We’re Celebrating Noirvember with a Film Noir DVD/Blu-Ray Giveaway!
CMH will be celebrating Noirvember all month long with a ‘fun fatale’ Film Noir giveaway! Thanks to Kino Lorber, we’ll be giving away EIGHT Film Noir Classics (winners’ choice from the list below) via Twitter. BUT that’s not all… stay tuned here on this blog, because we’ll also be giving away TWO MORE Noir Classics via a separate Facebook/Blog giveaway as well (details to follow later this week). So, all told, there are Ten Chances to win!
To enter, just complete the entry task below by Saturday, November 26 at 10PM EST. Enter as soon as you can, because the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win – because we will pick two winners on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over. Please note that each winner will be able to choose their preferred format: DVD or Blu-Ray.
- Saturday, November 5: Two Winners
- Saturday, November 12: Two Winners
- Saturday, November 19: Two Winners
- Saturday, November 26: Two Winners
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub or this Blog (depending how you entered), the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 5 at 10PM EST on Twitter or this Blog).
…..
Winners will choose their prize from the following list of 12 Noir Classics: Deadline U.S.A., The Crooked Way, Pitfall, A Bullet for Joey, Witness to Murder,
Shield for Murder, Cover Up, He Ran All the Way. The Hitch-Hiker, Scarlett Street, The Stranger , Storm Fear. Winners will also have their choice of DVD or Blu-Ray format. You can read about the films below.
TO ENTER: Complete the following (2-parts) by Saturday, November 26 at 10PM EST…
1) Answer this question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post: What is your favorite Film Noir and why?
2) *Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win the ‘Celebrating Noirvember’ #DVDGiveaway courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @KinoLorber #FilmNoir
*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to classicmoviehub@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.
…..
About the Prizes:
Deadline U.S.A. (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Screen legend Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca) stars as a fictional newspaper editor Ed Hutcheson of “The Day”, which will be folding in three days. Even though he and his staff will be out of work within days, he intends to expose the criminal activities of vicious crime boss Tomas Rienzi (Martin Gabel, The Thief). An abundance of subplots are expertly woven together by legendary screenwriter/director Richard Brooks (Elmer Gantry) in Deadline – U.S.A. This classic film noir features stunning black-and-white cinematography by the great Milton R. Krasner (23 Paces to Baker Street) with an uniformly excellent cast that includes Ethel Barrymore (Portrait of Jennie), Kim Hunter (A Streetcar Named Desire), Ed Begley (12 Angry Men), Warren Stevens (Forbidden Planet), Paul Stewart (Kiss Me Deadly) and Jim Backus (Gilligan’s Island).
The Crooked Way (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Newly Re-mastered in HD! Everyone wants a piece of Eddie Rice! John Payne (99 River Street, Hidden Fear) plays Eddie Rice, a highly decorated and wounded war veteran who has lost his memory. As he heads to Los Angeles to try and figure out his identity, two police detectives arrest him. Turns out he is really Eddie Riccardi, a former employee of the notorious mob boss Vince Alexander (Sonny Tufts, The Seven Year Itch). No one seems happy to see Eddie again and when he’s framed for murder, Eddie must find the real killer and clear his name by navigating through the crooked underbelly of Los Angeles. Featuring top-notch direction by veteran filmmaker Robert Florey (The Cocoanuts) and stunning cinematography by the great John Alton (He Walked by Night, T-Men).
Pitfall (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Mastered in HD from a 35mm dupe negative preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive – Film noir great Dick Powell (Murder, My Sweet) plays an ex-vet living the American dream with a beautiful home, loving wife (Jane Wyatt, Lost Horizon), wonderful kid (Jimmy Hunt, Invaders From Mars) and a great job as an insurance executive. But Powell like many returning servicemen exhibits a restlessness experienced by many veterans, his penchant for excitement leads him on an illicit affair with sexy bombshell (Lizabeth Scott, Too Late For Tears) that leads to much more than a guilty conscience- a complicated web of intrigue, jealousy and murder. Considered by many as one of the greatest film noirs of all time, Pitfall features top-notch direction by the great Andre De Toth (Hidden Fear) and a great performance by Raymond Burr (TVs Perry Mason) as a corrupt private eye.
