WARNER BROS' ICONIC ANTIHEROES...in 4K

THE MALTESE FALCON, REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE and COOL HAND LUKE (4K UHD)

FROM WARNER BROS / #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Paws😺

You could argue that Warner Bros more or less defined the cinema antihero as we know it today. Even in the early days, the studio was cranking out scores of films featuring flawed or morally questionable protagonists (and some of those main characters were flat-out bad guys). 

So it only makes sense that part of the studio’s ongoing 100th Anniversary celebration includes a tip-of-the-fedora to three of its most iconic antiheroes. All three films are making their long-awaited 4K Ultra HD debuts and have never looked better, though none feature any new supplemental material.

"I told you it was just chocolate."

THE MALTESE FALCON (1941 / 100 min) - Eight decades later, this is still the one we most associate with Humphrey Bogart, and for good reason. Though not the first actor to play private dick Sam Spade - nor is this the first adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s novel - Bogart’s the one who made him cool. With hindsight, it’s a damn shame he never returned to play his most famous character in other films. Storywise, The Maltese Falcon has it all…the cynical, unflappable protagonist, snappy dialogue, conniving bad guys, surprising plot twists, an unexpected femme fatale, and of course, the most famous McGuffin in movie history. Though I personally don’t consider it to be film noir in the purest sense, many of its visual and thematic elements had an indelible, long-lasting impact on the genre. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

WARNER NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - An option that replicates the moviegoing experience of the time, which includes a Sergeant York trailer, a newsreel, “That Gay Parisian" (short), “Meet John Doughboy” (cartoon). 

THE MALTESE FALCON: ONE MAGNIFICENT BIRD - A 30-minute retrospective doc.

BECOMING ATTRACTIONS: THE TRAILERS OF HUMPHREY BOGART - Hosted by the late Robert Osborns, this 45 minute feature looks at various marketing campaigns of Bogie’s films.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Eric Lax

BREAKDOWNS OF 1941 - Bloopers from various WB movies.

MAKE-UP TESTS  

3 RADIO BROADCASTS 

TRAILERS - For The Maltese Falcon and Satan Met a Lady (another adaptation of the same book, albeit with significant changes).

Hollywood's first emo.

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955 / 111 min) - Of course, this is the film that forever cemented James Dean as the ultimate poster boy for youthful rebellion. Somewhat controversial when first released, the film could superficially be considered quaint these days. But looking beyond the film’s tailor-made teen appeal reveals a story that addresses such themes as alienation, empathy and family dysfunction. Though there are certainly moments of levity, Rebel Without a Cause is ultimately a dark film that may end on a hopeful note, but makes no promises. At its center, of course, is Dean’s performance as Jim, who evolves from a self-absorbed delinquent to an endearing character of surprising complexity. And let’s not forget equally fine performances by Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

JAMES DEAN REMEMBERED - A 1974 TV special hosted by Peter Lawford, featuring many interviews with people who worked with Dean.

FEATURETTES - “Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents”; “Dennis Hopper: Memories from the Warner Lot”

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Douglas L. Rathgeb

SCREEN TESTS & WARDROBE TESTS

DELETED SCENES

"Sorry, Luke...go fish."

COOL HAND LUKE (1967 / 126 min) - In many ways, one could consider Cool Hand Luke to be the Shawshank Redemption of its day. Sure, escape is part of the plot, but the driving force behind the narrative are the characters and timeless themes of friendship, resolve and rebellion against a system that has already disregarded them. Even today, I’m still somewhat surprised that Paul Newman didn’t win an Oscar for his performance as the titular character. But he’s not the whole show here. The film features an incredible cast of some of Hollywood’s greatest character actors, including George Kennedy (who did win an Oscar), Strother Martin, Jo Van Fleet (in a small-but-affecting scene), Lou Antonio, Harry Dean Stanton and (who can forget) Joy Harmon. Elsewhere, Cool Hand Luke is filled with iconic scenes - and dialogue - that are pure movie magic. Tough, funny, heartwarming and ultimately bittersweet, it’s a film worth revisiting again and again.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

A NATURAL-BORN WORLD-SHAKER: MAKING COOL HAND LUKE - An affectionate look back at the film featuring numerous co-stars, director Stuart Rosenberg and Paul Newman biographer Eric Lax. Not a lot of insight beyond praise for Newman, but certainly enjoyable.

TRAILER

Having never seen Rebel Without a Cause on Blu-ray or DVD, I can’t make any 4K comparison (and for the sake of timeliness, did not view the accompanying Blu-ray edition). However, the film looks and sounds terrific. On the other hand, both Cool Hand Luke and The Maltese Falcon feature sharper imagery and more depth, especially apparent in the latter. Those films come with a Blu-ray copy as well, which also have excellent transfers. One minor quip would be that, considering these releases are part of Warner Bros’ year-long 100th Anniversary campaign, there's no new bonus material, even if just related to the studio itself. Still, all three of these films are undisputed classics and worthy pick-ups for videophiles.