Warner Archive Collection New Releases: Femme Fatale FTW

GUN CRAZY (1949) New to Blu-Ray with a 2018 1080p HD Master 
This harrowing tale of dark desire and murderous obsession debuted as nothing more ambitious than a well-made B-program thriller, but it’s qualities as a key film noir hit the bulls eye with the passage of time, and Gun Crazy emerged to take its place among “cine” qua non of the genre. John Dalland and Peggy Cummins star as a couple of kids who meet sharp-shooting cute and find themselves well outside the law – and human convention. Gun Crazy gets its long overdue chrome and gun metal grey polish with this new 1080p Blu-ray master, and is a deadly delight. Special Features: Commentary by Author/Film-Noir Specialist Glenn Erickson; Feature Length Documentary: “Film-Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light” (2006). Special thanks to UCLA Film & Television Archive for their contributions to this release.

ACTION CLASSICS
THE LOST SQUADRON (1932) New to DVD
Forged in the fiery skies of World War I, a squadron of American fliers are connected by the unbreakable bonds of loyalty, blood and grief. Going their separate ways after the war, these debonair daredevils of the air find civilian life somewhat lacking. Jobs, girls, and even fortune have all been lost while they served the county. When one of the number lands a gig as a stunt flyer in the suddenly booming motion picture business of Hollywood and Burbank, its one for all and all for one. Now reunited, the lost squadron astounds one and all with their daredevil exploits only to face a menace more dangerous than the Red Baron, tyrannical director Von Furst (legendary real-life director Erich von Stroheim). When one of their number is lost thanks to Von Furst, the boys declare war on Hollywood. This rollicking epic’s all-star cast includes Richard Dix, Joel McCrea and Mary Astor as well as featuring amazing scenes of early stunt flying.

THE FAMOUS FERGUSON CASE (1932) New to DVD
Bruce Foster (Tom Brown) is a small-town reporter that dreams of breaking the big scoop that will gain him entry into the ranks of big city journolism. His dream comes true in nightmare fashion when local resident and world-famous banker George Ferguson (Purnell Pratt) is found murdered, with his wife Marcia (Vivienne Osborne) bound and gagged next to his body. Swiftly selling the story to both respected metropolitan newspapers and tawdry downtown tabloids, Bruce triggers a tidal wave of fast-talking, faster typing correspondents that crashes upon the sleepy town of Cornwall. While Bruce’s gal pal Toni (Adrienne Dore) is quickly and shockingly seduced by scandal jockey Bob Parks (Kenneth Thomson), Bruce receives sage and responsible advice from seasoned newsman Martin Collins (Grant Mitchell). At the center of this conflict between truth-seekers and news makers is Maizie Dickson (Joan Blondell), a hard bitten news hen that still has a heart.

BURN ‘EM UP, O’CONNOR (1939) New to DVD
Hayseed farmhand Jerry O’Connor (Dennis O’Keefe) dreams of breaking into the high-speed leagues of professional auto-racing but has little hopes of doing so, even with the help of Buddy (Nat Pendleton), his dimwitted, savant auto mechanic pal. When a racer totals his flivver in front of the pair, they save the car from scrapyard and hit the amateur circuit. While satisfying his appetite for speed, Jerry gets smitten with Jane Delano (Cecilia Parker), daughter of racing magnate Pinky Delano (Harry Carey). Pinky is impressed with Jerry’s skills, much to the chagrin of Jane, and invites him to join the team. But Pinky has a problem – a series of fatal accidents are inexplicably plaguing the drivers of a certain car design. It’s a race against the clock and fate as Jerry tries to stay alive behind the wheel while Buddy tries to crack the case of the fatal car.

ESPIONAGE AGENT (1939) New to DVD
Warner Bros. continued their one-studio war against Hitler and his minions by following the sensational Confessions of a Nazi Spy with this crackling dramatic thriller starring Joel McCrea and new discovery Brenda Marshall. McCrea plays US State Department diplomat Barry Corvall who becomes a one-man counterspy agency in the dawning days of World War II. After Barry discovers that his new bride, refugee Brenda Ballard (Marshall), has been compromised into acting as an agent for Nazi Germany, he is expelled from the foreign service. Recruited by an Assistant Secretary of State, Barry goes undercover as a disgraced ex-diplomat, besotted by his Mata Hari wife. Journeying to Geneva, Barry and Brenda put themselves in harm’s way in a desperate bid to uncover the secrets of the Nazi spy ring operating inside the United States. This action romance pulls no punches.

NOTE: These DVDs are Manufactured on Demand (MOD); to order, fans must visit The Warner Archive Collection, WB Shop.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

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