More Blu-rays From Britain

By Christopher P. Jacobs
Staff Writer

American video distributors continue to crank out recent box office hits on Blu-ray, only rarely digging into their extensive film vaults to give high-definition releases to sporadic major classics (such as this week’s long-awaited Blu-rays of “The Sound of Music” and “The Bridge on the River Kwai” and last month’s “Psycho”). Even rarer are the lesser-known “catalog” titles, average everyday films owned by the studios that made up the bulk of their theatrical output but made before the 2006 introduction of the Blu-ray format.

Interestingly, several European branches of American studios (like Fox and Paramount) and European distributors have been coming out with older American titles, major and minor, that never see the shelves of American stores. Two more above-average films originally released by Universal have recently shown up on Blu-ray from Britain’s Eureka, in region-free discs perfectly playable in the U.S. and at competitive prices even including international shipping.

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Filmed in late 1943, this rousing Technicolor family matinee adventure from Universal is one of the best pairings of popular movie team Maria Montez and Jon Hall. This is in large part thanks to competent direction from Arthur Lubin, sincere performances from a solid supporting cast (including Andy Devine being far less broad in his comic relief role), and especially a well-crafted script by Edmund L. Hartmann.

Hartmann manages to turn the famous “Arabian Nights” tale into superior juvenile action fare, yet constructs a political power-struggle plot framework that doubles as an effective adult allegory about the war raging in Europe at the time the film was made, obvious from its explicit references to invasions and occupation governments, collaborators, and efforts of the resistance. Seen today, it is still full of entertaining action and intrigue, with a touch of romance, an air of exoticism, and all the slick polish common from even modestly budgeted films during the heyday of Hollywood studio production.

The real star of the film is the gorgeous Technicolor art design and cinematography, beautifully rendered on this superb HD transfer. This print is so sharp that even the “bumps” into and out of dissolves (indicating dupe footage spliced into the negative) are barely noticeable, and those brief dupe sections are actually sharper than many complete films often look on film or video. The colors are solid, rich, and varied, although perhaps not as glowingly saturated as some original Technicolor prints might be.

This doesn’t seem like the kind of title a studio would choose for extensive restoration (especially Universal, which has a nice selection from its library on DVD but almost nothing on Blu-ray from before 1980, let alone a modest programmer like this). Nevertheless the Blu-ray image quality is in the same league as the recent excellent restorations of “Black Narcissus,” “The Red Shoes,” and “An American in Paris”—in short, absolutely stunning.

Audio is also very good, but for some reason roughly the first half of the 88-minute film the sound appears to be maybe a frame or two ahead of the picture, although the last half is in much closer sync. Sadly, the only bonus feature is an isolated music and effects track, not even a trailer or production stills, like the recent “Paranoiac” release.
The Blu-ray is another of the classic Universal titles that, despite being American productions, are available only from British distributor Eureka, luckily with Blu-rays that are region-free. Even with overseas shipping, it’s under $20 and well-worth adding to any well-rounded Blu-ray collection, especially to show off just how sharp a 1940s film can look. 

”ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES” on Blu-ray Movie: B+  /  Video: A+  /  Audio: A-  /  Extras: D-
Paranoiac

Somewhat inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” was the above-average British Hammer/Universal thriller “Paranoiac” (1963), released in a region-free Blu-ray this summer from England’s Eureka Video. This first directorial effort by famed cinematographer Freddie Francis is full of intensely creepy atmosphere, beautifully lit and shot in black and white CinemaScope. The wide image format, needless to say, is used very well.

Oliver Reed stars as a faded family’s dissolute son trying to drive his sensitive sister insane so he’ll inherit the entire fortune, but then a long-lost brother who supposedly had committed suicide years before suddenly shows up. It’s a well-done blend of elements from “Psycho” with “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and “The Old Dark House,” among others, maintaining an almost Hitchcockian sardonic undercurrent to the gothic thrills.

The Blu-ray has a good film-like transfer with some very minor video shimmer at a couple of spots where there are fine patterns in fabric, but otherwise it looks outstanding. It’s also got strong mono sound. Unfortunately the only extras are a trailer, a fairly extensive photo gallery (in HD, at least) and an isolated music/effects track. It is, however, available for under $20, including shipping from England.

“PARANOIAC” on Blu-ray Movie:  A-  /  Video:  A   /  Audio:  A   /  Extras:  C-

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