The Set-Up

Rating:
Summary: SUPERB FILM NOIR FROM ROBERT WISE IS A GREAT DVD!
Review: Long before television's "24", Robert Wise gave us this 1949 film-noir classic, set in "real-time" against a boxing milieu.

An exceptional performance from Robert Ryan, with great support from a seasoned troupe of film favorites, THE SET-UP will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

The DVD looks marvelous, the best I have ever seen of this film. It captures the essence of the RKO-noir look, and is genuinely film-like. Don't be swayed by these neophytes who negate a video transfer because it has "age-related artifacts". What hooey! Not every film has to undergo a million dollar digitization to look as good as it did when it was new, and THE SET-UP has surely never looked better!

An added treat are insightful commentary thoughts from the film's director Mr. Wise, and another legendary director who seems to like the movie. Some guy named Marty Scorsese. :)

Grab it!

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps American cinema's most underrated film
Review: Simply put this is a masterpiece. Presumably the belated praise "The Set-Up" is owed will come its way with this new DVD release. Director Robert Wise has some very good films to his credit but this is tour de force. The camera work and editing are unparalleled. The film's myriad minor characters are magically revealed by short (but never choppy) camera shots.
"The Set-Up" is the story of an aging boxer hoping that one last fight can turn around his career and thus his life. Shady gamblers and corrupt fight handlers have other ideas. The setting is the fictional Paradise City, a grimy, cynical fast-paced and totally unsentimental city. Much of the action takes place in the boxing arena featuring some of the best fight sequences ever shot. But a scene in a bar is memorable as are shots following the boxer's unhappy girlfriend.
The movie is shot in real time, only 72 minutes, but what a 72 minutes it is. Never has so much of a story been told in so short a time.
Adding to the value of this DVD is the accompanying commentary provided by Wise and Martin Scorsese. Scorsese is not only one of the great directors of all time but is also wonderful in the burgeoning field of DVD film commentary. He has forgotten more about film than most of us will ever know. His speaking style is not just insightful but engaging. Just listen to him explain "The Set-Up"s stylized realism.
But watch "The Set-Up" first without the commentary, then enjoy and appreciate it even more with it.
A great film lover's film.

Rating:
Summary: Next stop, "Paradise City"!
Review: This is one of the best boxing films of all time & has some truly intense fight scenes that would impress any Raging Bull fan! It is also a terrific film noir with two of the genre's underappreciated icons: Robert Ryan & Audrey Totter. Robert Wise's skillful direction, especially of the lengthy fight scene is flawless. Robert Ryan stars as an over-the-hill boxer who's been on a losing streak & who desperately wants to win a match so that he & his wife (Audrey Totter) will have more money. But it's much more than that. He also wants to regain his pride & self-respect. His manager has made a deal with the opposing fighter's team that Ryan will take a dive in the 3rd round. There's just one problem: Ryan doesn't know about the "set-up". What happens next is one of the most realistic boxing scenes in the history of cinema! You see the bloodthirsty & crazed fans screaming as Ryan tries to survive against a much younger fighter who's overly confident because of the "fix". As the fight progresses Ryan's opponent realizes that Ryan has no plans of taking a dive & things get ugly. The camerawork during the fight is incredible: I felt like I was in the ring & found myself flinching as Ryan took some hard punches. Don't worry, I won't spoil the ending! The dvd has a superb picture quality & an interesting commentary by director Robert Wise & Martin Scorsese. Although the film is only 72 minutes I think it's truly a great masterpiece, & I also recommend these: Body & Soul, Champion, & Raging Bull.