He Walked by Night (Blu-ray) - Special Edition

He Walked by Night (Blu-ray) - Special Edition

(1948)

actors: Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Whit Bissell, Roy Roberts, James Cardwell, Marty Wynn, Billy Mauch, Tommy Kelly, Jack Webb, Dorothy Adams, (more)
director: Alfred L. Werker, Anthony Mann
genre: Mystery/Thriller, Crime, Film Noir, Drama
line: CF OOP
year: 1948
length: 79 minutes
released: November 07, 2017
format: Blu-ray
misc: NTSC, Black & White
language: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)

Synopsis

NOTE: THIS SPECIAL EDITION IS LIMITED TO 5,000 COPIES.

Beautifully restored and first time on Blu-ray in this special edition.

When a Los Angeles police officer is savagely gunned down, a city-wide manhunt ensues for his cunning and ruthless killer.

But finding the murderer, chillingly played by Richard Basehart in only his third film, proves difficult for Detective Marty Brennan (Scott Brady) and his colleagues as Basehart’s Roy Morgan is always one step ahead of the law. Will modern police methods and sheer determination be enough to find the elusive cop-killer before he strikes again?

Visually stunning, cinematographer John Alton’s brilliant use of light and shadows shine in this groundbreaking police procedural that paved the way for the TV series Dragnet; which itself spawned an entire sub-genre of television crime-dramas that are still popular to this day.

Based on true events, He Walked by Night was directed by Alfred L. Werker, along with an uncredited Anthony Mann (who is believed to be responsible for the film’s most iconic scenes). Co-written by John C. Higgins (Raw Deal) and Crane Wilbur (The Phenix City Story), it also features Jack Webb who went on to create and star in the aforementioned Dragnet.

The mono soundtrack has been restored is uncompressed on this release.

BONUS FEATURES:

  • Audio Commentary by biographer and producer Alan K. Rode & writer and film historian Julie Kirgo
  • Below the Surface: He Walked by Night - Featurette with cinematographer Richard Crudo, film critic & author Todd McCarthy, writer and film historian Julie Kirgo, film historian & director Courtney Joyner and biographer & producer Alan K. Rode
  • Image gallery with rare stills and posters
  • PLUS: A 24 page booklet with an essay by author Max Alvarez (The Crime Films of Anthony Mann) featuring stills, posters and other production material