feaito Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 I cannot quite recall in what thread, or who was it, well it was a lady I'm sure....when I mentioned that I had ordered through Amazon.com, Corinne Griffith's DVD of "The Garden of Eden" (1928- United Artists), the only of her movies available on the market, on any "format" (VHS/DVD/Laserdisc too?)...and one of the few chances to watch this silent legend in her glory (TCM is the only channel? which airs sometimes, two of her films: Frank Lloyd's "The Divine Lady" and "Back Pay"?), she went in awe, I think she said she was going to buy it or order it through Netflix. Well, I have seen the DVD in its entirety, and Silent Film Lovers, this is a Gem, a Faberg? Egg.... This Comedy-Drama is truly highly enjoyable, It made smile & laugh lots of times, it's charming, cute, elegant, I don't know..I haven't seen too many silent films, but I feel this one belongs to the "superior" category. It has sort of a kind of "Lubistch's" touch...Lewis Milestone's direction is deft. Corinne's interpretation of a viennesse ingenue who travels to Budapest to become an Opera Star is so good! I didn't expect that much....The Cast is great: Lowell Sherman as a lecherous Rich Man, Marvellous Louise Dresser as the heroine's sort of "surrogate" mother, Charles Ray as her love interest, Edward Martindel (great as Charles Ray's Uncle)....Maude George...Won't tell you anymore about the plot, don't want to give away its surprises. The Bonuses are a topic apart. Never had seen so much "worthwhile" bonuses: extensive text excerpts, lobby cards, memorabilia, promotional stuff, from the original press book of the film, etc. Contemporary (1928) biographies of all the six principal players. Lots of info!!! The digitally recorded score by the composer Robert Israel, is grandiose...excellent, what a joy to watch this film with such a "right" score, which also "sounds" so well. The print is in-all very good, there are some portions which are more damaged, but in the whole, it's greatly restored. I'd say the quality of the copy, surpasses what they did with "Sunrise"...It's quality is similar to "Evangeline's" (1929), perhaps a little inferior, but I repeat, in the whole great. There are also original promotional photographs and production stills from the state of Lewis Milestone. Furthermore, there's a lost bi-color technicolor dream sequence of Corinne, when she's travelling by train (where she imagines herself as a "Prima Donna"), which is thoroughly analyzed in an "exploration", which contains still photos, original press book excerpts and promotional images. And if all this wasn't enough, you get two shorts, one filmed in early bi-color technicolor...a charming cutie called "The Toy Shop", a tale made by Tiffany-Stahl Studios (of Poverty Row) and another one, sort of a "documentary" of architectural styles & "pop culture" in 1927 Hollywood & L.A. (B&W or sepia toned) called "Hollywood The Unusual", a sort od travelogue of a lost era! In all a experience not to be missed! Really, this time when you read on the cover of the DVD: "DeLuxe DVD Edition", it is true as it is stated! TCM, this film and those shorts belong to your Schedule!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicsfan1119 Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Wow, Fedo...it sure sounds by your wonderful description that this DeLuxe DVD Editon is one I'll want to have in my library soon! Thanks for taking the time to give us so much great information about this DVD. It's so good to know that these Silents are finding a market. ;)ML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted June 12, 2004 Author Share Posted June 12, 2004 Yes Mary Lou, I'm also deeply pleased because most silent films are lost, and it's pretty amazing that some companies have taken the care & preocupation of preserving and releasing them in such "worthwhile" editions. I'd Love Warners/Turner to release a DVD containing "La Boheme", for example, full with all kinds of bonuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithFromKC Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 Thanks, feaito, for your wonderful description of 'The Garden of Eden.' I am a HUGE fan of Silents and am ashamed to say that not only haven't I seen this film, I don't think I've ever HEARD of it. Thanks to your description, I am now anxious to seek this one out. I'm also an addict for all of the DVD 'bonuses' and commentaries and it sounds like this package is loaded with them! The two shorts sound interesting as well. I will definitely check this film out. You mentioned 'Sunrise,' which is one of my all-time favorite films (F.W. Murnau was an absolute genius!). Well, I finally broke down and bought the four DVD set called, 'Studio Classics: The Best Picture Collection.' As you may already know, the set includes, GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT, HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY, and the great ALL ABOUT EVE, which I already have in my collection. I received it this past Tuesday and it was definitely worth it, just to finally have a copy of my beloved 'Sunrise.' It may sound nuts, but when I finished watching it Tuesday night, I watched it again, in it's entirety, directly after. I can't give enough praise to a film like 'Sunrise.' Anyway, thanks again, feaito, for the great tip on 'The Garden of Eden.' Can't wait to see it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted June 13, 2004 Author Share Posted June 13, 2004 Thanks for your kind words Keith...Luckily enough I could obtain "Sunrise's" DVD, because of the Fox Classics promotion, and it's really wonderful, 'cos it features all that memorabilia and info about Murnau's lost film "Four Devils" & much more....wonderful edition...a shame it's still not available for individual sale. Well, hadn't I mentioned that Corinne Griffith, I read it somewhere, was hailed as being the "Hedy Lamarr" of her day...one of the most ravishing beauties of the silent cinema...she's really very pretty in a very "natural way" (IMHO)...I only can think of the very young Mary Astor (in the 1920s, well in the '30s she was still very neautiful) and Dolores Costello as beauties a-la-par of that era....Barbara LaMarr didn't strike me as so-beautiful...Betty Bronson was very pretty too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicsfan1119 Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 I just want to say that it very much angers me when we have to buy a very expensive "set" of DVD's in order to get a wonderful and important Silent Film like "Sunrise". I'd love to have this Silent too, and I never will have it until I can buy it individually. There are just so many of us who simply cannot afford to buy four DVD's in a set so we can have one we