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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Monsieur
Beaucaire
(1924)
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Rudolph Valentino stars with Bebe Daniels and Lois Wilson in this Famous Players-Lasky production, directed by Sidney Olcott.
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 Grapevine Video
2011 DVD edition
Monsieur Beaucaire (1924), black & white, 105 minutes, not rated.
Grapevine Video, no catalog number, UPC 8-42614-10467-1.
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 5.2 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 224 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 12 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $16.95.
Release date: December 2011.
Country of origin: USA •
Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 7 / additional content: 0 / overall: 5.
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This remastered DVD-R edition features a new video transfer from a 16mm reduction print. The transfer is noted as being brighter, with easier to read intertitles. Well, that may be the case. However, the backgrounds are still full of plugged-up shadows, often making the overall image hard to view.
The film is accompanied by a new music score by David Knudtson, likely performed on the Miditzer virtual theater organ (computer-based) system. This musical score offering is a definite step-up from Grapevine’s other endless repeats of the same prerecorded film music.
Recommended as the best available home edition of the film for the time being, and worth upgrading from Grapevine’s previous edition. We encourage home video producers to consider releasing a higher-quality edition.
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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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 Grapevine Video
2007 DVD edition
Monsieur Beaucaire (1924), black & white, 114 minutes, not rated.
Grapevine Video, no catalog number, UPC 8-42614-10288-2.
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; 18 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $14.95.
Release date: 2007.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 3 / audio: 4 / additional content: 0 / overall: 4.
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This DVD-R edition has been mastered from an older analog videotape transfer of a darker 16mm reduction print. Either the source print or the video transfer is soft in focus, making some picture details like insert typography, intertitles, and figures standing far from the camera in a group shot hard to discern. Portions of the print are lighter later in the film.
The film is accompanied by a music score compiled from preexisting orchestral recordings, some of them annoying pops from the scratched LP records, with an insert from a 78RPM gramophone recording of Rudolph Valentino singing.
The source print admittedly has some dark scenes in it, making viewing a challenge. Grapevine Video offered an exchange or refund the purchase cost if viewers are unhappy with the edition.
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This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is . . .
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Other RUDOLPH VALENTINO films available on home video.
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