World Noir Vol 5

Arguably the two most significant and dominant trends in post-war cinema developed on opposing sides of the globe, and opposing sides of the war – America oversaw the birth of film noir, with its hardboiled detectives and femme fatales, and then Italy developed its hugely influential brand of neorealism, with its emphasis on working class struggles, socio-political commentary, and documentary-like aesthetic. While on the surface the two disciplines seemed wildly different in approach, they also had surprising amount in common, sharing a focus on the lowest strata of society, a commitment to depicting its characters in stark and unglamorous ways, and a moral ambiguity to the storytelling that would occasionally tip over into cynical pessimism, reflecting the despair of the post-war period. These two cinematic languages would influence and bleed into one another throughout the 1940s and 50s, and presented here are three Italian neorealist films that clearly derive inspiration and themes from their US noir counterparts.

The Bandit: Returning from war, Ernesto (Amedeo Nazzari, Nights of Cabiria) comes home without a family to welcome him. A chance encounter with a gangster’s moll, Lydia (Anna Magnani, Rome, Open City) catapults him to a life of crime. Redolent of American gangster pictures of the 1930s and bathed in chiaroscuro lighting, like many Italian genre films, Alberto Lattuada’s The Bandit is a genre hybrid, at once noirish but infused with realism that brings to the fore the desperation of the post-War period. Newly restored, Radiance Films is proud to present this seminal film on any digital format for the first time outside of Italy.

Against the Law: A middle class man laundering money for the mob to make ends meet witnesses a murder during a currency exchange. Fingered as the murderer by police, he and his girlfriend attempt to clear his name. A Hitchcockian wrong man thriller in a crime framework, Pietro Germi’s scenario echoes the American noir, with a screenplay co-authored by the former head of Rome’s flying squad, Against the Law was noted for its realism on release where it was a hit with audiences and critics. Starring a charming Marcello Mastroianni in his first leading role, Flavio Calzavara’s under-seen gem is now restored in 4K and released for the first time on any format outside of Italy.

Four Ways Out: A gang of four ordinary men steal two cases stuffed with money from a football ground. They split up to evade capture but misplaced allegiances and nerves threaten their freedom. A Hollywood-style noir by Pietro Germi (The Facts of Murder), Four Ways Out (also known as The City Defends Itself) features the classic tropes of the genre, femme fatales, desperate men and a cityscape that threatens to swallow up its characters. Awarded Best Italian Film at the Venice Film Festival and newly restored in 4K, it is presented on home video for the first time outside of Italy.

BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES

4K restorations of all three films from the original camera negatives

Original uncompressed mono PCM audio for all films

Newly improved optional English subtitles for all films

Reversible sleeves featuring newly designed artworks based on original posters

Limited edition 80-page perfect bound book featuring archival pieces and new writing by critics and experts including Farran Nehme, Pasquale Iannone, Beatrice Loyza and Roberto Curti

Limited Edition of 3,000 copies presented in a rigid box with full-height Scanavo cases for each film and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

THE BANDIT

Interview with critic Fabio Melelli on Lattuada’s career

Interview with Evelina Nazzari about her father, actor Amedeo Nazzari

Interview with Melelli and Nazzari about The Bandit

Interview with critic Christina Newland on Anna Magnani

AGAINST THE LAW

Interview with critic Manuela Lazic on Marcello Mastroianni

Interview with Italian film expert Stephen Gundle on Flavio Calzavara

FOUR WAYS OUT

Alternate English language version of Four Ways Out

New interview with Pietro Germi expert Mario Sesti

Interview with noir expert Imogen Sarah Smith