"The Black Book" versus "Reign of Terror"

Who says this blog is afraid to answer the tough questions, to boldly tackle the really burning issues of the day?

To wit: Given that VCI Entertainment issued a not-all-that bad DVD version of Anthony Mann's delightful French Revolution pop-noir 1948 Reign of Terror AKA The Black Book, is the new version of the Mann film recently released by the burn-on-demand Sony subsidiary Columbia Classics worth a look, let alone an investment of 20 bucks or thereabouts?

Well, we've delved into the question and the answer is, HELL YEAH.

The relative enthusiasm with which the VCI release was met with beck in 2008 was of course relative to the fact that prior video iterations of the film looked like sock puppet theater, on account of their being quasi-bootlegs of the title which had fallen into the slough of despond known as public domain. The VCI version was made from undeniably soft materials, but transferred with care. If the magnificent chiaroscuros concocted by Mann and his most crucial collaborator, cinematographer John Alton, were clearly not all that they could be, well, they were enough to extrapolate from. Given the state of affairs concerning the film's provenance and such, DVD Beaver reviewers Gregory Meshman and Gary W. Tooze said of the release, "This may be as good as it gets."

This was of course before the burn-on-demand DVD marketing scheme got going. My suspicion is that some cinephile at Sony knew that the studio had some very superior materials in the vault, and that the only way to get them released would be through just such a corporate sidebar as was pioneered by the Warner Archive. Alas, Jeanine Basinger's otherwise quite thorough Mann biography doesn't go into how Reign of Terror got its name changed to The Black Book, but I suspect it was retitled after the independent low-budget production was picked up for distribution by Columbia.

In any event, the difference between the VCI Reign and the Columbia Classics Book is stark from the very opening montage, including this introductory shot of Richard Basehart's "Don't call me Max" Robespierre. The VCI version is the first, the Sony the second. 

VCI.

Sony.

The extent to which the materials used for the VCI edition are washed out is extremely evident in the flames, and behind the flames. The level of relative detail is plainly discernable in details such as Basehart's teeth.

As for the light and shadow—and most importantly, darkness, Alton's stock-in-trade and likely a great influence on the future work of Gordon Willis—well, see these screen caps from a slightly later scene showing the first secret meeting between the characters played by Robert Cummings and Arlene Dahl:

VCI.

Sony.

"The movie represents a total triumph of form over content—or, perhaps, form over lack of content," Basinger notes. It's impossible, really, to fully appreciate the form unless it's presented faithfully, or well, or whatever your preferred term. Though the Columbia Classics disc is a DVR, it's made from a mighty fine master. I can just imagine what kind of a Blu-ray the materials might yield, and I bet I'm GONNA have to imagine that for the forseeable future. Am I gonna toss my VCI disc? No, because it also contains a good version of ANOTHER Alton-shot (albeit not Mann-directed) genre picture, The Amazing Mr. X, starring Turhan Bey, WTFIU, and because the Reign presentation also has a good and informative audio commentary by Alan Rode, who's joined by Arlene Dahl. (Hmm. I forget whether that commentary goes into the specifics of the name switch, but never mind.) But when I just want to watch Mann's film—and I'll probably want to at least every other Bastille Day or so—the Columbia Classics one, which you can indeed buy through the Warner Archive or through ClassicFlix and no doubt other outlets, is the one I'll pop into the player. 

Comments

[ZS]

Oh man. I'm so ordering. Thanks for the heads up!

[Robert Cashill]

Keep the VCI disc...but know that the Sony line also includes an equally fine transfer of THE SPIRITUALIST, aka THE AMAZING MR. X. Out another $20 (but sometimes the Warner Archive prices the Sony discs it carries at $15).

[Peteski]

Thanks.

[partisan]

Those can't be Ventian blinds in 1794?

[David Ehrenstein]

Whatever version you get your hands on don't miss this. Basehart is wonderful here and so is the fabulous Norman Lloyd who as he edges toward the century mark is still working and still wonderful.

And still playing tennis every day!

[Christopher]

Only February, but "the slough of despond known as public domain" is running away with Best-turned Phrase of the Year.

Haven't yet pulled the trigger on a MOD disc, but perhaps this will do it. Thanks for the recommendation!

[jbryant]

For my money, the best performance is given by Arnold Moss as Fouche.

[Oliver_C]

As admirably thorough as your Blu-ray roundups are, don't DVD-only MOD releases such as these -- not to mention the Eclipse sets, the BFI's 'The Devils' and early Ozu boxes, Errol Morris' 'Tabloid', etc -- justify an occasional DVD column?

[bgn]

Partisan, yes, there were Venetian blinds in Paris well before 1794:

http://historymyths.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/myth-57-venetian-blinds-were-invented-in-venice-or-marco-polo-brought-venetian-blinds-to-venice-from-china/

[Todd]

I went with this burn-on DVD route both with "Devil's Doorway" and "Chimes at Midnight" and both transfers were as crisp as anything I had seen before.

The only downside is that both of these discs do have a somewhat unpleasant odor upon opening the case.

[Monica]

Wow, I was wondering if the new Warner Archive release was worth ordering if I already had the VCI DVD, and here you are: the answer to my prayers. Thanks a lot for the heads up. I'm ordering right now.
Monica

[Tom Block]

>For my money, the best performance is given by Arnold Moss as Fouche.

Seconded. He's Calleia-in-"Touch of Evil" good...

[Robert Sweeney]

Todd, who is offering CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT as a burn-on-demand disc?

[jbryant]

I knew next to nothing about Arnold Moss before seeing this movie; since then, I've enjoyed him in Mann's BORDER INCIDENT, and just last week I caught him in an episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" with James Mason. He was also in an episode of "Star Trek" and co-starred in the original Broadway production of Sondheim's "Follies." His son Jeff was the original head writer for "Sesame Street" and wrote many of the shows signature songs, including the hit "Rubber Ducky." Gotta love show biz.

[Todd]

Robert, my case says "Nostalgia Family Video", but I got it off of Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Chimes-at-Midnight-Orson-Welles/dp/B0050DONFA/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1329861148&sr=1-2

[Bruce Reid]

"The movie represents a total triumph of form over content—or, perhaps, form over lack of content,"

I've not read the Basinger, but wouldn't framing such epochal history as just another grubby tale of dark men hiding in shadows count as content? Or is that what she meant by a triumph of form?

This film contains what's probably the most shocking cinematic moment I've ever seen. Most everything leading up to it is nearly as good.

[Bryan S.]

You're ignoring the most important difference: the VCI disc was from a censored print. The Sony MOD is completely uncut.

This was purportedly the film the compelled Dore Schary to sign Mann (and Alton) to MGM, as he was bowled over by it. Later, he practically had Mann "remake" it, as "The Tall Target", giving the same treatment to the Baltimore Plot as he did to the Reign of Terror.

Columbia also put out a superior version of "The Amazing Mr. X" under the title "The Spiritualist" (another mysterious title change), completely eliminating the print damage that was in the VCI. I like VCI, and they have my admiration for giving these films the treatment they deserved at a time no one else would, but this is one occasion where you can feel free to unload the original release.