For this installment, I've brought together the best of the hard-boiled noirish/gangster film collections - and added a couple of grand box sets of films based on literary classics. There are a wealth of other collections, including the "Signature Collection" line and a heap of musical box sets - some of which will feature in the next installment.
As one might expect from Warner Bros, the presentation of these sets is impeccable. As a general rule, the titles released prior to 2007 come packaged in standard dvd cases. For the ones released during or after 2007, such as the Literary Classics Collection, they are packaged in the slimcase format. I personally prefer the standard size dvd cases, but the slimcase format is definitely a "greener" way to go.
All of the films are on a single disc and packaged in standard dvd cases with some notable exceptions. The Film Noir Classic Collection Volume Four has ten films on five discs (two films are on each double-sided disc). Also, both the Film Noir Classic Collection Volume Three and Literary Classic Collection are packaged in slim dvd cases.
Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume One1) The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Introduction by John Huston derived from an Archival Interview.
Commentary by Auther/Film-Noir Specialist Drew Casper & Co-Star James Whitmore
Theatrical Trailer
2) Gun Crazy (1950)
Commentary by Auther/Film-Noir Specialist Glenn Erickson
3) Murder My Sweet (1944)
Commentary by Author/Film-Noir Specialist Alain Silver
Theatrical Trailer
4) Out of the Past (1947)Commentary by Author/Film-Noir Specialist James Ursini
5) The Set-Up (1949)
Commentary by Director Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese
1) Born to Kill (1947)
Commentary by Eddie Muller, author of The Art of Noir
2) Clash by Night (1952)
Commentary by Filmaker Peter Bogdanovich
Theatrical Trailer
3) Crossfire (1947)
Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini
Featurette - Crossfire: Hate is Like a Gun
4) Dillinger (1945)
Commentary by John Milius, director of the 1973 Dillinger
Theatrical Trailer
5) The Narrow Margin (1952)
Commentary by Filmaker William Friedkin
Theatrical Trailer
Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume Three1) Border Incident (1949)
Commentary by Film Historian Dana Polan
Theatrical Trailer
2) His Kind of Woman (1951)
Commentary by Film Historian Vivian Sobchack
3) Lady in the Lake (1947)
Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini
Theatrical Trailer
4) On Dangerous Ground (1952)
Commentary by Film Historian Glenn Erickson
Theatrical Trailer
5) The Racket (1951)
Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume Four
1) Act of Violence (1948)
2) Mystery Street (1950)
Film Historian Commentaries by Dr. Drew Casper on Act of Violence and Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward on Mystery Street
New Featurettes - Act of Violence: Dealing with the Devil and Mystery Street: Murder at Harvard
Theatrical Trailers
3) Crime Wave (1954)
4) Decoy (1946)
Commentaries by James Ellroy and Film Historian Eddie Mueller on Crime Wave and Writer Stabley Rubin and Film Historian Glenn Erickson on Decoy
New Featurettes - Crime Wave: The City is Dark and Decoy: A Map to Nowhere
Crime Wave Theatrical Trailer
5) Illegal (1955)
6) The Big Steal (1949)
Commentaries by Nina Foch and Film Historian Patricia King Hanson on Illegal and Film Historian Richard B. Jewell on The Big Steal
Vintage Behind the Cameras segment with Edward G. Robinson from the Warner Bros. Presents series
New Featurettes - Illegal: Marked for Life and The Big Steal: Look Behind You
Theatrical Trailers
7) They Live By Night (1948)
8) Side Street (1950)
Commentaries by Farley Granger and Film Historian Eddie Mueller on They Live By Night and Historian/Critic Richard Schnickel on Side Street
New Featurettes - They Live By Night: The Twisted Road and Side Street: Where Temptation Lurks
Side Street Theatrical Trailer
9) Where Danger Lives (1950)
10) Tension (1949)
Film Historian Commentaries by Alain Silver and James Ursini on Where Danger Lives and Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward with Audrey Totter on Tension
New Featurettes - Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie and Tension: Who's Guilty Now?
