The Sin of Nora Moran (Phil Goldstone, 1933)

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HerrSchreck · #1 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 1:30 am

I put up a passing mention of this obscure little gem on the Image Ent thread (notwithstanding our recent speaking elsewhere of fantastic double - bills), regarding the disc, and how on it the film is paired with another rare independent gem from the thirties called Prison Train (Gorden Wiles, 1938). I'm creating a thread in the hopes that more will catch the title and hopefully those who've seen it can speak up! And so that those who haven't will catch the drift. These films are magnificent:

I have just acquired the fabulous Image disc of this (these) title(s) and am absolutely enthralled. First of all the treatment of the films themselves is absolutely wonderful-- the transfer (despite the lack of digital cleanup), full progressive on both titles (on a dual layer disc), with prints taken from the original camera negative (Nora Marin) and the original nitrate workprint (Prison Train)... the first title having been restored by the UCLA Film & TV Archive... the state of both films, contrastwise, conditionwise, soundwise-- all excellent. Especially considering the fact that they are both B films, independent films produced outside of the Hollywood system during the days of early sound. The disc, visually, is wonderful.

I'll be posting a lot more on these titles, but Ive skimmed thru them and am utterly enraptured... wonderfully subjective, roving camera, hugely imaginative mise en scene, beautifully germanic lighting. And Zita Johann, 2 yrs before The Mummy! There's no doubt that these films had an effect on Welles not just viz the skewed structure of KANE (and the use of Comingore), but viz the hugely original visual style. At times Marin feels like something out of the best of Roland West, i e Alibi, or the avant visual stylings of The Bat Whispers.

Run dont walk! Hidden gems of highest caliber.

Rufus T. Firefly · #2 Post by **Rufus T. Firefly** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:03 am

Is this a sequel to The Sin of Nora Moran directed by Edwin L. Marin?

Jonathan S · #3 Post by **Jonathan S** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:40 am

Thanks for drawing this to our attention, Schreck. I ordered it as soon as I read your post on the Image thread.

I was amazed to find that Amazon UK sell Sin of Nora Moran posters, prints, vinyl stickers, key rings, coasters and fridge magnets!

HerrSchreck · #4 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:53 pm

I've watched both of these films twice in three days now and can't cover them with enough praise. Nora Marin is quite simply one of the most sophisticated scripts to come out of the cinema of any country in any age, in any level of studio... not to mention this is a piece of what should have been B muck from Majestic Pictures. It boggles the mind. The way the story reveals itself thru an unfolding riccocheting to & fro thru time and standpoints... the way ellipses within ellipses occur, with the past being relived in the mind of the protagonist within the framework of the knowledge that it is being relived, and that it may (wishful thinking of course) be relived in a different manner to defy fate, etc. I don't want to give too much away because it's all so surprising, so tour de force, and feels so miraculous, given the resources at hand when it was made. The out of order unfolding is at least as avant as Epsteins Glace a trois faces, and more adventurous than the film it inspired-- Kane.

Prison Train-- made for $12,000 in 1938 (by Equity Pictures) and photographed like a funhouse mirror on acid. Like a combination of Roland West, Duvivier, and Third Man (and Monogram crime dramas)-- I've got to post caps of this thing. I could do it all day, there are so many magnificent setups in this thing.. and the disc really does it justice.

GRAB THIS DOUBLE FEATURE LEST IT GO OUT OF PRINT!

#5 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:43 pm

Coming to Blu from PD label Film Detective in what appears to be a pressed (not BD-R like most of their titles) release

soundchaser · #6 Post by **soundchaser** » Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:48 pm

That golden ticket promotion the article mentions is bizarre, but you won't hear me complaining if I win.

L.A. · #7 Post by **L.A.** » Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:50 pm

I think this was an influence on Citizen Kane (1941). I remember the old Image DVD looking stellar and the other film Prison Train (1938) included on the disc being good as well. Will definitely get the Blu-ray.

That cover reminded of The Story of Temple Drake (1933) which I also must grab.

jwd5275 · #8 Post by **jwd5275** » Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:44 pm

L.A. wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:50 pmThat cover reminded of The Story of Temple Drake (1933) which I also must grab.

I believe both posters were done by Alberto Vargas.

thirtyframesasecond · Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:52 pm

jwd5275 wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:44 pm
L.A. wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:50 pmThat cover reminded of The Story of Temple Drake (1933) which I also must grab.
I believe both posters were done by Alberto Vargas.

It's one of the iconic Vargas works, who was famous for his terrific pin-ups - as well as album covers for The Cars!

L.A. · #10 Post by **L.A.** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:36 am

domino harvey wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:43 pm Coming to Blu from PD label Film Detective in what appears to be a pressed (not BD-R like most of their titles) release

I would appreciate it if someone gets a copy and can confirm whether it is indeed pressed.

J Wilson · #11 Post by **J Wilson** » Fri Jul 24, 2020 7:39 pm

I've ordered a copy. The listing page on the retailer they link to just says it's a replicated disc.

The Elegant Dandy Fop · Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:37 am

I preordered this from Film Detective’s preferred distributor, Movie Zyng. Never heard of that site until last week. Has anyone gotten their copy yet? I preordered it based alone on the enthusiasim for it in this thread.

Cash Flagg · #13 Post by **Cash Flagg** » Fri Jul 31, 2020 7:54 pm

Mine is on the way. If you use the code ZITA!! on the checkout page, you get $4 off, so the total was $22.36 shipped, which is 46 cents cheaper than waiting for the next DD sale.

Blu-ray.com review

J Wilson · #14 Post by **J Wilson** » Tue Aug 04, 2020 6:17 pm

I received my copy of this today. I checked out the first few minutes, and it looks fine - if you've seen the restored print that last played on TCM, it's the same transfer. The disc is pressed as assumed from the listing. There's a booklet with a brief essay and pictures of period newspaper articles about the film.

L.A. · #15 Post by **L.A.** » Wed Aug 05, 2020 6:35 pm

J Wilson wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2020 6:17 pm I received my copy of this today. I checked out the first few minutes, and it looks fine - if you've seen the restored print that last played on TCM, it's the same transfer. The disc is pressed as assumed from the listing. There's a booklet with a brief essay and pictures of period newspaper articles about the film.

Thanks, J Wilson.

L.A. · #16 Post by **L.A.** » Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:19 pm

DVD Compare.

#17 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue May 18, 2021 9:05 pm

Caught up with this one and wow is it a tonic to the toxic the Story of Temple Drake-- Criterion, ya grabbed the wrong one! The perfs aren't exactly pitching into a league much higher than those found there (though no one here comes even remotely close to the nadir of Hopkins), but the at-times Peter Ibbetson-esque fluidity between corporeal worlds is some next level Art from a poverty row studio, and this is a strong contender for best pre-noir noir, especially in the incessant hopelessness it offers its characters. I don't think you can really read the end to this film positively, but the filmmakers sure tried to spin it to make it not a downer. Spoiler: It's a downer

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