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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Spartacus
(1913)
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This early Italian historical epic film, directed by Giovanni Enrico Vidali, stars Antonio Novelli, Mario Guaita-Ausonia, Christina Ruspoli and Enrico Bracci.
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 Grapevine Video
2010 DVD edition
Spartacus (1913), black & white and color-tinted black & white, 58 minutes, not rated, with Ben-Hur (1907), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated.
Grapevine Video, no catalog number, UPC 8-42614-10390-2.
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 mono sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 12 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $14.95.
Release date: 2 April 2010.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a good 16mm reduction print that is contrasty and dark, with a few blasted-out highlights but also with dark, featureless shadows, which makes discerning picture details rather difficult. The film looks slightly better here than on Grapevine’s VHS videotape release of the 1990s.
The film is accompanied by an updated orchestral music score of stock film music of higher fidelity than older Grapevine product. The dynamics of the music are sometimes greater than the level of the film’s action of the moment, which makes the music feel overwrought. That being said, the music is better than the usual compilation of low-fidelity recordings.
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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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This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is also available directly from . . .
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 Alpha Video
2014 DVD edition
Spartacus (1913), black & white, 72 minutes, not rated.
Alpha Home Entertainment, distributed by Oldies.com,
ALP 7508D, UPC 0-89218-75089-1.
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 mono sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $7.98 (raised to $8.98).
Release date: 28 October 2014.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has likely been mastered from 16mm reduction print elements.
The film is likely accompanied by a compiled soundtrack of preexisting recordings.
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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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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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 TeleVista
2009 DVD edition
Spartacus (1913), black & white, 72 minutes, not rated.
TeleVista, no catalog number, unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD 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 mono sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.95.
Release date: 15 December 2009.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD edition has likely been mastered from 16mm reduction print elements.
The film is likely accompanied by a compiled soundtrack of preexisting recordings.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Other ITALIAN FILMS of the silent era available on home video.
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