99 River Street (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Amazon has the unfortunate habit of lumping all reviews for a film together, regardless of date of issue or format (VHS, DVD or Blu-Ray).This is especially unfortunate when the newest version is a dramatic improvement over the old versions.This is the case with "99 River Street"The Kino Blu-Ray was released on June 21, 2016.There were already forty reviews of the old MGM DVD-R posted on Amazon.Most of them liked the movie, but had reservations about the print quality and lack of special features.The new Blu-Ray has a beautifully restored HD picture.The new Blu-Ray has trailers for the film, plus three other films noir.The new Blu-Ray has a commentary track with film noir expert Eddie Mueller.Very entertaining commentary track - an example of how it should be done.Mueller points out a lot of things I never noticed before:-- In a tour of 1953 New York City after dark, we are taken to the usual places:1) An all-night saloon2) An all-night drug store with soda fountain (whatever happened to soda fountains?)3) An all-night boxing gym4) An all-night pet store (huh?) where the villains hang out5) An all-night cafe-- The HD picture on Blu-Ray reveals a lot of things that went unnoticed on DVD:1) The ship at the dock in the final scene is an obvious matte shot.2) Villain Brad Dexter is actually wearing eye liner.-- Brad Dexter was a wonderful screen villain in dozens of films in the '40s through the '70s.As the commentary points out, despite being a handsome guy, he never made it as the hero (something weaselly about his smile)Brad Dexter only played the good guy once in his career:He was one of the Magnificent Seven (the one nobody remembers)Great film noir: Imaginative script, camera work, lighting and directing.My only complaint is the lack of subtitles(the DVD didn't have them either)GET THE BLU-RAY, NOT THE DVD.PICTURE 1 = OLD DVD COVERPICTURE 2 = NEW BLU-RAY COVERPICTURE 3 = BRAD DEXTER

I'm a more-than-casual movie fan, but not a scholar by any stretch. I love black & white movies and actually moved up from a regular DVD player to a Blu-Ray so I could watch incredibly old movies in their most perfect presentation ('Maltese Falcon' and 'Casablanca' were my first two BR purchases).I thought I knew a fair amount about film noir....the films, the stars, the directors...but I was flabbergasted when I finally watched Phil Karlson's 'Kansas City Confidential.' What a premise! What a movie! What a director! It was the most excited I'd been since discovering the work of Anthony Mann and John Alton. I followed 'KCC' with Karlson's 'The Phenix City Story.' I liked it, but not nearly as much and thought that perhaps Mr. Karlson only had one good noir in him. Boy, was I wrong.'99 River Street' is right up there with 'Kansas City Confidential.' It's another great premise, well executed all around. I've never seen John Payne in a better role, Evelyn Keyes is terrific and the supporting cast combines to present one of the finest collections of hard-luck faces this side of 'The Hustler.'I watched '99 River Street' on Netflix (it's in their on-demand library) but I'm here today to buy a copy of my own. Netflix has made such odd decisions in the recent past that I don't think I want to rely on them to have this movie at their (my) disposal for long...and I know I'm going to watch it again and again. First rate stuff....and I'm going to turn over rocks to find all the Phil Karlson noir/crime movie I can so I can catch up with this guy's early work. Those who only know Phil Karlson as the guy who made 'Walk Tall' are missing a great deal of pleasure.(This gets 4 out of 5 stars because the ending was a little cheesy. Somehow, I don't think this was Mr. Karlson's fault. But, still.....)

Excellent casting! Love them all. Hats off to Brad Dexter, Jack Lambert and Jay Adler for playing sociopaths in such a cool manner. Just when I thought their characters were showing a little humanity, they would wipe out that humanity almost immediately.John Payne was excellent as the angry hot tempered nice guy and Peggy Castle played the rotten wife to the hilt.At first I thought Evelyn Keyes performance was a little over the top, but after watching it several times I started to like her more and more.This is a movie and I can watch over and over due to the interesting performances and great directing.

Things happen. No hard feelings.

I was very lucky to find this film. I have been delving into the classic genre of Noir films when I landed on this gem and I just had to have it in my newly forming collection! I know a lot of people have a different definition or opinion of exactly film noir means. Well this one has it all especially the girl you love to hate! If you are a noir afficininato, then this one is a must have to build your noir foundation upon classics like this!

No good deed goes unpunished. Dissatisfied cabbie/former boxer John Payne comes to the assistance of actress/acquaintance Evelyn Keyes one night, and his life is on the line. A two-timing wife, diamond heist, a frame-up, an acting experiment of unbelievable insensitivity, anger, hostility, frustration, redemption...this is truly a thrilling, action-packed drama. Keyes is terrific, transforming from intelligent, ambitious woman into willing assistant, even into wriggling seductress. Payne's boss and his former trainer prove their loyalty. Ah, if only... Great cast.

A hard-hitting film noir with John Payne (Miracle on 34th Street) as a ex prize fighter now a cabbie who is framed for the murder of his unfaithful wife who is dumped in the back of his cab. Brad Dexter plays the murderer. He is best known as one of the Magnificent Seven, but the one whose name no one can remember from that movie.This movie is a real knockout.Highly recommended.

This is a captivating film. Maybe five stars seems excessive, but we greatly enjoyed watching it. At first, Payne's performance seems over the top - he's too much of a hothead to be believed. But as the story progressed, my wife and I were glued to the screen as we wondered, "what else can happen to this guy?", as ever more things happened. It was like a "Snakes and Ladders" game on film. Evelyn Keyes puts in a great performance, including a little gin joint erotica that had us wondering how they got it past the censors. Brad Dexter, who later showed up as one of the Magnificent Seven, puts in a great turn as a very bad guy. As often is the case in a good noir, you have to wonder how some of these characters got hooked up in the first place (with Payne's character's wife, Peggy Castle, it might have been the legs as well as her other physical charms - it sure wasn't her character). A host of other fine crime characters spice up the tale. The film portrays a gritty level of society very convincingly. I'll watch this again, even after I play it again for the Eddie Muller yak track that I haven't yet heard. Several good noir trailers are included, too. And for once (about time, too), a disk has the entire sound track in DTS - we didn't have to hunt for the remote in the dark to turn it back to Dolby for the extras.

Excellent quality Blu Ray. The film itself is a first rate film noir that improves as it progresses. Considering its relative obscurity among noir titles, this one is a real worthwhile discovery.

Great movie,with a good storyline,just as they used to make them.Delivered on time,good service!!!

Unknown before. Excellent film.