Dark City (1950)

[DarkImbecile]

Originally developed as a star vehicle for Burt Lancaster, the lead role in the gripping revenge noir Dark City ultimately became the Hollywood debut of 26-year-old Charlton Heston, already confidently wielding the intense, rugged charisma that would define his career.

Once a decorated war hero, Danny Haley (played by Heston) now leads a group of small-time card sharks who know a sucker when they see one. They cheat their latest mark, Arthur (Don DeFore, Ramrod) out of $5000 at the poker table; but when Arthur hangs himself in despair, his unstable, hulking older brother (Mike Mazurki, Night and the City) seeks violent revenge on the grifters responsible. As the bodies pile up, Danny and his lover, nightclub singer Fran (Lizabeth Scott, Too Late For Tears), flee to Las Vegas… but Danny is about to learn he can’t hide from the consequences of his actions.

Expertly directed by William Dieterle (The Devil and Daniel Webster) and featuring a terrific supporting cast (including future Dragnet stars Jack Webb and Harry Morgan), Dark City is a nail-biting suspense classic that heralded a future screen icon.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation
• Original uncompressed mono audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by writer, historian and film programmer Alan K. Rode
• Newly filmed appreciation by critic Philip Kemp
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tonci Zonjic

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw

[domino harvey]

This is not a “nail-biting suspense classic” by any stretch of imagination. But while the film doesn’t quite work, Heston is good as an asshole (it’s the part he was born to play, baby) and there’s some fun supporting roles from familiar faces. I already have this in Olive’s Film Noir Blu-Ray set, so it’s an easy pass anyways, though the extras look nice... though every time I see energy exerted by Arrow for noir ephemera like this, I continue scratching my head at how Phantom Lady got short-changed

[Finch]

Not having seen the film, my first reaction was: oh, William Dieterle! Charlton Heston! And then I read a few capsule reviews, and they sadly make the Arrow blurb look like hyperbole.

[swo17]

In a perfect world...

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Booklet featuring hyperbole on the film

[reaky]

Heston is good as an asshole (it’s the part he was born to play, baby)

Absolutely. See also the first half of Planet of the Apes.

[domino harvey]

In a perfect world...

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Booklet featuring hyperbole on the film

At this point, claiming someone can buy a copy of an Arrow release that includes the booklet sounds like hyperbole!

[nitin]

I quite like this but unless it’s a drastic improvement on the Olive PQ wise, no need to get it. Terrible cover too.

[swo17]

I think the cover's great

[nitin]

I think it’s the red highlights that are putting me off, particularly in the hair and on the shoulders.

[HJackson]

I love the cover. Will have to revisit the Olive blu to see if I like this one enough to double dip though.

[reaky]

Er, what? Arrow’s “Special Pre-order Discount” now seems to amount to £15 plus postage.