Coming in December and January..."Pitfall" [1948] and Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much..." [1935]

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WHAT: WHEN: STUDIO: PRICE:Pitfall (1948) December 11th Film Chest Retail: $11.98, Our: $9.99

The wait is now over for noir fans as Pitfall (1948), starring Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott, Jane Wyatt and a creepy Raymond Burr, makes its DVD debut on December 11th.

Film Chest, the company that did a masterful job restoring The Red House as well as other neglected PD films, will retail the DVD for only $11.98. It is available at Classic-Flix.com for just $9.99. Bonus features are not expected.

Dick Powell plays a returning World War II veteran who at first blush would seem to have everything going his way - a good marriage with a beautiful wife in Jane Wyatt and a healthy, energetic young son in Jimmy Hunt, along with a lovely home and a position as a Los Angeles insurance executive. Powell exhibits the restlessness that many returning servicemen experienced following the global military conflict. His penchant for excitement leads him into an extra-marital affair with blonde model Lizabeth Scott.

What propels Pitfall into the ranks of a chilling film noir drama is the appearance of a ruthless sociopath will to destroy all in his path to secure his objective, which in this case is possessing Liz Scot, body and soul. Corrupt private detective Raymond Burr overlooks the unyielding rebuff of Scott who detests him. Burr convinces himself that eventually her feelings will change.

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[editor's note: Please beware that the 1948 Film noir "Pitfall" have not been restored nor remastered...Thanks,]

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A January 15th release date has been announced for standard and Blu-Ray versions of Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1935).

This rescue public domain purgatory by Criterion will come with the usual bonus features offered by the label.

An ordinary British couple vacationing in Switzerland suddenly find themselves embroiled in a case of international intrigue when their daughter is kidnapped by spies plotting a political assassination. This fleet and gripping early thriller from the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, was the first film the director made after signing to the Gaumont-British Picture Corporation.

Besides affirming Hitchcock’s brilliance, it gave the brilliant Peter Lorre his first English-speaking role, as a slithery villain. With its tension and gallows humor, it’s pure Hitchcock, and it set the tone for films like The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes.

BONUS FEATURES:

• New audio commentary featuring film historian Philip Kemp
• New interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro
• The Illustrated Hitchcock, an extensive interview with director Alfred Hitchcock from 1972, conducted by journalist Pia Lindstrom and film historian William Everson
• Audio excerpts from filmmaker François Truffaut’s legendary 1962 interviews with Hitchcock
• Restoration demonstration
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme