This collection features three film noir classics starring screen legend Edward G. Robinson. Vice Squad (1953) – Stops You…Like a Slug in the Chest! Screen favorites Edward G. Robinson (Scarlet Street) and Paulette Goddard (The Cat and the Canary) star in the pulse-stopping police procedural, Vice Squad. It’s one tough day for captain of detectives Barney Barnaby (Robinson). When an officer is shot arresting a car thief, Barnaby uses his tough-minded skills to track down the culprits and uncovers a bank heist plot in the process. Escort madam Mona Ross (Goddard) is willing to help Barnaby with the case…for a price, of course. Director Arnold Laven (Rough Night in Jericho) and cinematographer Joseph Biroc (Bwana Devil) let this LAPD noir unfurl over the course of 24 gripping hours. The crackerjack cast includes K.T. Stevens (Port of New York), Porter Hall (Murder, He Says) and Lee Van Cleef (High Noon).
Black Tuesday (1954) – The Most Ruthless Robinson of All Time! The legendary Edward G. Robinson (The Stranger) is at his snarling, savage best in the hardbitten gangster drama, Black Tuesday. On the eve of his execution, violent killer Vincent Canelli (Robinson) busts out of prison with the help of his girlfriend (Jean Parker, The Gunfighter) and a crook posing as a reporter (Warren Stevens, The Price of Fear). Escaping with Canelli is a bank robber (Peter Graves, Stalag 17) who is wounded while evading the law and leaves a trail of blood to Canelli’s hideout. Now locked in a deadly confrontation with the cops, the psychotic Canelli threatens to kill hostages if not granted safe passage. Directed by Hugo Fregonese (One Way Street), shot by Stanley Cortez (The Night of the Hunter) and featuring Milburn Stone (TV’s Gunsmoke) and Jack Kelly (TV’s Maverick).
Nightmare (1956) – Beware! These Are the Eyes of a Hypnotist! Screen great Edward G. Robinson (Night Has a Thousand Eyes) shocks the screen awake in the haunting film noir, Nightmare. New Orleans clarinetist Stan Grayson (Kevin McCarthy, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) has a nightmare in which he sees himself killing a man in a mirrored room. He awakens to find blood on himself, bruises on his neck and a key from the dream in his hand. With the help of his detective brother-in-law (Robinson), Grayson uncovers clues that point to a malevolent hypnotist living in his building. Directed by Maxwell Shane (Fear in the Night) and based on a story by pulp-fiction king Cornell Woolrich (Rear Window).
For thoughts on Film Noir: The Dark Side Of Cinema XVII, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/ThQZmup1JxI?si=d7Zr5MtI7D5VZhpv&t=2872]
Video Quality
Vice Squad, Black Tuesday, and Nightmare come to Blu-Ray with the three films each given their own disc. These films share numerous similarities, so I will mostly be judging them as a group while pointing out noticeable differences when necessary. All three films are said to have been given a new master from a 2K scan of the 35mm Fine Grain, although Black Tuesday does not have that designation on its back cover despite what can be gleaned from the website. For the most part, these transfers provide a consistently good viewing experience despite some limitations. The quality amongst these three remains strong even with some brief downturns here and there. Every film shows off a small bit of underlying print damage, but everything is in line with what you expect from this series.
There is an agreeable amount of detail present throughout with obvious textures within the environments, outfits, and production design. Specks and scratches are not a rare occurence, but these sources have been maintained to good effect. Where we suspect Black Tuesday may not have gotten the same level of remaster is when it comes to the quality of the contrast. While the other two features provide stability with only a fleeting amount of flickering and density fluctuation in the print, Black Tuesday has more variance that does catch your eye. Black levels experience a bit of a swing, but none of them allow for significant black crush or compression artifacts. The natural film grain remains intact as it resolves favorably and naturally with only small moments of inconsistent grain. Even when things get a bit noisy, nothing ever appears egregiously blotchy or unnatural. The black-and-white photography is a welcome sight in its high definition debut. Kino Classics does impressive work in this space.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray set comes with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio tracks for each of these three films which show signs of its vintage but deliver a nice listening experience. Dialogue emanates freely without sounding gauzy or thin. Stylized exchanges play well with the environmental elements so information is clearly defined in the mix. The three scores that accompany these films never pull focus from the dialogue or other important information, but they can sound a little weak at the highest peaks. The deficiencies can be spotted in the faint humming and crackles that more than likely date back to the conditions of the source elements. These tracks hold up as well as you would hope for films from this era. There are optional English SDH subtitles included for all feature films.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary for Vice Squad: Film Historian/Screenwriter Gary Gerani provides a great commentary track in which he discusses the production history of the picture, how it stacks up against other crime films, the work of filmmaker Arnold Laven, how this differs from the original novel, the careers of the talent involved, the legacy of the film and more.
- Audio Commentary for Black Tuesday: Film Historian/Screenwriter Gary Gerani returns for a very knowledgeable commentary track in which he discusses the production history of the picture, where this fits in the history of film noir, the work of filmmaker Hugo Fregonese, how this differs from the original screenplay, the careers of the talent involved, the legacy of the film and more.
- Audio Commentary for Nightmare: Professor and Film Scholar Jason A. Ney provides a swell commentary track in which he discusses the production history, the tone of the feature, how it functions as an adaptation of a novel and a remake of an earlier film, how this fits into the era in which it was released, the backgrounds of those in front of and behind the camera, the legacy of the film and more.
- Trailers: There are trailers provided for Vice Squad (1:55), Black Tuesday (1:52) and Chicago Deadline (2:14). There are also trailers provided for The Stronger, The Ghost Breakers, The Woman In The Window, One Way Street, Night Has A Thousand Eyes, A Bullet For Joey, and Grand Slam.
Final Thoughts
The Film Noir: The Dark Side Of Cinema XVII collection is another worthwhile installment that stands apart thanks to its focus on the great Edward G. Robinson. Even with the same face appearing in every film, there is enough of a narrative gulf between each effort to keep things feeling fresh. From the familiar police drama of Vice Squad to the somewhat supernatural Nightmare, Robinson does not settle into one mode – playing both sides of the law in this set. While some of these films feel more vital than others, none of them completely miss the mark. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray set featuring a solid A/V presentation and a fine array of commentary tracks. If you enjoy this series, this is not a bad addition to your shelf. Recommended
Film Noir: The Dark Side Of Cinema XVII [Vice Squad/Black Tuesday/Nightmare] is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.