Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett
and the Silent Era Company.
All Rights Reserved. |
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Lights of Old
Broadway
(1925)
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This historical comedy-drama, directed by Monta Bell, stars Marion Davies and Conrad Nagel, with George K. Arthur, Frank Currier, Charles McHugh, Eleanor Lawson, Julia Swayne Gordon, Mathew Betz, Wilbur Higby and Bodil Rosing.
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 Kino Classics
2021 Blu-ray Disc edition
Lights of Old Broadway (1925), black & white, color-tinted black & white and color, 72 minutes, not rated.
Kino Lorber, K25389, UPC 7-38329-25389-9.
One single-sided, single-layered, Regions ABC Blu-ray Disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) 24 fps progressive scan image encoded in SDR AVC format at ? Mbps average video bit rate; DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound encoded at 2.0 Mbps audio bit rate and LPCM 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 1.5 Mbps audio bit rate (music), and Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 224 Mbps audio bit rate (commentary); English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 10 chapter stops; standard BD keepcase; $29.95.
Release date: 25 May 2021.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 7 / audio: 9 / additional content: 7 / overall: 7.
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This Blu-ray Disc edition has been mastered from a 35mm restoration print of the film that contains the two-color Technicolor sequences that were part of first-run prints of the film.
The film is accompanied by a music score compiled and conducted by Robert Israel, and performed by a small ensemble. As is typical of Israel’s work elsewhere, here the music is entertaining and always appropriate to the film’s narrative.
Supplementary material includes audio commentary by Anthony Slide, and a stills gallery (25 images). Slide insists on pronouncing the star’s name as “Marion Davis,” to our ever-lasting irritation.
This is our recommended home video edition of the film.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Regions ABC Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Regions ABC Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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This
Regions ABC Blu-ray Disc edition is also available directly from . . .
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 Silent Hall of Fame Enterprises
2020 DVD edition
Lights of Old Broadway (1925), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.
Silent Hall of Fame Enterprises, 207, unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at ? Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to ? fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; slimline CD jewelcase; $34.95 (raised to $41.99).
Release date: 2020.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a VHS videotape copy of a 16mm reduction print.
The film is likely accompanied by a music score compiled from preexisting recordings.
This edition is not recommended as much for its poor visual quality (see the publisher provided still frame above) as for its outrageous cost for the value of quality provided.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Other MARION DAVIES films available on home video.
Other TECHNICOLOR FILMS of the silent era available on home video.
Other silent film music scores by ROBERT ISRAEL available on home video.
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