Silent Film on DVD and BD

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Tommaso · #451 Post by **Tommaso** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:26 pm

One thing that absolutely irritated me in the wikipedia article I linked is that Max Schreck is referenced there as the person who did the German dubbing for Maurice Schutz (the Lord of the Manor) in Dreyer's "Vampyr". Admittedly I haven't read everything in the MoC booklet nor did I listen to the Rayns commentary in its entirety, but can this be true? If so, now you can even find out how he spoke. But you never know with Wikipedia.

jsteffe · #452 Post by **jsteffe** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:12 pm

It looks as if there are actually quite a few surviving films with Max Schreck in the cast.

I just checked FIAF's "Treasures from Film Archives" database, and here are the six titles they list right off the bat with Max Schreck in the cast: [i04]Der Verfluchte[/i04] (Franz Osten, 1921), [i04]Nosferatu[/i04] (F. W. Murnau, 1922), [i04]Die Strasse[/i04] (Karl Grune, 1923), [i04]Dona Juana[/i04] (Paul Czinner, 1928); [i04]Der Kampf Der Tertia[/i04] (Max Mack, 1928), [i04]Die Zwoelfe Stunde[/i04] (Waldermar Roger, 1930). All of these seem to have archival holdings at different archives around the world. If you go by the German Wikipedia filmography there are even more, including the aforementioned [i04]Ludwig II[/i04], [i04]Nathan Der Weise[/i04], D[i04]as Maedchen Der Strasse[/i04], [i04]Wolga Wolga[/i04], [i04]Luther[/i04], etc. I didn't search for every title in the filmography.

If a film is definitely lost, such as [i04]London After Midnight[/i04], [i04]The Mountain Eagle[/i04] or [i04]The Four Devils[/i04], it's not listed in the database.

This doesn't say, however, whether the surviving materials are complete. And in some cases the archive may have print materials from a film but not copies that researchers can access. The good news is that there [i04]are[/i04] a number of surviving films with Schreck.

HerrSchreck · #453 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:29 pm

the ophuls film Die Verkaufte Braut seems to be on vhs!

If you guys could keep an eye out for any of these films appearing on disc, you'd have one grateful fanatic in NYC-- I'll do the same and post anything I come up with of course.

Jonathan S · #454 Post by **Jonathan S** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:31 pm

A UK eBay seller is offering Max Schreck in[icc] Der Kaufmann von Venedig[/icc] (1923) on DVDR with "newly created English titlecards" (perhaps someone tidy up the link please!)

Knappen · #455 Post by **Knappen** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:31 pm

Strange that you should mention the Ophüls, because it recently became a part of the public domain archive.

There seems to be some problems with the better quality i.e. mpeg2 version, though. People a lot more up to date than me have probably spread the word on the forum already.

tojoed · #456 Post by **tojoed** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:29 pm

[quote0c="Jonathan S"]A UK eBay seller is offering Max Schreck in[i0c] Der Kaufmann von Venedig[/i0c] (1923) on DVDR with "newly created English titlecards" (perhaps someone tidy up the link please!)[/quote0c]
I know this guy, I have some of his stuff. He's good. I have tidied up the link.

Rick Schmidlin · #457 Post by **Rick Schmidlin** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:05 am

I wish WB would release Greed on DVD.

Best,

Rick (again) Schmidlin

Rufus T. Firefly · Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:22 am

In the past week someone has posted an English-subbed version of [b67]Die Verkaufte Braut[/b67] at www.archive.org.

Meanwhile here's Schreck in [b67]Nathan der Weise[/b67]:

[img67]http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1456/pdvd024xo3.jpg[/img67]

HerrSchreck · #459 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:38 am

That would be good ol Maximillian-- how is the film on it's own merits? The transfer (from the frame it doen't look too bad at all).

At MoMa today-- on another topic altogether-- I saw Borzage's [ie6]Humoresque [/ie6](1920), and, an hour later, [ie6]Fine Manners[/ie6] from 26, directed by Rich Rossen (and an apparently uncredited Lewis Milestone).

I'll put more on the Borzage in the filmmakers thread for him, but [ie6]Fine Manners[/ie6], despite being a simple romantic comedy-melodrama, was a blast. Very tightly woven, with a carbonated performance by Swanson as a love-smitten burlesque line-girl trying to shake off her Street and get her Poise in order so she can marry the wealthy dashing man about town who has fallen head over heels for her.

Speaking of head over heels, Swanson [ie6]literally does cartwheels [/ie6]all over this film-- she expresses her overwhelming infatuation with this dude by flipping and jumping and rolling and bouncing all over the place. I never saw Swanson so unhinged. This film's character ("Orchid") makes her effervescence in [ie6]Sadie Thompson [/ie6]look like Deloin in [ie6]Le Samourai.[/ie6]

While never going over into "arty", the photography and mise en scene are extremely effective, and keep this film utterly engaging from open to close. There are some nice camera movements, superimpositions, and some party/nightclub set-pieces that reminded of [ie6]City Lights[/ie6].

