WB’s Warner Archive Collection is doing some of the best work in film preservation. One of its newest releases is The Complete Thin Man Collection Blu-ray, which brings all six William Powell movies to high-definition in one lovely package. The mystery comedy movies are a whole lot of fun and are certainly a worthwhile throwback to revisit.
The sparkling series featured the irresistible William Powell and Myrna Loy as husband and wife sleuths who solved murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier, Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s and 40s upper-class Manhattan, The Thin Man and its sequels established a timeless standard for witty comedy, clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship. The 6-Disc set includes The Thin Man, After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man, Song of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home. Each film has been meticulously remastered and restored for Blu-ray, from 4K scans of the best surviving elements. Additionally, the collection contains vintage short subjects and animated cartoons to help re-create the way these films were first presented in theaters upon their release. It’s an essential collection of screen classics that belong in every serious film lover’s library,” says the official description.
All six movies star Powell and Myrna Loy as the husband and wife detective duo and four of them were directed by W. S. Van Dyke. That’s a large reason why the series, which spanned from 1934 to 1947, was so successful as Powell and Loy’s sharp dialogue and entertaining chemistry was its signature. While it’s now become a bit of a trope, it’s very entertaining seeing where it largely originated in film. The six films, which all look fantastic in high definition thanks to being remastered from 4K scans, also see some other great actors come through for their own mysteries, such as James Stewart in After the Thin Man and Virginia Grey in Another Thin Man.
While the original The Thin Man is the most highly regarded film — it was a favorite of Akira Kurosawa and you can’t beat the original — the sequels are quite worth watching. As someone who loves a good murder mystery, I had a great time trying to guess who the culprit was in Shadow of the Thin Man and Song of the Thin Man. They all deliver lots of laughs and a solid mystery, which helped the series stay entertaining for six films.
Sort of sad that this needs to be praised, but The Complete Thin Man Collection Blu-ray features really nice packaging. Each Blu-ray disc is given its own insert, so you don’t have to worry about discs being stacked on other discs or it being difficult to access them. Each disc has some special features as well, although they don’t go quite as in-depth as some Warner Archive releases — the overall value of the collection is the real draw here.
The Complete Thin Man Collection Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict
The Complete Thin Man Collection Blu-ray is an easy recommendation for fans of murder mysteries. If you’re not familiar with Nick and Nora Charles, then you’re about to become a fan as Powell and Loy’s chemistry is simply electric and effortlessly entertaining. All six movies are solid, even if they peak with the original, so you can’t go wrong picking this one up.
Disclaimer: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our The Complete Thin Man Collection Blu-ray review.
