to be viewed in both 1.85:1 and 2:1 with the master being presented in the former. Image and sound are top notch and extras well up to the standard of the other discs in this set.
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