I don't think this film has ever seen the light of day on home video, which is absolutely surprising: the print is in fantastic shape, survives complete, and the film is definitely one of Swanson's best (particularly vs some of the old klunkers from the teens when she lit it up w DeMille, little of which does anything for me)-- I mean I enjoyed this far more than [ie6]Beyond The Rocks [/ie6]w Rudolph Valentino (which itself was a decent enough film). Fine Manners is totally absorbing comedy melodrama, well-done, and is a natural for home vid for Swanson fans. The MoMa theater #1 was PACKED... this vs [ie6]Humoresque [/ie6]which saw the cinema at approx 1/10th capacity.

[quotee6="Rick Schmidlin"]I wish WB would release Greed on DVD.

Best,

Rick (again) Schmidlin[/quotee6]
You and me and many others from sea to sea. WB is so far overdue on these silents (TCM Chaney II, the "Seastrom" Sjostroms, the Vidors, Stroeheims, etc) that it's getting absurd. After two postponements, and the passing of the last-stated release date of late-07, I give up. Fox, with the Ford, Murnau and now Borzage material, is handing WB their proverbial hat. If they're not going to release this stuff, they should at least license it out to a CC or a Kino-- anyone with the cojones and desire to see this stuff releaed. But we know about WB and licensing... better to wait for the icing over of the sun...

Welcome to the forum, Rick.

Tommaso · #460 Post by **Tommaso** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:20 am

HerrSchreck wrote:That would be good ol Maximillian-- how is the film on it's own merits? The transfer (from the frame it doen't look too bad at all).

Well, I always assumed that they unearthed "Nathan" not so much for its intrinsic merits rather than for its history (you know, this was the first film that was attacked and later taken off the cinemas due to Nazi attacks, way back in 1922!). I found it a rather slowgoing and dry adaptation of that rather famous Lessing drama; well acted, sure, but only getting interesting (visually) in the second half. The resto and transfer from Filmmuseum is excellent, as always; good booklet and English subs, too.

sjostrom · #461 Post by **sjostrom** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:18 pm

[quotef5="HerrSchreck"]I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that this is a rare opportunity to see the real Herr Schreck in a part other than [if5]Nosferatu[/if5]. He's in there, you know, as one of the schemers... aside from this and [if5]Die Strasse[/if5], that's about all that remains of our fine fellow Max.[/quotef5]
Well, he also appears on Nathan, der Weise (1922) which can be found... you know where.. and a couple years ago at Pordenone was shown the film Der Kampf der Tertia (1929), a very nice film for kids where he plays the bad guy who wants to skin all the cats.

Dr Amicus · #462 Post by **Dr Amicus** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:55 am

The British Battle of the Somme - a huge hit in 1916 - released soon in what looks like a fascinating package.

I've only ever seen clips of this - and read about it in histories of British film. Anyone seen it?

Whatever - this goes straight on my Christmas list!

Jonathan S · #463 Post by **Jonathan S** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:33 am

[ie7]The Battle of the Somme[/ie7] has been released on DVD (and VHS) before but in a much more basic presentation of course. I didn't find it as compelling as I expected, perhaps because it shows little of the reality and even includes staged material (e.g. the notorious footage of the "shot" soldier slumping back into the trench). Its real interest is therefore more as propaganda than as truth, which gives plenty scope for discussion in the extras. It could indeed be a fascinating release.

feckless boy · #464 Post by **feckless boy** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:43 pm

Absolut Medien is releasing Mauritz Stiller's Johan coupled with Kaurismäki's Juha. Great news!

HerrSchreck · #465 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:12 pm

[quotece="feckless boy"]Absolut Medien is releasing Mauritz Stiller's Johan coupled with Kaurismäki's Juha. Great news![/quotece]
Wonderful! Has anyone seen this film?

Now we need the Tomas Graal films... not to mention Gunnar Hede.

feckless boy · #466 Post by **feckless boy** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:02 pm

Sorry, I've only seen the earlier of the two "log driver"-films (Sången om den eldröda blomman, 1919). Knappen? Scharphedin2?

Tommaso · #467 Post by **Tommaso** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 12:53 pm

For those in Europe: arte TV is showing what looks like a true silent rarity, Iwan Pavlov and Olga Preobashenskaya's "The Women of Ryasan" (1927), tomorrow (October 27) at 23.20. I haven't even heard the names of these directors, but any early Soviet silent is of course much appreciated. Looks like it's one of those excellent restorations made by Lobster Films again. More info (in German) here.

bollibasher · #468 Post by **bollibasher** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:27 pm

[quote9e="hamsterburger"] I agree that our friends at NFI are not always the best at getting things out there but they have several goodies on their track record. Most recently the 2-disc release of Brudeferden I Hardanger (1926), despite the amusing error with the projection speed.[/quote9e]
Does anyone have any more info on this, or know if there's another post on the boards about the film? I've got the dvd recently including booklet but half of it's in norwegian! The film was pretty good, i'm looking to perhaps OCR and Google translate the booklet to get some more technical details... For ref there's a review of the DVD in FIAF Journal #76, though the reviewer is just as clueless about the norwegian booklet articles.

