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The Crazy Ray
[Paris endormi]
[Paris qui dort]
(1924)

 

Exploring, perhaps even establishing, some of the themes of science fiction film, René Clair’s Paris endormi (1924) tells a tale of a mysterious morning when the night watchman at the top of the Eiffel Tower discovers that the world is frozen in time. People are found everywhere locked in the positions they were in at 3:25 AM.

The watchman discovers a small group of people who have escaped the effect, who flew in a plane that landed at 4:00 AM. Soon, they help themselves to food, alcohol, jewelry, money and more, as their morals begin to collapse. The group of men soon become jealous and protective of the sole, animate woman, two of them fighting bitterly at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Then, they receive a radio message from the city. They discover that the source of the crazy effect is a scientist whose experiment has gone awry. On suggestion that the scientist wake everyone, and a night of calculations later, all is right with the world.

Perhaps groundbreaking in concept in its contemporary context, Clair’s film is oddly fun and yet pedestrian in execution to modern eyes in its commonly-available abbreviated form. Our opinion is reserved until such time we can view the full-length version of the film.

Carl Bennett

coverThe Criterion Collection
2002 DVD edition

Under the Roofs of Paris (1930), black & white, 92 minutes, not rated, with Paris qui dort (1924), black & white, 34 minutes, not rated.

The Criterion Collection, SOU060, collection number 161,
UPC 0-37429-16892-9, ISBN 0-78002-577-6.
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) 1.0 mono sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD case; $29.99.
Release date: 2002.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 8 / audio: 7 / additional content: 8 / overall: 8.

This older DVD edition of René Clair’s science fiction film utilizes a very-good to excellent 35mm print. The disc still looks good on high-definition equipment capable of line-doubling and conversion of an interlaced signal to progressive.

The film is accompanied by a music score performed on piano.

As this is a complete presentation of the film from an excellent print, this is our recommended home video edition of Paris qui dort/The Crazy Ray. The edition is out-of-print but still available from time to time as a used item.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
coverFilm Preservation Associates
2000 DVD edition

The Bells (1926), color-toned black & white, 68 minutes, not rated, with The Crazy Ray (1924) [abridged], color-toned black & white, 18 minutes, not rated.

Film Preservation Associates, distributed by Image Entertainment, ID5832DSDVD, UPC 0-14381-58322-9.
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 6.4 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 1.0 mono sound encoded at 192 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 5 chapter stops; snapper DVD case; $24.99.
Release date: 28 March 2000.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 6 / audio: 5 / additional content: 7 / overall: 6.

This abbreviated presentation of René Clair’s science fiction film reveals a slightly-windowboxed video transfer of a very-good 35mm American release print (under the title At 3:25, noted as “edited” by Morrie Ryskind). The print is uneven, with some darker shots and a couple contrasty shots. The video transfer of the at-times worn source material stands up well on high-definition equipment.

The film is accompanied by what appears to be a pieced-together orchestral music score from varied sources.

The disc is OK but not really recommended.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Other silent era RENÉ CLAIR films available on home video.

Other FRENCH FILMS of the silent era available on home video.

Other AVANT-GARDE FILMS of the silent era available on home video.

Other SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY FILMS of the silent era available on home video.
 
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