A Bullet for Joey (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Mastered in HD! Edward G. Robinson (Scarlet Street) and George Raft (They Drive by Night) star in this espionage thriller that pulls out all the stops for excitement and edge-of-your-seat suspense. When a Canadian police inspector investigates a murder, he is hurtled into an adventure involving foreign spies, American gangsters and an explosive high-tech secret that could change the world. In a daring attempt to seize a brilliant physicist’s discoveries, a foreign superpower enlists mobster Joe Victor (Raft) and his gang in a scheme that will ignite a firestorm of betrayal, murder and global intrigue. Police Inspector Leduc (Robinson) is closing in, but the gangsters bring in their ultimate weapon: the stunning Joyce (Audrey Trotter, The Set-Up), a blonde temptress who will teach the scientist a thing or two even he doesn’t know! The breathtaking chase leads through the city streets to a pulse-pounding confrontation aboard an enemy cargo ship. Crackling with unrelenting tension, clever twists and a rapid-fire pace that will have you enthralled until the final action-packed moments, A Bullet For Joey is an adventure of the highest caliber with top-notch direction by the great Lewis Allen (Suddenly).
Witness to Murder (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Newly Re-mastered in HD! A woman fights to convince the police that she witnessed a murder. One sleepless night, Cheryl Draper (Barbara Stanwyck, Double Indemnity) witnesses a young woman being strangled to death in an apartment across the street. She reports the killing to the police, but when the police arrive there is no body to be found. The policemen are convinced that Cheryl probably dreamt the murder and leave ignoring her pleas. Similar to Alfred Hitchcock Rear Window, which opened less than a month later and overshadowed this top-notch film noir featuring great direction by Roy Rowland (The Girl Hunters) and beautiful black-and-white cinematography by legendary John Alton (He Walked by Night). Co-starring George Sanders (A Shot in the Dark) and Gary Merrill (All About Eve).
Shield for Murder (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Dame-Hungry Killer-Cop Runs Berserk! Edmond O’Brien (D.O.A., White Heat) stars in this crime drama about a crooked and brutal police detective who steals $25,000 from a criminal he murders and becomes the target of a colleague’s investigation… more and more he realizes that he must kill again to cover his tracks.
Cover Up (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Newly Re-mastered in HD. A Small Town…with Big Secrets! Sam Donovan (Dennis O’Keefe, T-Men, Raw Deal) is an insurance investigator sent to a small Midwest town, to find out whether the death of one of its policyholders was a suicide or murder. Sam is convinced that he was murdered but the entire town, led by the sheriff (William Bendix, Lifeboat), is not talking. It’s only when local girl Anita (Barbara Britton, I Shot Jesse James) breaks her silence does Sam begin to uncover the truth. As he falls in love with Anita, he begins to unravel the secret everyone in the town is keeping. Directed by Alfred E. Green (Baby Face), with stunning black-and-white cinematography by the great Ernest Laszlo (Judgment at Nuremberg).
He Ran All the Way (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Newly Re-mastered in HD! Nick Robey (John Garfield, The Postman Always Rings Twice) is a dim-witted thug who lives with his mother and scrapes by on petty crime. He and his slick accomplice plot a big-time payroll robbery, but their plan goes horribly awry when they’re discovered by a uniformed policeman, a shootout ensues leaving Al and the cop wounded and Nick on the run. While seeking cover, Nick meets Peggy Dobbs (Shelley Winters, Lolita), a lonely young girl who takes Nick to her family’s apartment, while there the paranoid thief decides to take the family hostage until he can escape. This was the great John Garfield’s final film, he died less than a year later at age thirty-nine from heart complications as accusations of his involvement with the Communist Party and his refusal to name names before the HUAC led to his blacklisting in Hollywood; During the film’s initial run, director John Berry (Tension) and screenwriters Dalton Trumbo (Lonely are the Brave) and Hugo Butler (The Southerner) were un-credited due to Hollywood blacklisting during the Red Scare. Stunning black-and-white cinematography by the legendary James Wong Howe (Hud).
