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Human Desire: Special Edition – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1954
Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Alfred Hayes, Émile Zola
Cast: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, Edgar Buchanan, Kathleen Case, Peggy Maley, Diane DeLaire, Grandon Rhodes

Release Date: July 11th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 50 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $24.95

"Korean War vet Jeff Warren (Ford) returns to his job as a railroad engineer, and quickly succumbs to his boss’s wife, Vicki Buckley (played with frank, unvarnished carnality by Grahame). Thus begins a tangled web of suspicion, sex and murder involving Vicki and her brutish husband Carl (Broderick Crawford, All the King’s Men)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Human Desire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.8 GB

Feature: 27.1 GB

No information is provided about this transfer’s source. That said, this Blu-ray release appears to use the same source that Eureka Video used for their Blu-ray release. The overall quality of the master is very good, despite coming from an older master. Image clarity, contrast, and black levels are strong; compression is very good; and though grain remains intact, it looks thicker in some moments.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound great.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Actress Emily Mortimer titled Terror and Desire (9 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Other extras include trailers for Naked Alibi, Touch of Evil, and The Woman in the Window.

Summary:

Directed by Fritz Lang, whose other notable films include Der Müde Tod (Destiny), Metropolis, Spies, M, Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window, and The Big Heat.

The narrative revolves around a Korean War veteran who becomes involved with the wife of a murdered. Will he be able to help her get away from her husband, or has he put himself in harm’s way?

Content-wise, Human Desire has all the elements that have since become synonymous with film noir. The narrative revolves around a protagonist who is trying to get his life back on track after returning home from the Korean War. Standing in his way is a deceitful woman who is a classic example of Femme Fatale.

Without a doubt, the most interesting aspect of Human Desire is the role that this film’s only murder plays in the grand scheme of things. The murder ultimately connects the protagonist with the aforementioned deceitful woman. With the main focal point being the protagonist's struggles to get his life back on track.

Performance-wise, the cast is all very good in their respective roles. With the standout performance being Gloria Grahame (Odds Against Tomorrow) in the role of Vicki Buckley, a woman seizes the opportunity to leave her loveless marriage. Other performances of note include Glenn Ford (Gilda) in the role of the protagonist, Jeff Warren, and Broderick Crawford (Born Yesterday) in the role of Vicki’s jealous husband.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Human Desire does not excel. The premise is well executed, and pacing is not an issue as key moments are given an ample amount of time to resonate. And the visuals do a superb job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Human Desire is a text-book example of a Film noir that is a must-see if you're a fan of this genre.

Human Desire gets a first-rate release from Kino Lorber that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative interview, recommended.