Theatrical Trailers
TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume One
1) Baby Face (1933)
2) Red-Headed Woman (1932)
3) Waterloo Bridge (1931)
Introduction by Robert Osborne
Baby Face Theatrical Trailer
TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume Two
1) The Divorcee (1930)
2) A Free Soul (1931)
3) Night Nurse (1931)
4) Three on a Match (1932)
5) Female (1933)
Documentary Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
Commentaries on The Divorcee and Night Nurse by Film Historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta
Theatrical Trailers of Female, Night Nurse, and Three on a Match
1) The Public Enemy (1931)
Warner Gangsters Collection: Volume OneLeonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Comedy Short The Eyes Have It, Cartoon Smile, Darn Ya, Smile and Theatrical Trailers
New Featurette - Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
Commentary by Film Historian Robert Sklar
1954 Rerelease Foreword
2) White Heat (1949)
Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1949 with Newsreel, Comedy Short So You Think You're Not Guilty, Cartoon Homeless Hare and Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - White Heat: Top of the World
Commentary by Film Historian Dr. Drew Casper
3) Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1938 with Newsreel, Musical Short Out Where the Stars Begin, Cartoon Porky and Daffy and Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
Commentary by Film Historian Dana Polan
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Production with Films 2 Stars
4) Little Caesar (1931)
Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1930 with Newsreel, Spencer Tracy Short The Hard Guy, Cartoon Lady Play Your Mandolin and Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Little Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero
Commentary by Film Historian Richard B. Jewell
1954 Rerelease Foreword
5) The Petrified Forest (1936)
Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Musical Short Rhythmitis, Cartoon The Coo Coo Nut Grove and Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
Commentary by Bogart Biographer Eric Lax
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Adaptation Starring Bogart, Tyrone Power, and Joan Bennett
6) The Roaring Twenties (1939)Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies with Newsreel, Musical Short All Girl Revue, Comedy Short The Great Library Misery, Cartoon Thugs with Dirty Mugs and Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - The Roaring Twenties: The World Moves On
Commentary by Film Historian Dr. Lincoln Hurst
Warner Tough Guys Collection (a.k.a. Gangsters Collection: Volume Two)
1) Bullets or Ballots (1936)
Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Musical Short George Hall and His Orchestra, Classic Cartoon I'm a Big Shot Now, and Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Gangsters: The Immigrant's Hero
Commentary by Film Historian Dana Polan
How I Play Golf by Bobby Jones No. 10: Trouble Shots
Breakdowns of 1936: Studio Blooper Reel
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with Robinson, Bogart and Mary Astor
2) City for Conquest (1940)
Warner Night at the Movies 1940 with Newsreel, Oscar-Nominated Short Service with the Colors, Classic Cartoon Stage Fright, Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Molls and Dolls: The Women of Gangster Films
Commentary by Richard Schnickel
Breakdowns of 1940: Studio Blooper Reel
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with Alice Faye and Robert Preston
3) Each Dawn I Die (1939)
Warner Night at the Movies 1939 with Newsreel, Documentary Short A Day at Santa Anita, Oscar Nominated Classic Cartoon Detouring America, Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Stool Pigeons and Pine Overcoats: The Language of Gangster Films
Commentary by Film Historian Haden Guest
Breakdowns of 1939: Studio Blooper Reel
Bonus Cartoon Each Dawn I Crow
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with George Raft and Franchot Tone
4) "G" Men (1935)
Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Comedy Short The Old Grey Manor starring Bob Hope, Classic Cartoon Buddy the Gee Man, Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Morality and the Code: A How-to Manual for Hollywood
