Amazon Links

Where Amazon links have been added to titles, they are available to purchase on DVD.  Amazon is used due to their huge data-base and the facility to purchase from third parties - very handy when looking for a rare title or one released a few years ago that might not be in stock at your local store.  The US or UK on the links denotes that the title is available in either NTSC format from the US store or in PAL format from the UK store.  It does not indicate the country of origin of the DVD release.

There are many other good retailers on the web, some specialising in crime or noir films - please check the links page for more details

Collector's Copies

Obtaining a copy from a fellow collector is often the only way to view many rare films that haven’t been released on DVD and are never likely to be released; films that are too obscure to ever be released by the studio (if the studio is even aware they still hold the copyright).
Therefore, where possible, links to collectors' websites have been provided next to a film's title. Links to e-mail addresses have been provided where websites are not available.

Collectors wishing their details to be added against a title should contact info@noirlists.com

Quality & source

Quality will vary - most collectors will provide a guide or rating on the quality.
However, everybody's opinion differs - my idea of a '7' or 'B-' rating will differ from yours.
The best quality will be either a copy from a DVD source (deleted or foreign title) or recorded directly onto DVD from TV/broadcast source.
Rarer films may only be available from transfers of old VHS copies that have deteriorated through age or second-generation transfers.

Service

In my experiences, I have found most collectors to be friendly, courteous people, willing to answer questions and help where possible.
However, they are not businesses. Therefore, you should not expect immediate replies to your queries, next-day delivery or the ability to accept credit cards. Many do accept foreign orders, however, you should be prepared to pay extra for postage and additional admin involved.

Payments

Accepting Credit Card payments is expensive, therefore, most collectors do not accept direct payments through their sites. Payment methods such as Paypal offer a facility to accept credit card payments and should be used where offered.
Payments by cheque, cash or bank transfer may be accepted by individual collectors, but again do not expect this. There are many good reasons why collectors will refuse certain payment methods (bank charges, potential fraud, security, privacy etc..)

DVD formats

2 things to watch out for -

Firstly, does your DVD player only play DVD-R or DVD+R media?
If so, you must be aware of the media used by the collector. This is less of a problem now, as most newer DVD players can cope with both + and -.

Secondly, NTSC or PAL
NTSC is the North American standard for DVD & VHS
PAL is the European standard (also used in Australia and other areas)
Most European DVD & VHS players can handle NTSC media, so this is not a major problem.
However, most North American players can only handle NTSC media. A PAL DVD or VHS will not play in a North American player unless it states PAL compatibility.
There is no simple, reliable program for transferring a PAL DVD to a NTSC DVD (or vice versa) without a noticeable loss of quality.
It is worth noting that PCs do not have a PAL/NTSC issue and all discs should be playable on your PC regardless of format.

Trading

Many collectors will consider trading to boost their collection, and in turn yours.
If you are looking to trade, it is advisable to list your own available titles, with an indication of the quality and source.
Most traders will require you to send your titles first to check quality (of the title, the transfer and media used). It is advisable to use A grade media, but most collectors are not interested in artwork or printed DVD faces.
Whilst some rare titles will be very sought after, most trades will be done on a 1-for-1 basis.