Malpertuis: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Belgium/France/West Germany, 1971
Director: Harry Kümel
Writer: Jean Ferry
Cast: Orson Welles, Susan Hampshire, Michel Bouquet, Charles Janssens, Mathieu Carrière, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Walter Rilla, Dora van der Groen, Daniel Pilon, Sylvie Vartan

Release Date: October 13th, 2025 (UK), October 28th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 125 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Dutch
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK), $44.95 (USA)

"Jan (Mathieu Carrière, Police Python 357), a sailor newly arrived onshore, is unsure about returning to land but makes the journey to visit his childhood home only to find it no longer there. He goes to Bar Venus and joins his friends, but an altercation leaves him knocked out cold. He wakes up in Malpertuis, a gothic mansion presided over by his uncle, Cassavius (Orson Welles). All the inhabitants of Malpertuis are waiting for Cassavius to die and the opportunity to inherit his vast fortune. But Cassavius wishes anyone who inherits to stay there forever. Jan investigates as those who leave meet with mysterious deaths." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Malpertuis was restored in 2023 from the original negative and magnetic sound by the Royal Belgian Film Archive—CINEMATEK, with the support of 'A Season of Classic Films', an initiative of ACE—Association of European Cinematheques, which is part of the Creative MEDIA program of the European Commission.

The film exists in two versions, one presented at Cannes in 1972 by the producer and a French director's cut version made in 1973.

Both versions were scanned and used to reconstruct the Finnish version. The digital restoration was carried out in 4K.

Color grading was carried out under the supervision of director Harry Kümel."

Malpertuis comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 28.9 GB

When compared to this film’s previous home media releases, this new transfer is vastly superior in every way. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Dutch with removable English subtitles. The audio is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival locations featurette with Harry Kümel titled Malpertuis Revisited (4 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with novelist Jean Ray titled Jean Ray, John Flanders 1887 - 1964 (7 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Michel Bouquet and Harry Kümel from Belgian television (13 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Susan Hampshire titled Susan Hampshire: one actress, three parts, features screen tests and contributions from cast and crew (11 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette on the casting of Welles, including rare outtakes of the actor titled Orson Welles Uncut (25 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and French with removable English subtitles), an archival documentary tilted Malpertuis Archive,  featuring Harry Kümel, actor Mathieu Carrière and director of photography Gerry Fisher (37 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and French with removable English subtitles), an interview with author and gothic horror expert Jonathan Rigby (26 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Harry Kümel (19 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Harry Kümel and assistant director Françoise Levie, Malpertuis: The Cannes cut (103 minutes 52 seconds, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English with removable English SDH, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), a short film titled The Warden of the Tomb, directed by Harry Kümel, based on a Franz Kafka play (36 minutes 43 seconds, 1.37:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Dutch with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and a 80-page book with cast & crew information, an essay titled The French Connection written by Lucas Balbo, an essay titled The Trickster’s Maze written by Maria J. Pérez Cuervo, an essay titled Post-War European Horror and the Labyrinth of Malpertuis written by David Flint, an essay titled Malpertuis and the Golden Age of Transcendental Horror written by Willow Catelyn Maclay, an essay titled From Art House to Doom House: Harry Kümel’s Short Films written by Jonathan Owen, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

For the reading of his will, a wealthy man summons his greedy heirs to Malpertuis, his isolated mansion. Once there, they learn that their newfound fortune comes at a price: they must remain forever in Malpertuis, and when the last two survivors remain, they must marry.

After the success of Daughters of Darkness, Belgian filmmaker Harry Kümel, for his next project, would once again return to the world of horror and the supernatural with his next film, Malpertuis. The film would discover its source and inspiration in the Jean Ray novel of the same name. For Harry Kümel’s film adaptation, he simplified the plot into one main narrative instead of the novel’s many separate narrators. Making the plot into one narrative is what makes the film work so well, and it also flawlessly suits Harry Kümel’s directing style.

Malpertuis from the outset looked like a surefire hit on paper, and with the addition of legendary actor Orson Welles as the lead, Cassavius, the film almost immediately gained credibility in the international film world. The addition of Orson Welles would ultimately prove to be a double-edged sword with his frequent attempts at changing the script or altering how a scene should be shot. To Welles's credit, he would agree to work an additional day for free to get the work he helped delay done, and this time the production finally got to see the brilliant version of Orson Welles; he effortlessly and quickly knocked out dialog and scenes.

