The Black Book

Rating:
Summary: A Very Cheap Rip-Off
Review: Although this is a truly great classic film-noir period piece with some fine acting and suspensful script, the quality of the DVD (I would hate to see the copy in VHS) is almost too painful to watch. The backgrounds are all too dark to recognize, any details of footage is lost in the poor transfer quality, it's an all-around a terrible disappointment. I would recommend not purchasing any DVDs from this company despite the very inexpensive price. If you want to throw your money away, donate it to some worthwhile organization----do not buy this DVD!

Rating:
Summary: Crammed full of action!
Review: Once more Anthony Mann revealing before us as a director with multiple concerns ; he was a real prism . In this film he focuses his attention on the French Revolution.
Both forces are after possesion of a secret diary containing valuable information. This will be the sparkly starting point to put on screen a lively and more exciting costume adventures .
A superb cast is the crown of this interesting movie.

Rating:
Summary: One of Mann's best films: one of the very worst DVDs ever
Review: Reign of Terror, or The Black Book, is one of the great Anthony Mann's very best pictures - a nightmarish tale of the French Revolution shot in the style of a film noir expressionistic nightmare with superlative production design from William Cameron Menzies. But I'm loathe to say any more that might encourage you to buy this disc simply because this is without doubt the very worst DVD I have ever seen - the poor contrast and appalling definition ruining John Alton's brilliant cinematography, while the variable transfer speed makes slurs of many of the witticisms. This is a neglected masterpiece crying out for the kind of tresatment that MPI have given the Sherlock Holmes films, but whatever you do, don't make the mistake of thinking this terrible transfer from Alpha/Gotham is worth the low price - it isn't, and that's a real crime against cinema.

Rating:
Summary: Sympathy for John Alton
Review: The plot is fairly interesting. The acting is quite good. It informs you, albeit scantily, of a time in French History that, at least I, had not much knowledge of.

This is a true "B" film and yet, as has been proven time-and-again by Anthony Mann (T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night, Winchester '73 etc.), he manages to put his stamp on a film and raise it beyond what most directors could.

I feel sorry for, what must be, John Alton's (cinematographer extraordinaire - Painting With Light) deft-touch in lighting. However, you would never be able to tell by this poor, poor quality transfer of both the visual and audio.

Personally, I do not find the film worthy of repeated viewing even IF it was of pristine quality regardless of what Mann & Alton bring to it.

I don't expect the greatest from Alpha-Video (oldies.com) because they transfer whatever they can get their hands on, as is, from Public Domain.
Sometimes, as with "The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers", you get an "A" film with fairly good visual and sound quality overall, and sometimes you get barely acceptable.

If you want to see prime Mann & Alton, I would suggest: T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night. One of the best Alton photographed films out there is: The Big Combo (directed by Joseph H. Lewis).

Quality of DVD: *1/2 /**** Sound: *1/2 /**** Plot: **/**** Acting: ***/**** Cinematography: ***/**** Direction: ***/****

Rating:
Summary: Sympathy for John Alton
Review: The plot is fairly interesting. The acting is quite good. It informs you, albeit scantily, of a time in French History that, at least I, had not much knowledge of.

This is a true "B" film and yet, as has been proven time-and-again by Anthony Mann (T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night, Winchester '73 etc.), he manages to put his stamp on a film and raise it beyond what most directors could.

I feel sorry for, what must be, John Alton's (cinematographer extraordinaire - Painting With Light) deft-touch in lighting. However, you would never be able to tell by this poor, poor quality transfer of both the visual and audio.

Personally, I do not find the film worthy of repeated viewing even IF it was of pristine quality regardless of what Mann & Alton bring to it.

I don't expect the greatest from Alpha-Video (oldies.com) because they transfer whatever they can get their hands on, as is, from Public Domain.
Sometimes, as with "The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers", you get an "A" film with fairly good visual and sound quality overall, and sometimes you get barely acceptable.

If you want to see prime Mann & Alton, I would suggest: T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night. One of the best Alton photographed films out there is: The Big Combo (directed by Joseph H. Lewis).

Quality of DVD: *1/2 /**** Sound: *1/2 /**** Plot: **/**** Acting: ***/**** Cinematography: ***/**** Direction: ***/****

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, VERY bad DVD
Review: This movie is a gem, but to view it in these poor conditions (the frame is off-center, the blacks are light grey and the pictures fuzzy) is really an offense to the original material. Don't be fooled by the low price. Even if it was free I would still hesitate.