Commentary by Film Historian Richard Jewell
How I Play Golf by Bobby Jones No. 11: Practice Shots
Breakdowns of 1935: Studio Blooper Reel
5) San Quentin (1937)
Warner Night at the Movies 1937 with Newsreel, Oscar Nominated Broadway Brevity Short The Man Without a Country, Classic Cartoon Porky's Double Trouble, Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Welcome to the Big House
Commentary by Film Historian Patricia King Hanson
Breakdowns of 1937: Studio Blooper Reel
6) A Slight Case of Murder (1938)
Warner Night at the Movies 1938 with Newsreel, Oscar Nominated Drama Short Declaration of Independence, Classic Cartoon The Night Watchman, Theatrical Trailers
Featurette - Prohibition Opens the Floodgates
Commentary by Film Historian Robert Sklar
Warner Gangsters Collection: Volume Three
1) Smart Money (1931)
Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Musical Short George Jessel and His Russian Art Choir and The Smart Set-Up, Classic Cartoon Big Man from the North, Theatrical Trailers
Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini
2) Picture Snatcher (1933)
Warner Night at the Movies 1933 with Newsreel, Musical Short Plane Crazy, Classic Cartoon Wake Up the Gypsy in Me, Theatrical Trailers
Commentary by Film Historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta
3) The Mayor of Hell (1933)
Warner Night at the Movies 1933 with Newsreel, Musical Short The Audition, Classic Cartoon The Organ Grinder, Theatrical Trailers
Commentary by Film Historian Greg Mank
4) Lady Killer (1933)
Warner Night at the Movies 1933 with Newsreel, Movie Retrospective Short The Camera Speaks, Musical Short Kissing Time, Classic Cartoon The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives, Theatrical Trailers
Commentary by Film Historian Dr. Drew Casper
5) Black Legion (1937)
Warner Night at the Movies 1937 with Newsreel, Musical Short Hi De Ho with Cab Calloway, Technicolor Historial Short Under Southern Stars, Classic Cartoon Porky and Gabby, Theatrical Trailers
Commentary by Film Historians Patricia King Hanson and Anthony Slide
6) Brother Orchid (1940)
Warner Night at the Movies 1940 with Newsreel, Musical Short Henry Busse and His Orchestra, Classic Cartoons Busy Bakers and Slap Happy Pappy, Theatrical Trailers
Commentary by Robinson Biographer Alan L. Gansberg and Bogart Biographer Eric Lax
1) Madame Bovary (1949)
Vintage Pete Smith Specialty Short Those Good Old Days
Classic Cartoon Out-Foxed
Theatrical Trailer
2) Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951)
Vintage Oscar Nominated Short My Country 'Tis of Thee
Classic Cartoon Captain Hareblower
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show Adaptation with Gregory Peck and Virgina Mayo
Theatrical Trailer
3) The Three Musketeers (1948)
Vintage Fitzpatrick Traveltalk Short Looking at London
Classic Cartoon What Price Freedom
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Promo
Theatrical Trailer
4) The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 & 1952 Versions)
Pete Smith Specialty Short Penny Wisdom
Cartoon The Wayward Pups
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Adaptation with Ronald Colman
Fitzpatrick Traveltalk Short Land of the Taj Mahal
Oscar Winning Cartoon Johann Mouse
1952 Theatrical Trailer
5) Billy Budd (1962)
Commentary by Terence Stamp and Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh
Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection
1) David Copperfield (1935)
2 Vintage Technicolor Musical Shorts: Pirate Party on Catalina Isle and Two Hearts in Wax Time
Classic Cartoon - Poor Little Me
Audio-Only Bonus "Leo is on the Air" Radio Promo
Theatrical Trailer
2) Marie Antoinette (1938)
2 Vintage Shorts: Another Romance of Celluloid and Hollywood Goes to Town
Theatrical Trailer
3) Pride and Prejudice (1940)
Oscar Nominated "Crime Doesn't Pay" Short Eyes of the Navy
Classic Cartoon The Fishing Bear
Theatrical Trailer
4) A Tale of Two Cities (1935)
Oscar Nominated Short Audioscopiks
2 Classic Cartoons: Hey Hey Fever and Honeyland
Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show Adaptation Starring Colman
Theatrical Trailer
5) Treasure Island (1934)
Vintage Dramatic Short The Spectacle Maker
Oscar Nominated Short Strikes and Spares
Classic Cartoon Tale of the Vienna Woods
Theatrical Trailer
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