Visually, Malpertuis is filled with beautifully composed shots and perfectly paced moments of building tension. Fans of Harry Kümel’s Daughters of Darkness should thoroughly enjoy Malpertuis, which visually resembles Daughters on many levels. I found the first half of the narrative, where Welles' character Cassavius gathers his heirs together and lets them know his final will and testimony, to be slow at times. After the death of Cassavius, that is where things really begin to shine and get bizarre. The narrative is flawless; after this moment, as in each moment, he builds up to the film's unforgettable finale, which reveals all the secrets of Malpertuis.

Acting-wise, the cast are all excellent, with the main standouts being Orson Welles as Cassavius, Mathieu Carrière as Jan, and Susan Hampshire in four roles: Nancy/Euryale/Alice/Nurse. Welles has his moments, with most of his performance feeling like a standard Malpertuis-for-hire acting job. The true standout in Malpertuis is undoubtedly actress Susan Hampshire, who captivates in nearly every scene she occupies. Ultimately, Malpertuis is an exceptional film that has been overlooked for far too long; hopefully fans of horror/supernatural films will finally discover Malpertuis and succumb to all of its devilish charms.

Malpertuis has never looked or sounded better on home media, and this release comes with a wealth of insightful extras. That said, Malpertuis gets a definitive release from Radiance Films; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Third Man – StudioCanal (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1949
Director: Carol Reed
Writer: Graham Greene
Cast: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard, Paul Hörbiger, Ernst Deutsch, Erich Ponto, Siegfried Breuer, Hedwig Bleibtreu, Bernard Lee, Wilfrid Hyde-White

Release Date: June 16th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 104 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: PG (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German, DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English SDH, German, French
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK)

"Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten, Citizen Kane), a naive writer of pulp westerns, arrives in Vienna to meet his old friend Harry Lime (the incomparable Orson Welles) but finds that Lime has apparently been killed in a suspicious accident. Martins, too curious for his own good, hears contradictory stories about the circumstances of Lime's death, and as witnesses disappear, he finds himself chased by unknown assailants. Complicating matters are the sardonic Major Calloway (Trevor Howard, Brief Encounter), head of the British forces, and Lime's stage actress mistress, Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli). Will Martins' curiosity lead him to discover things about his old friend that he'd rather not know?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

The Third Man comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 89.9 GB

Feature: 71.9 GB

The source looks excellent; this is the best it's looked on home media to date. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in German, and a DTS-HD mono mix in French. For this review I only listened to the English language track, and it sounds outstanding. Dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound excellent. Included are removable English SDH, German, and French subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an anniversary trailer for The Third Man (39 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a behind-the-scenes image gallery (31 images),  Guardian NFT audio interview with actor Joseph Cotten (47 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable German and French subtitles), Guardian NFT audio interview with author/screenwriter Graham Greene (8 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable German and French subtitles), an archival documentary titled Shadowing The Third Man (93 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German and French subtitles), an interview and Zither performance by Cornelia Mayer (14 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German and French subtitles), The Third Man On The Radio, an episode with Orson Welles titled A Ticket to Tangiers (28 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable German and French subtitles), The Third Man Interactive Vienna Tour, an alternate opening voiceover narration by Joseph Cotten (1 minute 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable German and French subtitles), an archival featurette titled Restoring The Third Man (19 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German and French subtitles), an archival featurette titled titled The Third Man - A Filmmaker's Influence (16 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German and French subtitles), an excerpt from BEHP audio interview with Noreen Ackland titled Saving The Third Man (5 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German and French subtitles), an audio commentary with Guy Hamilton, Simon Callow and Angela Allen, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Carol Reed directed The Third Man. He’s known for Odd Man Out, The Fallen Idol, The Man Between, and Our Man in Havana. The screenplay was written by Graham Greene; he collaborated with Carol Reed on two other films, The Fallen Idol and Our Man in Havana.

When a car accident kills an old friend of the novelist, who had offered him a job in Vienna, he starts his own investigation because he is not convinced that what he's being told is the truth.

Among all the films where Orson Welles acted without directing, The Third Man most closely aligns with his unique directorial style. Visually, The Third Man is filled with Dutch and other odd angles that are synonymous with the films Orson Welles directed. That said, Carol Reed is an exemplary director in his own right, and there are many elements throughout The Third Man that are undeniably linked to his style.

