gagman66
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Everyone,
Breaking News! Henry King's Epic production of THE WHITE SISTER (Metro, 1923) Starring Lillian Gish, and Ronald Coleman, will be premiering on the North American TCM in early 2009 with a brand New musical score!
While this is great to hear, THE WHITE SISTER did actually have two melodies a Fox-trot and a Tango composed for it's original release in 1923. It would be nice to see those be retained, though it seems doubtful that this will happen. Still exciting news in any event.
I have seen the 35 millimeter TCM print of THE WHITE SISTER and it looks great! Over a year ago, I predicted that this would be the next film selected for the then Annual Young Film Composers Competition, Unfortunately, the event was apparently and unexpectedly canceled. Ultimately, I guess that I called it though? Wonderful to learn that it is now actually in the works!
Here is a link to the complete story:
http://blogs.lawrence.edu/news/2008/12/lawrence_universitys_neustadte_1.html
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Ed,
I have seen the TCM print of THE WHITE SISTER and it looks great! Over a year ago, I predicted right here that this would be the next film selected for the then Annual Young Film Composers Competition. Then the event was apparently and unexpectedly canceled. Ultimately, I guess that I called it? Wonderful to learn that it is now actually in the works!
Could we really be see this early in the coming year, as was previously announced with Chaney's Benjamin Christiansen's THE MOCKERY? Sure hope so? Won't be Febuary as that is Oscar Month. Now if we could just get word on THE BIG PARADE? And dare we hope, HER WILD OAT or maybe even THE COSSACKS?
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Big, Big News! Henry King's THE WHITE SISTER (Metro, 1923) Staring Lillian Gish, and Ronald Coleman, will be premiering on the North American TCM in early 2009 with a brand New musical score! While this is great news, THE WHITE SISTER did actually have two melodies a Fox-trot and a Tango composed for it's original release. It would be nice to see those retained, though it seems doubtful that this will happen. Still exciting news in any event.
Here is the link with the full story!
http://blogs.lawrence.edu/news/2008/12/lawrence_universitys_neustadte_1.html
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> {quote:title=mdffyx wrote:}{quote}
> Jeffrey: Yep I saved that Fay and all others you have colorized. Watched "Tell it to the Marines"
> last night. It's an excellent film and every bit as much a William Haines film as a Chaney film.
> Some of Haines' mannerisms remind me of Paul Rubens, aka, Pee Wee Herman. His
> attitude can be riotously funny. I'll be on the lookout for more of his films.
Mike,
In the case of William Haines, most of his Silent films survive. Only a few are lost. I think all but maybe one of his talkies exist as well. He was a huge Star who has been mostly forgotten. I know lots of people that are crazy about the guy. But just as many who hate him So you can't please everybody it seems? I have most of Haines surviving Silents, and the majority have been shown on TCM. BROWN OF HARVARD was a blockbuster that made Haines a major box office force.
TELL IT TO THE MARINES was a huge hit. MGM's second biggest film of 1926 after Gilbert and Garbo's FLESH AND THE DEVIL. It made Chaney an honorary Marine from the U S Military. Not kidding!/ This film was supposed to be coming out on DVD in 2008, part of another Chaney set, but it didn't happen.
So have you seen WHAT PRICE GLORY?, or THE BIG PARADE yet?
Have a wonderful Christmas, and the very best of wishes for the coming year!
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Larry,
I'm glad that you fianlly got to see this picture! Hope that It made your season brite? I can't unerstand any one not being blown away by this movie? People either get it or they don't. Fortunately, I think more people do get it, than those that do not? So at least that's a good thing.
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busterchaplin,
Err, an a Merry Christmas to you too! Mr. Scrooge!!!!! Be careful now that someone doesn't poison your Eggnog!
With respect, I would much rather watch THE GODLESS GIRL than THE GENERAL! To me the latter is vastly overrated, and among the dullest films ever made. And that's coming from a big Keaton fan! Give me SEVEN CHANCES any day, which for some reason has yet to be shown on TCM???
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hamradio,
How would you compare the 1925 Chariot Race to the 1959 one? Personally, I like the sequence in the Silent version better.
One really interesting thing is the way that Jesus was depicted in the picture. We never saw much more than his hands. Director Fred Niblo for whatever reason believed it was improper to show the Divine on film when BEN HUR was re-assigned to him? But then He did an astonishing about face, and subsequently did show an image of Christ at the ending of Garbo's THE TEMPTRESS released the following year? Which seems very strange. So perhaps Niblo had second thoughts later on, and wondered what it would have been like had He actually cast a real actor as Jesus?