The Stranger (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Having directed two undisputed masterpieces – Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons – Orson Welles delved into the suspense film, crafting a baroque postwar thriller that drew upon the style of his previous work, while laying the groundwork for his later film noir classics The Lady from Shanghai and Touch of Evil. Edward G. Robinson stars as Wilson, a government agent who tracks down a high-ranking Nazi officer (Welles) who has managed to craft a new identity for himself in a quaint Connecticut town, marrying the daughter (Loretta Young) of a local judge. Circulated in poor versions for decades, this edition of THE STRANGER was mastered in HD from an original 35mm print preserved by the Library of Congress, and is accompanied by a wealth of supplemental material.
The Hitch-Hiker (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Beyond its obvious cultural significance as the only classic film noir directed by a woman (actress Ida Lupino), THE HITCH-HIKER is perhaps better remembered as simply one of the most nightmarish motion pictures of the 1950s. Inspired by the true-life murder spree of Billy Cook, THE HITCH-HIKER is the tension-laden saga of two men on a camping trip (Edmond O’Brien and Frank Lovejoy) who are held captive by a homicidal drifter (William Talman). He forces them, at gunpoint, to embark on a grim joyride across the Mexican desert.
Scarlet Street (DVD or Blu-Ray)
A box-office hit (despite being banned in three states), SCARLET STREET is one of legendary director Fritz Lang’s (M, Metropolis) finest American films. When middle-aged milquetoast Chris Cross (Edward G. Robinson, Double Indemnity) rescues street-walking bad girl Kitty (Joan Bennett) from the rain-slicked gutters of an eerily artificial back-lot Greenwich Village, he plunges into a whirlpool of lust, larceny and revenge. As Chris’ obsession with the irresistibly vulgar Kitty grows, the meek cashier is seduced, corrupted, humiliated and transformed into an avenging monster before implacable fate and perverse justice triumph in the most satisfyingly downbeat denouement in the history of American film. Dan Duryea, as Kitty’s pimp boyfriend, skillfully molds “a vicious and serpentine creature out of a cheap, chiseling tin horn.” (The New York Times). Packed with hairpin plot twists and “bristling with fine directorial touches and expert acting” (Time), SCARLET STREET is a dark gem of film noir.
Storm Fear (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Newly Re-mastered in HD! Storm Fear is a classic film noir starring, produced and directed by Cornel Wilde (The Naked Prey) as a wounded bank robber, Charlie Blake hiding out with his gang at his brother, Fred (Dan Duryea, Scarlet Street) and sister-in-law, Elizabeth’s (Jean Wallace, No Blade of Grass) farmhouse during a snowstorm. As time passes the criminals are anxious to move on, but need to rest so Charlie has time to recover, complicating matters more is Charlie’s love for Elizabeth with whom he once had an affair. The stellar supporting cast includes Lee Grant (The Landlord), Steven Hill (A Child is Waiting) and Dennis Weaver (Duel) – with an adapted screenplay by the great Horton Foote (To Kill a Mockingbird) and stunning black-and-white cinematography by Joseph LaShelle (Laura).
For more information, visit the Kino Lorber Website here.
…..
Click here for the full contest rules and more details.
You can visit Kino Lorber on their website, on Twitter at @KinoLorber or on Facebook.
Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).
If you don’t want to wait to win, you can use the below 20% off coupon code CMHNOIR to purchase the titles we’re giving away — OR any Kino Lorber title for that matter — at the Kino Lorber online store:
Good Luck!
…..
–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
,
Toughest question yet. I’m tied between Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and Double Indemnity. I’m going to have to go with Falcon, probably the first I ever saw. Had the pleasure of watching two of them on the big screen recently, hopefully they’ll do the same with Big Sleep. I have Glass Key and Murder My Sweet on my must-watch list. This is my favorite genre.
only one? not fair! Out of the Past because Jane Greer is. That is it she just “IS.”
although Alias Nick Beal is also amazing. Between the devil and a rainy street
Would love to win “He Ran All the Way”!!! I love Garfield 😉 And Shelley Winters gives a great performance:)
It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I think Double Indemnity edges out the competition for sheer perfection and Barbara Stanwick.
Out of the Past is my favorite noir (though it just narrowly edged out Force of Evil) because it just defines the style better than any other of its brethren or sistren. If a noir novice were to ask me for a recommendation I’d name it without hesitation.
Thanks, Ivan. I can start with that one to get acquainted.
Oh no….you got me there! Not much experience in that area per se that I can remember but would certainly like to delve into it. I may have seen one or two in passing, years ago. Thanks for the great giveaway.
I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
Well, there are some great titles on the list! So, hopefully you’ll be able to delve in a bit… Thanks for entering and Good Luck 🙂
I first saw the movie “Touch of Evil” because John Travolta’s character in the movie “Get Shorty” went to see the movie. He said, to paraphrase badly: “Let’s go see Charlton Heston be a Mexican”. “Touch of Evil” is undoubtedly my favorite film noir of all time. It is thought provoking, dark, and violent and it still holds up remarkably today. Orson Wells is brilliant behind the camera and in front of it. “Touch of Evil” is a timeless masterpiece.
Hard to go wrong with “Double Indemnity”, 1944. Directed by the great Billy Wilder and featuring Fred MacMurray. Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, it is the quintessential noir thriller with plot twists aplenty, and characters you love to hate. For all those out there who only know MacMurray from “My Three Sons” this movie is a revelation of his dramatic acting skills.
This is truly a difficult question! My favorite film noir, if I HAD to pick only one, would have to be Double Indemnity (1944) because everything about that movie seemed to be just perfect. Such memorable exchanges of dialogue between MacMurray and Stanwyck (“We’re both rotten…only you’re a little more rotten.”) that just gives you chills. The wonderful use of lighting, the cinematography, the familiarity of Los Angeles ( also as a classic film noir setting), and the perfect amount of suspense. And of course, a shout out to Billy Wilder, who also made a bunch of other amazing noirs ( ex. Sunset Blvd and The Lost Weekend! ) Anyways, Double Indemnity was truly one of those movies that left me just speechless and amazed after I watched it. A truly amazing exemplar of the noir genre!
My favorite noir has to be Chinatown. Would be interested in checking out the ones other readers have mentioned.
Hi Bharat, I saw your tweets for our other two contests this month, but haven’t seen your tweet yet for the Noirvember contest. Please remember to retweet the message so that we can officially enter you. Thanks!
I might have a different answer on another day, but I have often claimed Detour as my favorite. The b-movie aesthetic, Tom Neal’s laconic presence, and the wonderful Ann Savage giving one of the realest, rawest performances in all of noir are some of my reasons. Wait! Can I take back my answer? I want to say Too Late for Tears, featuring the most calculating and ballsy of all femme fatales. “Tiger!”
Like the other folks have said, it’s really hard to pick just one noir favorite! So, I’ll go with the movie that pulled me in and cemented my interest the genre- “The Big Sleep”. It’s still one of my favorites.
I like In a lonely place with Humphrey Bogart 🙂
If I had to choose my favorite film noir, I’d choose The Killers (1946), though Double Indemnity (1944) would be a close second. This story, told in flashbacks pretty much, is so well developed and keeps you wanting more. So many twists and turns. It’s also beautifully shot with fantastic, memorable scenes. Not to mention, Lancaster and Gardner are absolutely ravishing in their first major leading appearances on screen! It’s everything a film noir should be and more.
That’s a hard question, but since I’ll try and enter four times I’ll give four different responses! The most enjoyable film noir I’ve ever seen ( and probably my favorite ) is MYSTERY STREET ( 1950 ) starring Ricardo Montalban. That film featured great cinematography, great acting, and was very engrossing.
I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
Oh my, I haven’t seen that one yet… Will have to be on the lookout for it! Thanks for entering and Good Luck 🙂
I have not seen that many in this genre. I did like Chinatown.
