Hangover Square – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1945
Director: John Brahm
Writer: Barré Lyndon
Cast: Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, George Sanders, Glenn Langan, Faye Marlowe, Alan Napier

Release Date: November 21st, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 78 Minutes 3 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"The great Laird Cregar (I Wake Up Screaming) gives a staggering nightmarish performance as an amnesiac London composer George Harvey Bone, who learns that a murder occurred during one of his blackouts and starts to worry that he himself may be the murderer. Although a Scotland Yard report proves his innocence, Bone's murderous streak reveals itself when a pub singer with ulterior motives betrays him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand New 4K Restoration!".

Hangover Square comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 20 GB

Feature: 17.5 GB

When compared to previous home video presentations. This new transfer is vastly superior in every way. with the greatest areas of improvement being image clarity, contrast, and black levels.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and included with this release are removable English subtitles. There are no issues with distortion or background noise; the dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a vintage radio show performed by Vincent Price, Linda Darnell and Faye Marlowe (29 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a featurette titled The Tragic Mask: The Laird Cregar Story (19 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles),  an audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman and actress Faye Marlowe and an audio commentary with film critic Richard Schickel.

Other extras include trailers for The Lodger, The Undying Monster and I Wake up Screaming.

Summary:

When discussing Hangover Square, there is no denying the impact of Laird Cregar’s (I Wake Up Screaming) haunting performance in the role of George Harvey Bone, a composer who is blinded by love and loses sight of his original ambition to complete his concerto. And with his performance, he delivers a haunting performance that perfectly fuses the character he is portraying with his own personal demons. though his career spanned a mere six years. His impact on cinema is undeniable.

Content-wise, Hangover Square features a psychoanalysis angle that was becoming all too familiar in Hollywood cinema during this era. with the protagonist's amnesia being triggered when he hears dissonant sounds.

Though Hangover Square is set in the Victorian era, the visuals have a film noir vibe to them. Another strength of the visuals is how they reinforce the mood and perfectly capture the protagonists’ state of mind. The most memorable moment visually is its finale, where the protagonist plays his concerto as his world burns to the ground around him.

As mentioned before, though, Hangover Square's greatest strength is Laird Cregar’s haunting portrayal of George Harvey Bone. Not to be overlooked are the performances of the rest of the cast. Notably, George Sanders (All About Eve) plays the role of a psychologist who tries to help the protagonist. Linda Darnell (My Darling Clementine) plays a singer who takes advantage of the protagonist's talent to further her own ambitions. Ultimately, Hangover Square is an exceptional psychological thriller that stays with you long after its unforgettable finale.

Kino Lorber gets its best home video release to date; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer