Ignite Films & Eagle Rock Pictures will be releasing the classic film noir The Big Combo newly restored on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray this month following last year’s 70th anniversary celebration. The film will be available in four editions: Premium 4K UHD Steelbook – New Artwork (Limited Edition, with slipcover), Premium 4K UHD Vintage Steelbook – Original Poster (Limited Edition, with slipcover), 4K UHD Standard Edition (Reversible Artwork, with Slipcover), and Blu-ray Standard Edition (Reversible Artwork, with Slipcover). All editions include the bonus feature film The Crooked Way, with cinematography by John Alton.
Directed by Joseph H. Lewis (Gun Crazy), the film follows obsessive police lieutenant Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) as he wages a personal crusade against the elusive and sadistic crime boss Mr. Brown (Richard Conte). Celebrated for its bold cinematography by John Alton and its daring depiction of psychological and physical cruelty, The Big Combo shattered taboos of its time and influenced generations of filmmakers, from Scorsese to Tarantino.
This digital restoration of The Big Combo was undertaken by Ignite Films, working from a 35mm Fine Grain Answer Print and a 35mm Optical Sound Negative. The picture was restored in 4K by The Grainery, while the audio was sourced from a UCLA restoration funded by The Film Foundation. The color grading was carried out by Gosia Grzyb under the supervision and approval of Scott MacQueen. Get more details below!
Synopsis: A cornerstone of American film noir, The Big Combo remains one of the genre’s most visually striking and uncompromising works. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis (Gun Crazy), the film follows obsessive police lieutenant Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) as he wages a personal crusade against the elusive and sadistic crime boss Mr. Brown (Richard Conte).
Driven by equal parts justice and desire, Diamond’s pursuit draws him into the shadows of a corrupt city, and into the orbit of Brown’s cool, haunted mistress, Susan Lowell (Jean Wallace, Wilde’s real-life wife). As Diamond descends deeper, the line between duty and obsession blurs, culminating in one of noir’s most chilling confrontations. The film also stars Brian Donlevy, and a stellar supporting cast that features Lee Van Cleef, Earl Holliman, and Helen Walker.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Newly Produced Bonus Features:
- New Audio Commentary with acclaimed film historian and noir expert Imogen Sara Smith.
- New Interview with celebrated author and critic Philippe Garnier.
- How a Man Makes a Living — How a Little Combo Made The Big Combo: New video essay by Scout Tafoya.
- The Crooked Way (1949) – Another brutal noir with spectacular expressionistic cinematography by John Alton with unfiltered filming on the 1940s post-war streets of Los Angeles.
Legacy Bonus Features:
- Audio Commentary with Eddie Muller, the “Czar of Noir” and founder of the Film Noir Foundation.
- Geoff Andrew, respected critic and curator, on The Big Combo.
- Wagon Wheel Joe: A fascinating video appreciation of Lewis’s dynamic camerawork and recurring motifs, tracing his evolution from B-movie craftsman to master stylist.
- Booklet:
- Art in a Boiling Pot: New written introduction by Eddie Muller.
- Commissioned essays by Ben Sachs, Alonso Duralde, Katie Stebbins, Scout Tafoya, and Garrett Clayton.
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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