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Did you get to record the entire film? This movie is on official DVD, one of the few MGM Silents that has been released. It was included as an extra-Disc Two of a Special Edition in a three disc set of the 1959 version. If you look around you should be able to find this.
It's interesting, because in 2005 when it came out a friend of mine bulked that the Thames presentation had not been re-mastered for DVD any over the older MGM Laser-disc release. This Thames version was produced originally for British Television in 1984. But Jack claimed that much better elements had since been found, and that Thames produced a very soft transfer of the film. He was hoping a new master would be run off, as was done with Thames FLESH AND THE DEVIL for DVD release. But that did not happen. Those two releases also provided false hope that THE BIG PARADE was coming to DVD very soon, but heading into 2009, we are still waiting. I like BEN HUR, but not nearly as well as THE BIG PARADE. The film that really made MGM.
Nevertheless, We should still count ourselves lucky. The Nativity, and the other Two-Strip Technicolor sequences were completely lost until about 1981 when they turned up in a Czech Archive. If Kevin Brownlow hadn't searched all over for them, they probably would still be lost today. Prior to this restoration only about an hour of this picture was known to survive. So Brownlow found around another 70-75 minutes in all!
Hope you got to see or record everything? I goofed on the time of the broadcast. I always get confused between Central, and Eastern time zones. I gave people that wrong information here.
How would you compare the 1925 Chariot Race to the 1959 one? Personally, I like the sequence in the Silent version better.
One really interesting thing is the way that Jesus was depicted. We never saw much more than his hands. Director Fred Niblo for whatever reason believed it was improper to show the Divine on film when BEN HUR was re-assigned to him. But then He did an astonishing about face, and subsequently did show an image of Christ at the ending of Garbo's THE TEMPTRESS released the following year? Strange. So perhaps he had second thoughts later on, and wondered what it would have been like, had He cast a real actor in the role?
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Ed,
I haven't seen THE THREE MUSKETEERS in a long time, and had forgotten that La Marr was even in the movie?
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> {quote:title=hamradio wrote:}{quote}
> This movie teased us with a few very brief Technicolor scenes. Ever wondered why wasn't the entire movie shot in color? That alone could have made cinematic history.
>
> It might be me, but the chariot race had some eerie similiarities with the pod racing on Star Wars Episode I.
hamradio,
Yuletide Greetings. Actually there are at least eight sequences starting with the Nativity in technicolor, and there probably were a few more when the film was first released? Gloria Swanson's STAGE STRUCK was also released in 1925 and the entire film was in Two-Strip Technicolor.
Did you get to record the entire film? This movie is on official DVD, one of the few MGM Silents that has been released. It was included as an extra- disc two of a Special Edition in a three disc set of the 1959 version. If you look around you should be able to find this.
It's interesting, because in 2005 when it came out a friend of mine bulked that the Thames presentation had not been re-mastered for DVD any over the older MGM Laser-disc release. This Thames version was produced originally for British Television in 1984. But Jack claimed that much better elements had since been found, and that Thames produced a very soft transfer of the film. He was hoping a new master would be run off, as was done with Thames FLESH AND THE DEVIL for DVD release. But that did not happen.
Nevertheless, We should still count ourselves lucky. The Nativity, and the other Two-Strip Technicolor sequences were completely lost until about 1981 when they turned up in a Czech Archive. If Kevin Brownlow hadn't searched all over for them, they probably would still be lost today. Prior to this restoration only about an hour of this picture was known to survive. So Brownlow found around another 70-75 minutes in all!
Hope you got to see or record everything? I goofed on the time of the broadcast. I always get confused between Central, and Eastern time zones.
Ed,
Well, Novarro Starred in Rex Ingram's SCARAMOUCHE (1923) long before He was in BEN HUR. THE RED LILY (1924) appears to have also been popular. So He couldn't have been that unfamiliar to audiances? Course He was also in THE PRISONER OF ZENDA in 1922, though not the Star.
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Mike,
Seasons Greetings! I'm not sure if you saw this one yet or not?
