Film Noir Collection

Stars: Various

Director: Various

This collection has now been withdrawn because of poor sound quality on most prints.

Glass Key DVD has just started to issue a massive 54 film package under the general title Film Noir Collection. Many of the titles are lesser-known, but often good-quality thrillers from the 1930s and 1940s. Almost all the goodies are in the first half (1-27) of the package. Most worth your attention are Fear in the Night, a creepy yarn with De Forest Kelley (Bones in Star Trek in his starring Hollywood debut in 1947), Trapped (1950), Woman on the Run (1950), Kansas City Confidental (1952, aka The Secret Four), Hollow Triumph (1948, aka The Scar), The Red House (1947), Eyes in the Night (1941) and He Walked by Night (1948). Sound quality is variable, but the better titles are worth looking out for.

The standard in the second half of the collection falls away, with weaker 'B' features from 1930s predominating. All titles will retail at 9.99 pounds.

David Quinlan

USA/UK 0. UK Distributor: Glass Key. Black and white. .
0 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: PG.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 18 May 2009