The Most Dangerous Game - DVD

 

 

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What if hunting for sport was taken to its extreme?

That's the chilling premise of "The Most Dangerous Game," an adaptation of Richard Connell's story about a madman who hunts other men for sport. It's a taut, tightly-written movie with some wonderfully shocking moments, and a sense of suspense that doesn't let up until the final seconds.

A ship is wrecked on a reef, and her crew and passengers eaten by sharks. Only big-game hunter Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) makes it to the shore of a jungle island, where he is welcomed into the palatial home of the bizarre Count Zaroff, who has several guests waiting for a boat back to civilization. Except according to another "guest" Eve (Fay Wray), his guests have a nasty habit of vanishing.

Bob and Eve find out why, when they break into Zaroff's trophy room... and find other humans on display as trophies. Now that they've found out his secret, Zaroff decides to have Bob as his next prey, with Eve accompanying him. If Bob can get away by sunset, they'll both go free. If not...

Surprisingly, "The Most Dangerous Game" was only made because of another movie -- the original "King Kong." The monkey movie shot during the day, and then the sets and actors were used on "Most Dangerous Game" during the night. It certainly accounts for the lush jungle sets and island setting.

That's where the resemblance ends. "Most Dangerous Game" is a more psychological, suspenseful movie, taking a look at what happens when "killer fun" is extended to human beings. It's a bit on the short side -- just over an hour -- but it's stripped of all extra scenes or dialogue. This is raw filmmaking.

While the first half is about the suspense, the second half is what pays off -- a desperate chase through overgrown jungles and misty swamps, trying to outrun Zaroff. It's all the more frightening because they're on a tiny island. The chase climaxes with a shocking fight on a clifftop with a savage hunting dog, but directors Irving Pichel and Ernest B. Schoedsack have a few tricks up their sleeves.

McCrea and Wray do very nice jobs as the clean-cut American stud, and the English rose who seems to be a lot smarter than he is (why is she the only one who notices that the whole setup is strange?). But Satanic-looking Leslie Banks is the scene stealer. The fact that he is barking mad is underscored by his reasonable, pleasant attitude -- Banks is nothing short of brilliant here.

Obviously if you want the best version, Criterion has it. But for those on a budget, the Alpha print is surprisingly serviceable -- clear sound, clear picture, no static or skips. It's gotten a little dark over time (well, it was filmed at night), but that can be fixed by adjusting the brightness of the screen.

This short, intense movie is a brilliant piece of work, and may be eve more relevant now than it was in 1932. Thrilling, dark and suspenseful.

Since many have written of the awesome, original story. i will comment on the quality of the dvd. i owned a copy before criterion remastered it from the original 35 mm. composite fine-grain master. What a difference! Made in 1932 the transfer is not perfect and has a few flaws, but on the whole this version is worth every penny to get a decent copy of one of the best horror movies ever created based on a short story by Richard Connel. Audio commentary by film historian Brucce Eder. Subtitles added. 63 min. b & w. monoral. 1:33:1 aspect ratio.

A ship full of mysterious characters is interring a harbor that is either misscharted or mislight. We are introduced to them and in two minutes and they are old friends.

A conversation is struck up on the subject of hunting. Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) is asked if it is really fare hunt with superior file power and asked if he would change places with the tiger. He philosophically replies, "That is something I will never have to decide... This world is decided into two kinds of people. The hunter and the hunted. I am a hunter and nothing can ever change that."

I will not give you a detailed review of the movie as that is what you will buy it. However after watching once be sure to listen to the Criterion version voice over by xxx and then watch the movie again.

You can tell right off that this is a David O. Selznick picture as he has his name plastered over the credits.
Screen play by James Ashmore Creelman. From a story by Richard Connell.

I found it interesting that many of the actors and the sets will show up in the 1933 version of King Kong.
I also pretty much guesses the story ahead of time. Not because I saw it or read the book. But I saw most of the remakes and know the formula. Believe me this will not distract from this film.

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3.0 out of 5 stars insane count hunts humans on his island
this is an old movie(1932).it's about an insane count who lives in a
castle on an island.every once in a while,a ship wreck occurs on the
island(not accidentally)and the... Read more

Published on Sep 4 2007 by falcon

3.0 out of 5 stars The Boring Book
The book of The Most Dangerous Game was about two couples that were trapped on an island far away from the Bahamas. they had a plane crash on the way to England. Read more

Published on Jun 7 2004 by Crystal L. Kayonnie

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent movie!
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie, made by RKO radio pictures was the last picture they did before releagsing King Kong... Read more

Published on April 23 2004 by Ted

5.0 out of 5 stars INCREDIBLE DVD TRANSFER OF AN ADVENTURE CLASSIC
The Alpha DVD of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME gets 5 stars from this commentator. The price is nearly impossible to pass up, even with a merely acceptable transfer of the film. Read more

Published on Jan 25 2004 by mackjay

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and atmospheric classic
The Most Dangerous Game was a pet project of its producer,Merian C Cooper,and he did a bang up job of translating the Richard Connell short story to the screen. Read more

Published on Sep 29 2003 by F. J. Harvey

4.0 out of 5 stars Still the best
Still the best screen adaptation of one of the great short stories of all time. The theme of Richard Connell's masterpiece has been used countless times, from "Woman... Read more

Published on Mar 17 2003 by blue-59

4.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling game of human chess
The Most Dangerous Game is a pretty familiar story, and that foreknowledge somewhat blunts this movie's shock value and effectiveness to modern audiences. Read more

Published on Feb 1 2003 by Daniel Jolley

5.0 out of 5 stars DEADLIER THAN THE HUNTER....
Florid and exciting film of Richard Connell's famous short story stars Leslie Banks as the mad Count Zaroff, a Cossack big game hunter who has discovered a superior form of prey:... Read more

Published on Jan 20 2003 by Mark Norvell

4.0 out of 5 stars Manhunt in Kong's Jungle.
Bob, a big-game hunter shipwrecked off a remote island, encounters Zaroff (Leslie Banks). Typical of guys named "Bob," Bob (Joel McCrea) is handsome and rugged. Read more

Published on Dec 23 2002 by Robert S. Clay Jr.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most effective horror films of the 1930s
I keep forgetting that Fay Wray made dozens of films before "King Kong," including this 1932 film which proves that you do not need special effects or lots of make-up to... Read more

Published on July 27 2002 by Lawrance M. Bernabo

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