The Third Man has a superb premise, which does an amazing job drawing you in and holding your attention. The idea of building a story around a character who's not seen until around the halfway mark and whose overall screen time is limited is inspired. While other characters fill in details about said character, it greatly increases the anticipation related to their entrance. That said, it is arguably one of the greatest character introductions in cinema history.

The Third Man has an outstanding cast, which is anchored by its three leads: Joseph Cotten (Shadow of a Doubt) in the role of a novelist named Holly Martins, Alida Valli (Senso) in the role of Anna Schmidt, and Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) in the role of Harry Lime. Although all three actors deliver outstanding performances, Orson Welles captivates in every scene he appears in. Besides the three leads, the rest of the cast is rounded out by an excellent supporting cast, notably Trevor Howard (Sons and Lovers) in the role of Major Calloway. His character cleverly uses Holly Martins to lure Harry Lime out into the open.

The Third Man is a film that firmly fits into the Film noir genre. The visuals do a remarkable job playing with light and shadow, notably the scene where Harry Lime is finally revealed standing in a doorway. Another area where the visuals excel is how effectively it uses its location, postwar Vienna. Nighttime sequences, which were heightened by spraying water on the streets, a scene on a Ferris wheel, and a climax that takes place in underground sewage tunnels, are among the most visually striking moments. When discussing The Third Man, one can look past the musical instrument zither and how its use in the score greatly enhances the mood. Ultimately, The Third Man is a sublime cinema experience where everything perfectly falls into place.

The Third Man gets an exceptional release from StudioCanal that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Journey Into Fear – Warner Archive (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1943
Director: Norman Foster
Writers: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten
Cast: Joseph Cotten, Dolores Del Río, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Durant, Everett Sloane, Eustace Wyatt, Orson Welles

Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 68 Minutes 35 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $21.99

"Orson Welles' touches of cinematic brilliance make Journey Into Fear a stunning success. From Welles' Mercury Theater comes this imaginative and exciting tale of terror (NY TIMES). Under the direction of Norman Foster, Joseph Cotten (who also wrote the screenplay, adapted from the novel by Eric Ambler) stars as an American gunnery engineer pursued by Gestapo agents. His adventures make him cross paths with an impressive array of characters portrayed by Dolores Del Rio, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Hans Conried, and Welles himself, who plays Colonel Haki, head of the Turkish Secret Police." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K restoration from safety preservation master positives from the Library of Congress."

Journey Into Fear comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39 GB

Feature: 18.4 GB

The source looks excellent; image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong throughout, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH subtitles. The audio is in great shape. The dialog comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced. Range wise, the audio sounds very good for a film of this vintage.

Extras:

Extras for this release include three audio-only Orson Welles Mercury Theater radio broadcasts: Dracula, originally broadcast on July 11th, 1938 (59 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Treasure Island, originally broadcast on July 18th, 1938 (64 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles) and A Tale of Two Cities, originally broadcast on July 25th, 1938 (59 minutes 26 second, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Summary:

The Turkish secret police help an American ballistic expert escape German assassins by putting him on a ship.

Orson Welles may have had involvement in directing Journey Into Fear, beyond his credited roles as actor, producer, and co-screenwriter. When asked about the authorship of Journey Into Fear, Orson Welles gives all of the credit to director Norman Foster. That said, despite Norman Foster being a well-versed filmmaker with 16 films directed before Journey Into Fear, the result is a film that stylistically does not resemble his other films.

And yet while watching Journey Into Fear, you don’t have to look further than the opening sequence to find a moment that is undeniably Orson Welles. This sequence opens with a sensational crane shot from outside into an open window. An unknown assassin gets ready while a record player in the background continually skips. This moment is pure Welles, calling into question his role behind the camera.

After the release of Citizen Kane, studios significantly altered Orson Welles' original visions for all his films. Orson Welles re-edited the last reel of RKO's film after negative press previews. Also, new scenes were shot, and a voice of narration was added. At a film festival, a six-minute longer alternate cut of Journey Into Fear was shown in 2005. This alternate cut omits the voiceover narration and ending that are present in the U.S. version.

Journey Into Fear has an impressive cast, many of whom worked with Orson Welles on Citizen Kane and/or The Magnificent Ambersons. Performance-wise, the cast are all great in their roles, especially Orson Welles, who portrays a Turkish colonel. Despite his character having limited screen time, his performance looms large throughout. Joseph Cotten (The Third Man) in the role of the protagonist delivers a solid performance, and Dolores Del Río’s (Wild Flower) portrayal of a dancer who befriends the protagonist is another memorable performance.

Even in its current form, Journey Into Fear is a riveting film that always holds your attention. And at 68 minutes in length, its narrative does a phenomenal job building tension. That said, though the narrative has a lot of moving parts, it is never difficult to follow what's unfolding. Another strength of Journey Into Fear is its Film noir visuals, which do a superb job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Journey Into Fear is a well-made espionage film that fans of Film noir should thoroughly enjoy.

Journey Into Fear gets an excellent release from Warner Archive that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of entertaining extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Macbeth: Special Edition – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: USA, 1948, 1950
Director: Orson Welles
Writer: William Shakespeare
Cast: Orson Welles, Jeanette Nolan, Dan O’Herlihy, Roddy McDowall, Edgar Barrier, Alan Napier, Erskine Sanford, John Dierkes, Keene Curtis, Peggy Webber

Release Date: June 25th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 119 Minutes 15 seconds (1948 Version), 85 Minutes 7 seconds (1950 Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR (Both Versions)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Something wicked this way comes in Orson Welles’s cinematic retelling of William Shakespeare’s immortal classic. The larger-than-life Welles (Citizen Kane, The Lady from Shanghai, Othello, Touch of Evil) adapts, produces, directs and stars as the titular Scottish lord who is tragically undone by his own vaulting ambition. Welles’s noir-tinged interpretation bubbles over with supernatural prophecy and murderous intrigue, effectively mixing the use of shadow and oblique camera angles (courtesy of cinematographer John L. Russell, Psycho) to achieve an ominous sense of a land in peril. Co-starring Dan O’Herlihy (Robinson Crusoe), Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes), Alan Napier (TV’s Batman) and Jeanette Nolan (The Big Heat) in her stunning film debut as Lady Macbeth, this iconic Mercury Production of The Scottish Play is an altogether stark and singular vision." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2022 HD Masters by Paramount Pictures – From 4K Scans".

Macbeth 1948 version comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.1 GB

Feature: 35.8 GB

Macbeth 1950 version comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.6 GB

Feature: 25.3 GB

The sources used for these two versions are in excellent shape. Image clarity is solid, contrast and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and they both retain an organic appearance. That said, this release from Kino Lorber is the best these two versions have ever looked like on home media.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - Both Versions)

Both versions come with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and both versions come with removable English SDH subtitles. Both versions' audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras on disc one (1948 version) include an audio commentary with novelist and film critic Tim Lucas and an archival audio commentary with Orson Welles biographer Joseph McBride.

Extras on disc two (1950 Version) include an archival interview titled Welles and Shakespeare with Welles expert professor Michael Anderegg (11 minutes 57 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview titled That was Orson Welles filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich (9 minutes 50 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Adapting Shakespeare on Film (8 minutes 19 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Restoring Macbeth (8 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Free Republic: The Story of Herbert J. Yates and Republic Pictures (6 minutes 36 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles) and trailers for The Stranger, The Lady from Shanghai, and Touch of Evil.

Other extras include reversible cover art and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Macbeth was directed by Orson Welles, who rose to prominence with his Hollywood debut film, Citizen Kane, widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. Orson Welles would not only direct Citizen Kane; he would also write, produce, and, not to be overlooked, act in the role of its main character. Unfortunately for Orson Welles, his success would fade as quickly as it rose, and by the time his second film, The Magnificent Ambersons, was released, albeit in a heavily edited version of Orson Welles' final cut, he had faded as quickly as he had risen. His career as an actor continued to flourish, though his desire to direct would be put on the back burner until he was given the opportunity to direct The Stranger. Followed by The Lady from Shanghai (another film that befell a heavily edited version), and shortly thereafter he would get his chance to finally direct Shakespeare with Macbeth.

A lifelong fan of Shakespeare, Orson Welles would adapt his writings for the theater and stage throughout his career as a filmmaker. And though there had been other Shakespeare film adaptations before Orson Welles' Macbeth, it is safe to say that they looked, sounded, and felt like Orson Welles' interpretation. Limited resources never stifled Orson Welles' creativity; in fact, one could argue that some of his best work as a filmmaker was done on projects for which he had the least amount of resources to work with. That being said, Orson Welles, for Macbeth, would repurpose existing sound stages for his purposes. He would also have the cast record all of their dialog ahead of time and play it back while filming their scenes.

