Murder is for keeps and happy endings are for saps when Warner Home Video introduces The Film Noir Classic Collection on July 6th – all-new DVD titles including John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle, Murder My Sweet, The Set Up, Out of the Past and Gun Crazy.

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Nominated for four Academy Awards and long considered a noir classic, John Huston’s heist film about a million-dollar jewelry store burglary stars Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore and features an early appearance by Marilyn Monroe in just her seventh film.

The DVD bonus material includes an introduction by John Huston, commentary by USC Cinema History professor Drew Casper with James Whitmore and the theatrical trailer.

Murder, My Sweet (1944)

Starring Dick Powell and Claire Trevor, the film captures perfectly the sharp wit and style of Raymond Chandler’s novel Farewell, My Lovely, about a gumshoe Philip Marlowe searching for a missing moll named Velma. Renamed so American filmgoers wouldn’t mistake it as a Powell musical; it turned the actor’s career around, helping him to shun his choir-boy image. Edward Dmytryk directed.

The DVD extra content includes commentary by film noir expert and Prime Suspects producer Alain Silver and the theatrical trailer.

The Set-Up (1949)

Robert Wise directs noir icons Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter in the movie, set in boxing’s palooka world, about a down-on-his luck fighter who thinks he’s one bout away from the big payoff.
The DVD bonus material includes commentary by Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese.

Out Of The Past (1947)
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Another definitive noir classic about a trio to reckon with – a troubled PI (Robert Mitchum), a drop-dead beauty (Jane Greer) and a moneyed mobster (Kirk Douglas). Mitchum plays Jeff Bailey, the private eye hired to find mobster Whit Sterling’s (Douglas) mistress Kathie (Greer) who had shot Whit and absconded with $40,000. The film winds up in Acapulco…where the luscious Kathie makes Jeff forget all about Sterling.

The DVD extra content includes commentary by film noir expert Jim Ursini.

Gun Crazy (1949)

Peggy Cummins and John Dall star in this cult favorite, shockingly dark and brutal for its time, directed by Joseph H. Lewis. A searing forerunner to Bonnie and Clyde, the film tells the story of a gun-obsessed twosome who meet at a carnival, run off to get married and then commit a string of daring robberies across the country. The screenplay was adapted by MacKinlay Kantor from his magazine article and was co-written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, credited under the name Millard Kaufman.

The DVD bonus material includes commentary by film noir expert Glenn Erickson.

On Jul 6th, the titles will be available in both a five-disc set, for $49.92, or individually for $19.97.