Black Classics (Cabin in the Sky, Hallelujah, et al)

[oldsheperd]

Does anybody have any info on an all Black Cast box or something? I just saw preorders for Cabin In the Sky and Hallelujah! on dvdempire.

I guess it would be pretty tricky, but it would be cost effective for those of us that wouldn't mind having them. Black History month is February, these are being released in January.

[Ashirg]

They are released for Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday promotion.

[Jeff]

From DavisDVD:

Just announced from Warner Bros are a number of new-to-DVD catalog titles. Arriving January 10th, 2006 are Buffalo Soldiers, the great Cabin the Sky (with commentary by Dr. Todd Boyd, Dr. Drew Casper, Evangela Anderson, Eva Anderson and Fayard Nicholas with Lena Horne, the 1946 MGM short "Studio Visit," "Ain't It the Truth" audio outtake, trailer), Freedom Song, The Green Pastures (commentary by LeVar Burton, Herb Boyd and Ed Guerrero, 1933 WB short "Rufus Jones for President," 1935 Vitaphone short "An All-Colored Vaudville Show," trailer), Hallelujah (commentary by Donald Bogle and Avery Clayton Pie, 1932 WB short "Pie Blackbird," 1936 Vitaphone short "The Black Network," trailer) and Heat Wave. Retail is $19.97 each.

[tryavna]

I'm very much looking forward to Hallelujah, as it was directed by the (white) King Vidor, one of my favorite directors and one who is almost criminally neglected by Warner. Also glad to see that it's been spared a commentary track by the creepy Drew Caspar. <shudder.

[emcflat]

I would love to hear thoughts about "The Green Pastures." Watched the VHS in anticipation of this release and really enjoyed it, particularly the beautiful gospel choir music, and Rex Ingram as "De Lawd." Racial qualms aside, an excellent film of it's time, I think.

[Lino]

Especially love the cover art for these two titles:



They remind me of one of my favorite albums ever cover:

[Lino]

Cabin in the Sky review & Green Pastures review

[djali999]

Hello! Recently saw Hallelujah and thought it was really something, but the VHS I saw was badly cropped on all sides. Based on the era of the film I imagine the aspect ratio of the film is something narrower than 1.33:1, and the print reminded me of similar awkward cropping issues with Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers, which seems to confirm this.

Although if the film were narrower than 1.33:1 on DVD I'm sure I'd have heard of it by now, I'm wondering is some charitable individual could post or direct me to screencaps? I know the Warner DVD is 10 minutes longer than the VHS I saw, was just checking on the quality of the print itself before I commit. Thanks!

[Matt]

I'm wondering is some charitable individual could post or direct me to screencaps?

Here are some at random. The element used has intermittent damage (scratches mainly), but looks good overall. A little soft, maybe, but I'm guessing a lot of that is inherent to the film.

As I've said elsewhere on the forum, this disc is a must-own; if not for the feature, then for the Pie Pie Blackbird short with Eubie Blake, Nina Mae McKinney, and the Nicholas Brothers.

[djali999]

Thanks very much... every FYE in my area has it used for cheap, so time to chip away at the ol' store credit...

[otis]

Thompson & Bordwell's Film History actually uses a frame enlargement from Hallelujah to show how the Phonofilm system reduced the width of the image when the sound track was added to the film strip, resulting in the 1.17 'pillarbox' ratio (p. 199 if you're interested). The Warners DVD crops it to 1.33, as did their disc of The Public Enemy. But I agree with Matt - it's a terrific film. The scene with Nina Mae McKinney at the gospel meeting is sheer cinematic ecstasy. Hallelujah!

[djali999]

Had no idea Public Enemy was cropped as well, although of course it makes sense - the framing of the shots does look natural, although that explains why Cagney's final fall through the door frame crops the very top of his head off (Nosferatu syndrome).

I'm pretty sure that Warner would know about this, so I suppose perhaps the best versions available were from later re-issues which surely would have cropped the films down to 1.33:1. As for the Marx titles, I doubt Universal cares - the versions on DVD are in worse shape than the VHS releases, and even have sections missing not in previous versions.

[shearerchic]

They had Hallelujah on sale at oldies.com for $6.99 and I missed it cause now it's sold out.

[domino harvey]

Get your Hallelujah US stamps!