At first glance, Orson Welles' Macbeth appears to be a stage play due to the artificial nature of its production. And yet there are also many moments that are undeniably cinematic in their execution. Fortunately, these two rival ways of presenting a story come off without a hitch, and this is due to Orson Welles' unique way of seeing the world through the lens of his eyes. Needless to say, this film far exceeds expectations when it comes to its atmospheric visuals, which do a superb job setting the mood.

There are two versions of Orson Welles' Macbeth due to studio interference once again. Besides removing twenty minutes of footage, the studio re-edit released in 1950 also features a different audio track. This is due to Orson Welles's film featuring a thick Scottish accent, which they felt audiences would have difficulty understanding. And, while having this alternate version is useful for historical purposes, there is no denying that Welles' director’s cut for the film is the vastly superior version.

Orson Welles’ Macbeth gets an exceptional release from Kino Lorber that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Lady from Shanghai – Sony Pictures (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1947
Director: Orson Welles
Writer: Orson Welles
Cast: Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles, Everett Sloane, Glenn Anders

Release Date: July 30th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 29 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono French, DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.49

"Hired to work on a yacht owned by the husband of femme fatale Elsa Bannister (Rita Hayworth), Michael O'Hara (Welles) is an innocent man drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

The Lady from Shanghai comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 52.4 GB

Feature: 47.6 GB

The source is in excellent shape; this is easily the best this film has ever looked on home media. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in French and a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish. For this review, I only listened to the English language track. The audio is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range is very good. Included are removable French subtitles, removable Spanish subtitles and removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 49 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich titled A Conversation with Peter Bogdanovich (20 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Peter Bogdanovich, and a slipcover.

Summary:

Orson Welles' post-Citizen Kane Hollywood output is a collection of missed opportunities. Starting with The Magnificent Ambersons and followed by The Lady from Shanghai and Touch of Evil, these three films were greatly altered from Orson Welles' intended vision. Only The Stranger came out unscathed, since it was the only time Orson Welles played by the rules. Reportedly, The Lady from Shanghai's theatrical release version removes over one hour of footage; Orson Welles original rough cut clocks in at 155 minutes.

Against his better judgment, a man named Michael O'Hara reluctantly takes a job as a crew member on a wealthy lawyers' yacht. The lawyer's wife befriends O'Hara after a chance encounter, and they form a close bond from then on. What starts off as an idyllic trip at sea takes a sinister detour when O’Hara becomes entangled in a murder plot. Who chose him? Who set him up? Will he clear his name?

Even in its current version, The Lady from Shanghai is a thrilling cinematic experience that has several flourishes that are undeniably Orson Welles. And from its opening moments, The Lady from Shanghai does a phenomenal job pulling you into the web of deceit that's unfolding. The narrative's precise pacing does a superb job building towards a sensational finale. Another strength of the narrative is how well-defined the characters are.

Despite Orson Welles numerous clashes with Hollywood executives, he’s a filmmaker that actors were drawn to. That said, he never had an issue getting big Hollywood names to appear in his film. For his leading lady, he cast Rita Hayworth (Gilda), who was one of the biggest stars of 1940s Hollywood; she was also married to him at that time. And though Rita Hayworth delivers what is arguably her best performance, one cannot overlook how Orson Welles completely changed her iconic look. Besides cutting her hair, he had her dye it blonde, the color associated with the femme fatale.

Though there are a few secondary characters who play an integral role in the story that unfolds, there really are only four performances to speak of; besides Rita Hayworth, there is Orson Welles in the role of Michael O'Hara, Everett Sloane in the role of a lawyer named Arthur Bannister, and Glenn Anders in the role of Bannister’s business partner. Of these three performances, Glenn Anders shines brightest in his portrayal of a character who got a few screws loose.

Despite Orson Welles' knack for drawing out impressive performances, one cannot overlook his contributions to cinema when it comes to visuals. That said, The Lady from Shanghai, even in its current form, is overflowing with visually arresting moments. One moment that stands out takes place at an aquarium, and another of note is the Hall of Mirrors finale sequence. Another strength of the visuals is how Orson Welles uses extreme closeups to heighten the tension. Ultimately, The Lady from Shanghai is an extraordinary film about blackmail, betrayal, and deceit that is a must-see for fans of film Noir cinema.

The Lady from Shanghai makes its way to 4K UHD via an exceptional release from Sony; highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer