 |
 |
|
 |
 |
Video:
1.33:1 |
|
|
|
Anamorphic: No |
|
|
|
Audio:
English (DD 1.0 Mono)
|
|
|
|
Subtitles: English |
|
|
|
Runtime: 96 Minutes |
|
|
|
Rating: NR |
|
|
|
Released:
March 20th 2007 |
|
|
|
Production
Year: 1947 |
|
|
|
Director: Jules Dassin |
|
|
|
Released
by:
The Criterion Collection |
|
|
|
Region: 1 NTSC |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Audio commentary by screenwriter
Malvin Wald |
|
|
|
Analysis of film's NYC locations by Celluloid
Skyline author James Sanders |
|
|
|
Video interview with NY film professor Dana Polan |
|
|
|
Video footage of Jules Dassin from his 2004 appearance
at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art |
|
|
|
Stills gallery |
|
|
|
New
essay by Luc Sante and production notes from producer Mark Hellinger
to Dassin |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
The Naked
City
By Gerry Donaghy |
|
|
 On a hot summer evening in New York City, Jean Dexter, an unemployed dress
model, is found drowned in her bathtub. Homicide detectives arrive on the scene
and attempt to find her killer. From this simple premise springs Jules Dassin's
film The Naked City, one of the first police procedural films ever made and a masterpiece of film noir.
Detectives Dan Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) and Jimmy Halloran (Don Taylor) are
assigned the case and soon they begin to interview friends, possible witnesses
and family in an attempt to discover Dexter's murderer. Lies and inconsistent
stories emerge, and, aided by a crack forensics team, the detectives tightening
their noose, building to a vertigo-inducing climax atop the Williamsburg Bridge.
What comes across on page as a modest cop whodunit dazzles on the screen as Dassin utilizes innovative narrative techniques, beginning with the opening narration, which introduces the real star of the film, the city of New York. Almost immediately the cinematic
illusion is destroyed by the narrator announcing that he is the producer of this film (Mark Hellinger), and telling viewers about the writers, actors and director of what they are about to see. What follows alternates between a newsreel examination of life in the city and the story that is the backbone of the film. Often, a character introduced by the narrator is a player in the unfolding drama. Other times, characters are introduced, but never seen again. This forces the viewer to be attentive, as you never know which of the eight million inhabitants of the city could be the culprit, or who will provide the missing link to solving the crime.
 The Naked City is one of those movies were every element is pitch perfect. The acting from Fitzgerald (who has an Irish brogue that'll make you crave Guinness or Lucky Charms) and Taylor effortlessly convey the endless vexations and frequent tedium of police work. Lowlife thugs like Willie the Harmonica (Ted de Corsia) ring true with the right amount of menace and nihilism. There is literally a cast of thousands if you include the endless number of uncredited roles, from shopgirl to street sweeper, all of whom lend an authentic air to the proceedings. The editing of The Naked City is innovative in the way that it intercuts between characters. Dassin and his Oscar-winning editor Paul Weatherwax, seamlessly weave the stories of not only the protagonists, but also the teeming denizens of the Big Apple. The cinematography is also peerless, its black and white photography richly complementing the subject and location, incorporating the very best visual elements of noir.
And, in as much as The Naked Cityis rife with plot and characters, the film is really an examination of New York City. In our current era of Woody Allen movies and Law & Order, it's easy to take for granted that film crews are permanently ensconced in New York, but it was a very different story in 1947. Previously, if a film was set there, producers were content to use a few exterior shots or stock footage to compliment the interiors which were shot on sound stages in Hollywood.  The producers, however, were taking a cue from the Italian Neo-Realists, and required as much authentic location as possible. In The Naked City a staggering 107 different locations were utilized during production, from the interiors of office buildings and shops, to the aforementioned climactic location of the Williamsburg Bridge. There was such a frenzy of public interest in filming that Dassin and his cameraman (William Daniels, who won an Academy Award for his work in this film) had to resort to shooting street scenes from inside delivery vans, or through one-way mirrors. The results are nothing short of stunning. Sixty years after it was made, the film stands, more than anything else, as a love letter to New York, even if it is occasionally written with a poisoned pen.
For film historians The Naked City also serves as a tragic reminder of past
injustices and lives cut short. Producer Hellinger died of a heart attack after
the first screening of the film and Dassin and screenwriter Malvin Wald were
both victims of the Hollywood blacklist because are their left-leaning sympathies.
Dassin completed two more films before fleeing to France, where he was unable
to work again until Rififi in 1955.
 DVD Presentation
The Naked City is another nearly flawless release by Criterion. While grain in the print is often present, as are infrequent signs of wear, it is difficult to imagine this looking any better than it does. The clarity of the print and presentation allows the viewer to distinguish so much more than ever before. For example, it is possible to tell where one building ends and another begins on the New York Skyline. In a movie where the city is the focal point, this is a true blessing. The nighttime shots are pristine, allowing a wonderful contrast of blacks, grays and whites that were washed out in previous releases.
The Dolby Digital mono is miraculous in how much background hiss has been removed, but there isn't a whole lot going on in the audio department, since much of the film is voiced-over by producer Hellinger anyway.
Extras
Criterion stacks the deck in the viewer's favor, packing a wealth of extras onto a single disc, beginning with an illuminating audio commentary by screenwriter Marvin Wald. While the commentary often veers into describing what's happening onscreen in an effort to fill up the entire running time, it is nonetheless informative about the creating of the picture, as well as the collaborative nature of the filmmakers.  There are two analysis of the film: one by the author of Celluloid Skyline James Sanders about the location shooting and an overview of the film, its influences and its impact by NYU filmprofessor Dana Polan. Both are wildly fascinating. While Polan's may cover a lot of ground already known byfans of the film, it is invaluable for neophytes. Sanders' piece is also informative and lucid, providing a detailed history of the locations used for the film. He provides a bittersweet nostalgia as he explains the fate of buildings and locations that no longer exist. With New York City evolving into a tourist friendly destination, being able to see the un-gentrified Bowery or Chelsea is truly eye-opening.
The real treat in terms of extras is the video question and answer with Dassin in front of a live audience at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The ninety-three year old director shows his mind to be as agile and passionate as ever. Remarkable still is how sanguine he is about being pressured leave the country and having his career nearly destroyed because of a political witch hunt. He is clearly having a great time, fielding questions from moderator and audience member alike. The quality of this particular extra is poor, and Criterion says so in the introduction. But the delight derived from watching this is inestimable.
 Finishing off the extras is a booklet with an essay about the film by Luc Sante, which covers a lot of ground already covered by the various on-disc extras, and production notes from producer Hellinger to Dassin. Sante is an acute cultural critic and his views of the film make for interesting reading, while the production notes highlight the Herculean task of filming The Naked City.
One final note on the extras: the packaging and Criterion's website list a theatrical trailer as an extra, but it's not present. A quick check of their website provides no explanation for this discrepancy. It's not a big deal, but if you're going to advertise it, you should include it.
Bottom Line
Simply put, The Naked City is a must have for any fan of film noir. Criterion has done a superlative job of giving viewers their money's worth in terms of quality and content (the absent trailer notwithstanding). All in all, a fine film that is given some long overdue home video respect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