I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
Good one. Thanks for entering and Good Luck! 🙂
I think my favorite film noir has to be “Gun Crazy” (1949) because it is a B-movie that looks more like an A-picture with each viewing. The cinematography is razor-sharp, and Peggy Cummings makes one devilish femme fatale. Let’s not forget the famous bank robbery sequence, which was all shot in one take.
I have always been fond of the Maltese Falcon. The irony of the statue being worthless at the end after all the trouble to secure it!
OUT OF THE PAST is my favorite, mainly due to the brilliant dialogue, such as…
Jeff Bailey: That’s not the way to win.
Kathie Moffat: Is there a way to win?
Jeff Bailey: There’s a way to lose more slowly.
The original The Big Sleep with Bogart and Bacall. The story is a little confusing, but I’ve always liked it anyways.
I don’t really have a favorite, which has left me wracking my brain how to answer this question for weeks. I like Witness to Murder, This Gun for Hire, and a few others. I have read several comments, and apparently I don’t have to choose.
My favorite film noir- I’ll name my top 3! Number one- Laura- I just adore everything about this film! I only wish Dana and Gene had more scenes together! Number 2- Sunset Blvd- Bill Holden! it’s just great !! Number three- Niagara- Its just so alluring and I love Joseph Cotten in the role and Marilyn is fantastic! Runners up- Leave Her to Heaven, Gun Crazy, and Double Indemnity!!
Since Barbara Stanwyck is one of my favorites I’d have to go with Double Indemnity. She is so deliciously evil and manipulates Fred so well. They deserve each other in this one!
From this list, The Hitch-Hiker. Ida Lupino was an incredible director and I wish she could have directed more films. She had an amazing talent for showing the emotional and horrible side to humanity.
The Third Man for its atmosphere, tensikn, and amazing cinematography.
IN A LONELY PLACE
Classic noir slides into early serial killer genre. With one of the most perfect apartment complexes in cinema history–with its own real world, shady past.
Don’t have a deep well of knowledge of Noir, so lemme just name a stalwart standby: The Maltese Falcon.
Pingback: “Celebrating #Noirvember” Kino Lorber Film Noir DVD and Blu-Ray Giveaway (November Facebook/Blog) | Classic Movie Hub Blog
Laura, starring the goddess Gene Tierney.
Clifton Webb’s megalomania, Vincent Price as a class A cad, Judith Anderson, take your pick…CLASSIC
“Touch of evil” is the only one that I have been exposed to… I am so intrigued by the darkness. This is all so new and exciting.i feel like a kid with a new hobby. Thank you. I am posting this as a message due to the fact that I don’t have a Twitter account
Touch of Evil was definitely a good one… saw it on the Big Screen a few years ago and will never forget it! Thanks for entering and Good Luck 🙂
If I had to pick another favorite it would be “The Narrow Margin” starring Charles McGraw. That was probably the most exciting visual train journey I ever went on!
I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
You know, I haven’t seen that one yet! But, I’ll put it on my never-ending list of films to watch! Thanks so much for entering and Good Luck 🙂
Hard choice and I don’t want to go with the usual suspects like Double Indemnity or some other, universally praised genre defining choices ( which I love). So I will go with a movie that really thrilled me, for many different reasons – Pickup on South Street (1953). First of all the amazing Thelma Ritter and one of her best performances. She could do any genre and this is one of her most prominent roles, she’s basically one of the main characters, not just the supporting one. The rest of the cast is great as well, ruthless Widmark, sultry Jean Peters. It’s has crime, 50s paranoia, some great noir atmosphere and cinematography plus a real city feel to it. Also some surprisingly hard violence in the end with Peters thrown around and beaten badly. Now really feel like watching it again.
Hmm, it’s actually a tie between Out of the past and The Asphalt Jungle. Today I will go with The Asphalt Jungle, it’s a masterpiece in its own right.
So many films noirs that I love. If I had to pick one it would be “Out of the Past.” The atmosphere, acting, photography, and direction are all first-rate.
I need to see it again, but I was really impressed with The Big Heat.