*Fay Wray-The Honeymoon (1928)*
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metsfan,
Did you get to record the entire film? This movie is on official DVD, one of the few MGM Silents that has been released. It was included as an extra- disc two of a Special Edition in a three disc set of the 1959 version. If you look around you should be able to find this.
It's interesting, because in 2005 when it came out a friend of mine bulked that the Thames presentation had not been re-mastered for DVD any over the older MGM Laser-disc release. This Thames version was produced originally for British Television in 1984. But Jack claimed that much better elements had since been found, and that Thames produced a very soft transfer of the film. He was hoping a new master would be run off, as was done with Thames FLESH AND THE DEVIL for DVD release. But that did not happen.
Nevertheless, We should still count ourselves lucky. The Nativity, and the other Two-Strip Technicolor sequences were completely lost until about 1981 when they turned up in a Czech Archive. If Kevin Brownlow hadn't searched all over for them, they probably would still be lost today. Prior to this restoration only about an hour of this picture was known to survive. So Brownlow found around another 70-75 minutes in all!
Hope you got to see or record everything. I goofed on the time of the broadcast.
I always get confused between Central, and Eastern time.
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*Janet Gaynor decorating the Tree. She must be wearing some very tall High-heels?*
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Happy Holidays! Indeed "The Woman who was To Beautiful" has been sadly forgotten for the most part. However, her name was Corinne Griffith, not Barbara La Marr! Griffith was generally considered the most beautiful woman in Hollywood during the 20's, and deservedly so I think.
I have seen La Marr, in at least 3 films, THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1922), SOULS FOR SALE (1923), and maybe a couple others. Sad to say that I never even noticed she was there. By contrast, the first time I saw Corinne Griffith I was immediately Smitten!
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Karin,
This one is for you! Merry Christmas!
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Annie,
Uhg! BEN HUR was on this morning. But that's OK, this is one of the few MGM Silents on Official DVD. If you can find the 3 disc set of the 1959 version released in 2005, disc two has the 1925 BEN HUR as an extra. It shouldn't be that difficult to locate a copy.
Here is some Yuletide Holiday Cheer for One and All!
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Everybody,
A Merry Christmas To One And All!
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Annie,
It's not really from any one movie I don't think? Just one of his many Star portraits. The Silent Stars seemed to be constantly photographed. Just look at all the Thousand's of Photo's of Clara Bow that are floating around today!
Don't forget, if you haven't seen the 1925 BEN HUR with Ramon Novarro before, than it is on tonight! So set your DVD-Recorder, or DVR. Unless you already have this on DVD? Set it anyway! Great movie, but on way to late because of the overlong Disney Month. I started three other posts on this earlier.
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Wendy,
This one is for you! Happy Holidays!
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Heading into Christmas week, don't forget the Epic 1925 BEN HUR with Ramon Novarro, May McAvoy, and Francis X. Bushman, is running for the first time in awhile on TCM early Monday Morning. Though it is actually still supposed to be a Silent Sunday Nights presentation. Because of the Disney Family Classics month, SIlent Sunday's is on much later than normal this week. 12.15 AM Central Standard Time.
BEN HUR is one of the precious few MGM Silents on Commercial DVD. It was released in 2005 as part of a three disc set with the 1959 version. If you look around you should be able to find this? The DVD is probably a little bit better quality than the Laser-disc, even though they are both the same Thames Silents restoration produced by Kevin Brownlow, and the late David Gill.
Carl Davis score is magnificent. But my friend Jack Theakston, prefers the original 1925 score compiled by William Axt-And David Mendoza which He has heard performed at live screenings in the past.
If you have yet to seen the 1925 BEN HUR, and don't have it on DVD, be sure to record the broadcast. I don't think many people will stay up for it. But set your DVD-Recorder, or DVR! Here is a vinage Lobby-card and some stills.
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Wendy, Everyone,
BEN HUR is one of the precious few MGM Silents on Commercial DVD. It was released in 2005 as part of a three disc set with the 1959 version. If you look around you should be able to find this? The DVD is probably a little bit better quality than the Laser-disc, even though they are both the same Thames Silents restoration produced by Kevin Brownlow, and the late David Gill.
Carl Davis score is magnificent. But my friend Jack Theakston, prefers the original 1925 score compiled by William Axt-And David Mendoza which He has heard performed at live screenings in the past.
Seeking copy of Hollywood Revuew of 1929
in General Discussions
Posted
Fred,
Here are some capture stills from the TCM France presentation in 2006: