The Big Knife (1955) Blu-ray Review

Director Robert Aldrich had just finished the classic Kiss Me Deadly when he brought the film noir "The Big Knife" a movie with a huge message to the silver screen. He would direct four legends in this film: Ida Lupino, Shirley Winters, Rod Steiger and Jack Palance.

As a huge fan of film noirs, I was excited to see 1955's The Big Knife on Blu-ray thanks to MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). Now physical media fans (like me) can enjoy this film for years and years to come!

Hollywood star Charlie Castle (Jack Palance) has it all...but no way out. When he tries to quit show business, his studio boss (Rod Steiger) blackmails him with a secret. Now, he could lose everything...including his soul! 

I found this film simply fascinating as it depicts the corruption of the Hollywood system. Jack Palance shines like a beacon in this film. Ida Lupino is great as always and Rod Steiger and Shelly Winters bring great performances as well. The film runs just under 2 hours in length. Now for people in this generation, they may get bored with all the talk and no action. But for classic film fans the story is where the excitement is! It is a dramatic and cautionary tale.

MGM has transferred this classic to Blu-ray in 1080p. It is presented in its original full screen format (1.37:1). The soundtrack is a DTS-HS Master audio 2.0. There are also English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. 

This film transfer is a real thing of beauty. There are no signs of damage to the picture. However there is a hint of flutter in the audio at a certain point in the film. Other than that it is a pleasure to sit down and watch this film on Blu-ray. The real downside I found with this Blu-ray release is there is no bonus features. I would have loved to see an audio commentary, an interview or even a trailer. But sadly, it is a bare bones release. 

Now even though there are no bonus features, it is a great film and looks great in HD. While Robert Aldrich's Kiss Me Deadly is a masterpiece, The Big Knife is an entertaining tale and deserves to be on everyone's watch list.

So, if you love film noir as much as I do you need to see The Big Knife on Blu-ray from MGM. Head over to MovieZyng and order your copy today.



Our of 4 Film Reels (4 being the best) The Big Knife receives....