Rent Columbia Noir #6: The Whistler (1948)
3.3 of 5 from 46 ratings
8h 25min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Our sixth journey into Columbia Pictures' film noir output walks a different path, taking a detour into the mysterious world of the Whistler, as we present all eight films in the popular series. Adapted from a hit radio series, each episode has the Whistler emerge from the shadows to introduce a nightmarish, twisting tale in his own sardonic manner, with the first seven films starring Richard Dix (It Happened in Hollywood). In 'The Whistler', a guilt-stricken man hires a contract killer to end his life...but finds he cannot pull out of the deal. 'The Mark of the Whistler' sees a homeless man claim the money in an abandoned bank account, only to find the rightful owners on his tail. In 'The Power of the Whistler', an amnesiac must reconstruct his dark past using only the items in his pockets. 'Voice of the Whistler' finds a poor nurse marry her wealthy, terminally ill patient, only for him to defy the odds and recover. In 'Mysterious Intruder', a private eye becomes embroiled in a murderous race to track down a missing girl and a lost fortune. 'The Secret of the Whistler' sees a young bride suspect that her new husband may have murdered his first wife. In Dix's final film, 'The Thirteenth Hour', the owner of a trucking company is framed for a murder he didn't commit. Finally, in 'The Return of the Whistler', Michael Duane takes the lead as a man whose fiancée is abducted on the eve of their wedding. - Actors:
- Richard Dix, Barton MacLane, Nina Vale, Regis Toomey, Helen Mowery, Mike Mazurki, Pamela Blake, Charles Lane, Paul E. Burns, Kathleen Howard, Harlan Briggs, Jessie Arnold, Stanley Blystone, Jack Carrington, Eddy Chandler, Kernan Cripps, Edith Evanson, Otto Forrest, Martin Garralaga, Selmer Jackson
- Directors:
- William Castle
- Producers:
- Rudolph C. Flothow
- Writers:
- Eric Taylor
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Thrillers
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 20/05/2024
- Run Time:
- 505 minutes
- Languages:
- English LPCM Mono
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.37:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary with film historian Josh Nelson on 'The Whistler' (2024)
- Audio commentary with professor and film scholar Jason A Ney on 'The Power of the Whistler' (2024)
- Audio commentary with film historian Lee Gambin on 'Voice of the Whistler' (2024)
- Audio commentary with film historian Jeremy Arnold on 'Mysterious Intruder' (2024)
- Audio commentary with academic and curator Eloise Ross on 'The Thirteenth Hour' (2024)
- Kim Newman on 'The Whistler' (2024): in-depth exploration of the film series by the critic and author
- Kim Newman on William Castle (2024): overview of the cult filmmaker's early career as a studio-contracted director, prior to his successes as an independent showman best known for his macabre genre movies
- Stuart Holmes Oral History (1958): rare archival audio recording of the prolific character actor in conversation with historian George Pratt
- It's Murder (1944): dramatised documentary, produced by Columbia Pictures for the war effort and featuring a number of cast and crew members from 'The Whistler' film series
- It's Your America (c. 1945): dramatised documentary focusing on soldiers returning from World War II, directed by John Ford and featuring J Carroll Naish, the antagonist in 'The Whistler'
- Image galleries: promotional and publicity materials
- World premieres on Blu-ray
- Disc 1:
- Disc 2:
- Disc 3:
- Disc 4:
