Night and the City (1950)

Thank you Zip.ca for sending me this brand new release from The Criterion Collection. Night and the City, is the third film released by The Criterion Collection, that is directed by Jules Dassin.

This is the second Dassin film that I’ve watched and continue to be impressed. If you enjoy film noir then this is required viewing. Shot entirely in London, Dassin shows us the gritty underworld of desperate hustlers and grifters. The lead character, Harry Fabian reminds me of Harry Lime in The Third Man—always running and hiding from someone.

The Criterion DVD has some great special features. I was most impressed with a 20-minute feature that compares the musical scores of the American and British versions of the film. Not only is the music entirely different but the film editing varies between the two versions as well. This provides a fascinating glimpse into the creative process of filmmaking. This is a film I could easily watch again and will consider adding to my collection.

Posted in DVD Reviews at 1:47 PM