Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)

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rwaits · #51 Post by **rwaits** » Thu May 04, 2006 12:53 am

Thats pretty gorgeous--a HUGE improvement over the old image disc. Can't wait for this one.

FilmFanSea · #52 Post by **FilmFanSea** » Thu May 04, 2006 3:29 am

FilmFanSea wrote: I have never known Laser's Edge to post anything other than official cover art.

I guess there's a first time for everything. I stand corrected.
The actual cover art is spectacular.

jcelwin · #53 Post by **jcelwin** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:58 pm

Huh? Am I looking at the same cover? It's a piece of shit!

Looks like someone got photoshop for christmas and decided to do some colouring in.

Derek Estes · #54 Post by **Derek Estes** » Fri May 05, 2006 3:03 am

I'm not impressed either. But Universal always has shitty graphics. I feel if you can't find a talented graphic designer, then just stick to the original poster and advertising art. If it still exists.

rwaits · #55 Post by **rwaits** » Sat May 06, 2006 8:41 pm

What else is part of this Universal Legacy Series?

Gregory · #56 Post by **Gregory** » Sat May 06, 2006 9:20 pm

To Kill a Mockingbird, The Sting, The Deer Hunter, and the Universal Monster Collection

otis · #57 Post by **otis** » Fri May 26, 2006 6:34 pm

How's about this original Spanish artwork? Beats the hell out of the Photoshop special they're using.

#58 Post by **Matt** » Fri May 26, 2006 7:29 pm

otis wrote:How's about this original Spanish artwork? Beats the hell out of the Photoshop special they're using.

Not really. That poster makes no sense. Is that supposed to be a prison uniform that (what I assume is a very gassy) Fred MacMurray is wearing? What's with the crazy Dali/Munch images behind him? Is that his "tormented conscience"? Is the hand-drawn Paramount logo haunting him too? Is the train going to come out of his right hip pocket, down the tracks, and run over the little man resting on happy Ginger (well it don't look like Stanwyck) Rogers' bosom?

Sure, Photochoppery is bad and ugly, but so is slapdash illustration.

skuhn8 · #59 Post by **skuhn8** » Fri May 26, 2006 7:37 pm

- Shadows of Suspense
- Audio Commentary from Film Historian Richard Schickel
- Audio Commentary with Film Historian / Screenwriter Lem Dobbs and Film Historian Nick Redman
- Double Indemnity TV Movie (1973, 75 mins.)

Another Schickel lemon commentary. Great. At least they offer a couple historians for the ride as well. My dream commentary: Schickel, Peter Burnette and Petey Bogdanovitch falling all over each other describing what's on the screen and reiterating who directed the friggin' pic.

otis · #60 Post by **otis** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:56 pm

matt wrote:That poster makes no sense.

Presumably MacMurray in prison uniform is taken from the original death row ending shot and scrapped by Wilder. Sure looks like Stanwyck to me, and what I wouldn't give to switch places with the lucky guy resting on her bosom. The figure to the left of Fred is Richard Schickel carefully preparing his commentary. Overall effect reminds me strangely of this film:

filmnoir1 · #61 Post by **filmnoir1** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:23 pm

Will the august release include the original ending with Neff in the gas chamber? I can't wait for this DVD.

filmnoir1 · #62 Post by **filmnoir1** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:42 am

Are you sure that the footage does not exist? In James Naremore's book More Than Night: Film Noir in its Contexts he claims that they did shoot an alternate ending with Neff in the gas chamber, he cites Billy Wilder as the source and he includes publicity stills of the scenes in the book. Could it be possible that is hidden away somewhere in a vault?

HerrSchreck · #63 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 4:28 am

otis wrote:How's about this original Spanish artwork? Beats the hell out of the Photoshop special they're using.

Left side, almost near the top:

I had no idea John Merrick was in the Spanish language release of DI!

Or is this a rerelease of SECRETS OF A SOUL by Pabst. What in god's name is this thing?

HerrSchreck · #64 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:33 am

davidhare wrote: Well I can't say I've personally scoured the vaults of Universal for all extant footage, but both this sequence, and Wilder's "other"opening of Sunset Blvd have been discussed in detail for over thirty years, and no-one's ever managed to come up with the footage.

If they do it'll be as revelatory as the missing 50 minutes of Ambersons!

You've scoured a hell of a lotta vaults Dave, over which time I'm positive you must have gotten to Wilder's "other" opening. I mean come on.

otis · #65 Post by **otis** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:51 am

Doesn't the Sunset Blvd DVD have some silent footage of the original morgue opening?

barnyard078 · #66 Post by **barnyard078** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:34 am

Davisdvd reports that it will be released a week earlier on August 22. Nice.

filmnoir1 · #67 Post by **filmnoir1** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:18 pm

According to Naremore's book the ending in the gas chamber would have been the best because it would have been an attack against the gross consumerism and repressive nature of the American system at the time. The original screenplay with the this ending reads:
Corridor outside the death chamber
Camera shooting in through the open door at Keyes, who is just turning to leave. Keyes comes slowly out into the dark,narrow corridor. His hat is on his head now, his overcoat is pulled around him loosely. He walks like an old man. He takes eight or ten steps, then mechanically reaches a cigar out of his vest pocket and puts it in his mouth. His hands, in the now familiar gesture, begin to pat his pockets for matches.
Suddenly he stops, with a look of horror on his face. He stands rigid, pressing a hand against his heart. He takes the cigar out of his mouth and goes slowly on toward the door. Camera panning with him. When he has almost reached the door, the guard stationed there throws it wide, and a blaze of sunlight comes in from the open prison yard outside. Keyes slowly walks out into the sunshine, a forlorn and lonely man (Naremore 93).

kinjitsu · #68 Post by **kinjitsu** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:04 pm

Perhaps it would have been enough if, in the final scene, we just see Keyes put a cigar in his mouth, then watch him react as he pats his pockets looking for a match.

Antoine Doinel · #69 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 1:33 pm

Gigi M. · #70 Post by **Gigi M.** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:14 pm

Well friends, the first news about this release:

The drop-dead perfect final lines from Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity (45), a remastered version of which Universal Home Video is releasing on 8.22. It looks improved -- richer, crisper tones and fewer speckles than on the old cruddy version that Uni issued in '98 -- but so many scenes are shot in shadowy darkness it can't possibly gleam like shiny silver. Great audio commentaries and retrospective doc, though.

souvenir · #71 Post by **souvenir** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:27 am

let there be Savant!

Savant wrote:The transfer looks exemplary, with only a few visible scratches, the immediate benefit of Universal's royal treatment.

HerrSchreck · #72 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:47 am

IN HAND AT LAST!!!

As Gary's review & caps point out this sublime release is, along with SEVEN SAMURAI, a high contender for Essential Release Of The Year.

Gary Sez:

Summation - This will easily get some votes for DVD of the Year. I'm happy with the film presentation but the extras features are really above and beyond. It supports a theory that I have that great DVDs support immensely deeper appreciation of film. This is a wonderful case in point. Although I always enjoyed Double Indemnity I had it on the outside circle of Top 10 Noirs - but that probably change. This Special Edition DVD is a must-own...

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Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)