really, really want. ML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithFromKC Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 Classicsfan, I was milling that thought in my head, as well. I found the aforementioned set for 30 bucks on Amazon.com and just figured that it rounds out to being about $7.50 a disc, so it could have been worse. I am a fan of the Criterion Collection DVDs and I have paid 30 dollars for those at Barnes and Noble, That's just for one film, usually in a 2-disc set. Believe me, I do alright, but I'm not swimming in cash either, so I put this purchase off for quite a while. I just love 'Sunrise' so much that I felt my DVD collection wasn't complete without it. But, yeah, I agree that it's a dirty trick to not offer certain films individually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithFromKC Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 Oh, and Feaito, I forgot to thank you for bringing up Mary Astor. She was so beautiful. I love her in the 1926 version of DON JUAN. Speaking of which, I also thought Estelle Taylor, who plays Lucrezia Borgia, was stunning as well....and let's not forget Myrna Loy, who is also in the film. Again, I have TCM to thank for introducing me to that movie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted June 13, 2004 Author Share Posted June 13, 2004 Mary Astor is one of my fave and acted in one of my top five movies "Dodsworth" in a lovely role...she was beautiful & an excellent actrees...I'd love to watch Don Juan!...Estelle Taylor was ver beautiful as well, and Myrna Loy looked ravishing in most of her exotic femme fatalle roles in the 1920s...and in the early 30s...especially in Love me Tonight, Consolation Marriage, Arrowsmith, Animal Kingdom...she was born on August 2nd...just as myself (but almost 60 years earlier!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithFromKC Posted June 18, 2004 Share Posted June 18, 2004 Feaito, I went ahead placed my order for THE GARDEN OF EDEN and noticed the company that released it is called 'Flicker Alley.' Interesting name, so I went to their website and they appear to be an interesting company. Their purpose is to preserve silent films and to release quality editions of the films they choose to restore. Anyway, I am excited by their new release (only the second dvd to be released by the company), which is a 1916 french serial called JUDEX. Judex is a caped crime fighter who works from his own underground 'lair.' This is years before Batman. PREMIERE Magazine gave this a great review in their current edition. I want to see this, because the director, Louis Fueillade, directed the 1915 serial LES VAMPIRES. I have this boxed set on VHS and it's a brilliant story of a gang of masked criminals led by the notorious IRMA VEP. A really cool French film from 1996, called IRMA VEP, is a fictional account on the filming of a remake of LES VAMPIRES, and includes clips from the original serial. Also, Flicker Alley's third release will be F.W. Murnau's 1922 film, PHANTOM. As I've stated, I am a big fan of Murnau's work and have never seen 'Phantom,' so of course, it is now a must-see film for me! Anyway, can't wait to receive 'The Garden of Eden.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted June 18, 2004 Author Share Posted June 18, 2004 Glad it was an useful post for you keith...I also noticed that in the three features included in the DVD, there was made a refference to an entity called, cannot remember exactly, but was it sort of "American Library of Moving Images"?..or sth. like that, so, I noticed that there wasn't only a "economic" interest in this release, but also a "preserving" "movement"?... Well, about "Judex"... I've read something about Musidora, the french film actress who starred in those films...interesting Keith. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrtbsh Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 we're planning to show "Judex" and "Phantom" in October; Flicker Alley is a great company to be working with - it's run by a man who is very passionate about silent films and takes great care to present them properly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithFromKC Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 That's excellent news, tcmprogrammer! Thanks for the info. From what I've read on the Flicker Alley website, they do sound like a company that takes a great deal of pride in what they are doing. Can't wait to see those in October! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted June 20, 2004 Author Share Posted June 20, 2004 Yes TCM prog. excellent news...that demonstrates you are the TOP classic films channel and on the "Avant Garde" on everything...Such a Channel existing (actually) is really like " a dream come true"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grblover Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Do you think this movie will ever be shown on TCM? I had thought of ordering it thru the Flicker Alley website but just can't afford. it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted June 30, 2004 Author Share Posted June 30, 2004 I think TCM Programmer should know....If they're purchasing rights or whatever to air "Judex" & "Phantom" (Fantomas)...maybe they will do the same with "The Garden of Eden"...Hopefully, because the movie & the shorts are great to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feaito Posted December 2, 2004 Author Share Posted December 2, 2004 Silent Movie Fans and Movie Buffs in general, TCM has scheduled this wonderful film on January 16th 2005, at 12:00 AM. Do not miss it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicsfan1119 Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Thanks Feaito! This is definitely one I've been waiting to see. Remind us again when we get into January, please! :)ML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopoldsplumtree Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 I'm so glad they've scheduled this one! I've been wantin' to see it for a couple years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithFromKC Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 I am also pleased to see TCM broadcast THE GARDEN OF EDEN. I actually bought the DVD after reading feaito's high praise for the film and it's definitely good viewing. Also, Flicker Alley's restoration work on the film is top-notch. The film just looks fantastic. Although I have it on dvd, I will still watch it when it airs, as I always enjoy Robert Osborne's intros (and outros) for the silent films. Actually, I enjoy his comments on most any film. Does that guy have one of the best jobs in the world, or what? Anyway, if you even remotely like silents, do check this one out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts