Odd Man Out is a very well made and tense film noir thriller featuring incredible performances by, most notably, James Mason and Robert Newton. The Blu-ray itself released by Criterion Collection offers good video/audio transfers while the features are well done, headlined by an archive documentary about Mason.
Odd Man Out
(1947)
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Drama, Crime
Universal Studios Home Entertainment | R – 118 min. – $34.98 | February 10, 2015
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Carol Reed Writer(s): F.L. Green and R.C. Sheriff (screenplay) Cast: James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, F.J. McCormick, William Hartnell DISC INFO: Audio: English (LPCM 1.0) |
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THE MOVIE
Taking place largely over the course of one tense night, Carol Reed’s psychological noir, Odd Man Out, set in an unnamed Belfast, stars James Mason as a revolutionary ex-con leading a robbery that goes horribly wrong. Injured and hunted by the police, he seeks refuge throughout the city, while the woman he loves (KATHLEEN RYAN) searches for him among the shadows.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4.0/5
Template for the Troubles: John Hill on Odd Man Out (23:50; HD) – In an interview, conducted in 2014, cinema scholar John Hill delves into the film and its depiction of Northern Ireland.
Postwar Poetry: Carol Reed and Odd Man Out (15:46; HD) – This documentary provides a look at the film through archival material and interviews with filmmakers, director Carol Reed’s collaborators, and critics.
Home, James (53:45; HD) – Here we get a 1972 documentary offering an intimate look at actor James Mason, following him as he returns to his childhood home of Huddersfield, England, and visits key locations from his youth.
Collaborative Composition: Scoring Odd Man Out (20:40; HD) – Music scholar Jeff Smith analyzes William Alwyn’s unusual score.
Suspense, Episode 460 (29:23; HD) – This is a radio adaptation for Odd Man Out broadcast in 1952.
The release also includes a 6-page fold-out essay booklet.
VIDEO – 4.25/5
Criterion Collection releases Odd Man Out presented with a new high-definition digital restoration and shown in its original 1.33 full frame aspect ratio. The black and white video might not be stunning to look at but it is fairly impressive. Details are good and there doesn’t appear to be any major instances of dust marks or scratches. The dark levels are also nice and stark.
AUDIO – 4.0/5
The movie comes with a PCM 1.0 track which provides for solid dialogue levels throughout and even though it’s relegated to a singular channel, it’s still relatively robust with the score and ambient noises coming through fairly well. Considering the film’s age, it is a respectable track.
OVERALL – 4.0/5
Overall, Odd Man Out is a very well made and tense film noir thriller featuring incredible performances by, most notably, James Mason and Robert Newton. The Blu-ray itself released by Criterion Collection offers good video/audio transfers while the features are well done, headlined by an archive documentary about Mason.
Published: 04/19/2015
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.