Chris xx

Hofmeister · #469 Post by **Hofmeister** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:16 pm

[quotecf="Tommaso"]For those in Europe: arte TV is showing what looks like a true silent rarity, Iwan Pavlov and Olga Preobashenskaya's "The Women of Ryasan" (1927), tomorrow (October 27) at 23.20. I haven't even heard the names of these directors, but any early Soviet silent is of course much appreciated. Looks like it's one of those excellent restorations made by Lobster Films again. More info (in German) here.[/quotecf]
A magnificent film indeed, and the new score was very ingenious, but the arte broadcast (here's their more extensive French page for the film) was still a great disappointment to me on two counts.
Firstly, the Lobster version uses [icf]French[/icf] intertitles (electronically generated, with rather droll lettering), a practice that I find indefensible since the film does exist with Russian titles.
Secondly, the print was a let-down compared to the one we screened in March 2007 (held by the Munich filmmuseum): it looked to me rather poor in detail and seemed to carry far more damage (but of course, a tv showing will always pale in comparison). It's a pity that the arte/lobster restoration credits did not mention the source of their print. I could post screen captures of the broadcast but I assume it isn't done on this board.

Tommaso · #470 Post by **Tommaso** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:32 am

I haven't managed to see the film yet, too, but while I was editing down the dvd recording, I felt exactly like you. The French titles were annoying, and why do they only mention Preobashenskaya as a director? No mention of Pavlov, so I wonder what was his part in the film? And who are these people in the first place? Anyone got any information on them?

Hofmeister wrote: I could post screen captures of the broadcast but I assume it isn't done on this board.

Well, it has been done here quite often in the past, so I don't think there are any problems with that.

Hofmeister · #471 Post by **Hofmeister** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:25 pm

[quote=Tommaso]I haven't managed to see the film yet, too, but while I was editing down the dvd recording, I felt exactly like you. The French titles were annoying, and why do they only mention Preobashenskaya as a director? No mention of Pavlov, so I wonder what was his part in the film? And who are these people in the first place? Anyone got any information on them?[/quote]
They really should share the director card on Baby Ryazanskie, and they do -- on the original Russian credits! That's what comes from tampering with the titles... Olga Preobrazhenskaya (writer, director, performer, see here) and Ivan Pravov (not Pavlov) worked as a team for a decade and a half starting with Baby Ryazanskie in 1927. Pravov also wrote and co-directed Preobrazhenskaya's famous version of Tikhiy Don ("Quiet Flows the Don") in 1931.

I should be able to provide more information if you wish, but only in German. We're working on a book on Soviet Silents right now, and I bet that Eric Baumgartner, who gave a well-researched introduction to Baby Ryazanskie at the Munich screening, delivered his articles early because he departed on another year-long cycling tour (down to Africa, then along its West coast, then on to South East Asia, see link above). So his contributions should be around already, and I could contact him (via his blog) for his permission.

Meanwhile, here are two scaled-down captures from the broadcast (with links to the full-size screenshots). First a frenchified intertitle, then a nicely textured but pretty scratched shot in the wedding sequence.

view intertitle full-size.

view couple full-size.

HerrSchreck · #472 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:48 pm

Is that Robbie Robertson from The Band playing the groom in that cap?

Tommaso · #473 Post by **Tommaso** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:20 pm

Thanks, Hofmeister!
No need to send further info at the moment, but perhaps you could let us all know when that book on Soviet silents you're preparing is out. There's all too little in print on that subject apart from books dealing with the well-known household names.

HerrSchreck · #474 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:47 pm

Apparently the old thread was unsticky and therefore deleted, intentionally or by accident. That's an outright shame, as there were page & pages of precious information in there along with screencaps regarding all-region dvd's, projects in the works, etc. Is there any way to bring that back and archive it with a sticky?

skuhn8 · #475 Post by **skuhn8** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 8:16 pm

HerrSchreck wrote:Apparently the old thread was unsticky and therefore deleted, intentionally or by accident. That's an outright shame, as there were page & pages of precious information in there along with screencaps regarding all-region dvd's, projects in the works, etc. Is there any way to bring that back and archive it with a sticky?

What?! That was one of the most rewarding threads with considerable investment put into it. Are you sure it hasn't been misplaced? Admins?

There's no way anyone would just shitcan something like that when we have dozens of brainless video game and other non-DVD/Film related threads living and breathing...at least I hope now.

[Edit] Just did a google search for "silent film on dvd criterionforum.org"--got a listing with Sunrise in the text, clicked and got "The requested topic does not exist"--pretty embarrassing if this kind of thing is getting deleted.

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