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| UNKNOWN CHAPLIN on DVD on 11/29 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 25 2005, 07:39 PM (521 Views) | |
| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Sep 25 2005, 07:39 PM Post #1 |
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Charter Member
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A&E will release Kevin Brownlow and David Gills' brilliant documentary, UNKNOWN CHAPLIN, on DVD on November 29th. For those of you that have seen it, you already know this is a "must own" disc. For those of you that haven't, I greatly encourage you to pick up this fascinating record of Chaplin at work. Chaplin often began his films with a spark of an idea and made up the story and gags as he went along. Consequently, he would film scenes over and over, slowly developing gags and discarding ideas that led to dead ends. UNKNOWN CHAPLIN presents footage that was deleted from the Mutual shorts through his celebrated features. Often, you can see the developments of a film from take after discarded take. It's a incredible record of a genius at work. Even if you're not a Chaplin fan, you'll have a greater respect for his work after viewing this documentary. Hopefully, more of Brownlow and Gills' wonderful documentaries will eventually appear on DVD. The 13-part documentary HOLLYWOOD: A CELEBRATION OF SILENT FILM and 3-part KEATON: A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW are also essential viewing. |
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| igsjr | Sep 26 2005, 05:46 PM Post #2 |
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Nostalgia blogger
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And don't forget Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius! If they release this one, Keaton and Hollywood I swear I'll buy 'em all! |
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"Life is in color--but black-and-white is more realistic..." -- Samuel Fuller, director So many DVDs...so little time... | |
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| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Sep 26 2005, 07:24 PM Post #3 |
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Charter Member
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There's another Brownlow documentary worth mentioning that is currently available on DVD - - CINEMA EUROPE: THE OTHER HOLLYWOOD. It's a six-hour overview of the history of European silent film, covering filmmakers from Max Linder to Abel Gance. It's a perfect companion to his HOLLYWOOD series. I'd highly recommend it. Now, if only we could see a DVD of Brownlow's full reconstruction of Gance's NAPOLEON (the Citizen Kane of silents). The film has only been available in the states in a shortened, incorrectly timed (sped up) version that Francis Ford Coppola edited when the film received a limited theatrical release in the states. Due to the provisions of Brownlow's contract with Coppola, no other version of the film can be released or shown in the U.S. Coppola pretends to be a supporter of film preservation, but he has kept us from seeing a crown jewel of silent cinema in all its glory. |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Sep 26 2005, 07:44 PM Post #4 |
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Mouth Breather
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Preservation and marketing are not really the same thing, Iggy. Coppola, for my money, is a pioneer in his own right and a more interesting director than Abel Gance. I'm not going to sit still while he gets put down. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Bonga | Sep 26 2005, 08:20 PM Post #5 |
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The version that was released in the 80s, with Carmine Coppola's score, was a great filmgoing experience, and I had no idea that it was edited; it was rather lengthy as it was! But, I thought, glorious. What is the story behind this? What was cut out? |
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| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Sep 26 2005, 08:54 PM Post #6 |
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Charter Member
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Although I wouldn't agree that Coppola is a better filmmaker than Abel Gance, I am a fan of his work. That's one of the reasons I find the NAPOLEON situation so disappointing. A filmmaker and film historian of Coppola's caliber should not treat one of the greatest films ever made in so shabbily a fashion. Kevin Brownlow has dedicated much of his life to restoring NAPOLEON to the most complete form possible with the existing film elements. He completed a version back in the 1980's with a Carl Davis score. He made a deal with Coppola to release NAPOLEON theatrically in the U.S., but the contract stipulated that Coppola could alter the film and replace the score with (an inferior one) by his father Carmine. Not only did he replace the score, he also cut footage to shorten the admittedly long running time and ran the film at a faster frame-per-second speed. Not only was the original European restoration of the film longer than the American version, Brownlow has discovered additional footage since that release, which he has reinserted into the film. Carl Davis has also expanded his score to cover these new segments. Unfortunately, due to the Coppola contract, this expanded version can not be released on video or even be presented live without the threat of legal action. I believe Coppola has also sold a portion of his rights to another studio, which has muddied the waters even more. I've only seen the Coppola release of the film. What is available to view in that version is still brilliant and worth the investment of four hours, but I pray that someday the legal knots will be untied so Brownlow's full restoration can be released. |
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| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Nov 9 2005, 08:53 PM Post #7 |
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Panzer, You were right. I was too hard on Coppola. I've just finished reading NAPOLEON: ABEL GANCE'S CLASSIC FILM by Kevin Brownlow, and it clarified the rights issues. See my post under Recommended Movie Books in the Balcony Banter section. I do, however, still find Gance a more interesting director than Coppola. That's not to say that Coppola isn't one of the greats, because he is. --Ig |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Nov 10 2005, 08:45 AM Post #8 |
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Mouth Breather
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Ig, I'm a huge Griffith fan, so I tend to downrate the competition, but if you compare the Biographs to Gance's early shorts, you'll probably prefer the Griffiths. Based on those shorts and the talkie Beethoven I think Emperor Gance has a smaller wardrobe than his reputation would suggest. But then, I haven't seen NAPOLEON, so what do I know? |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Nov 10 2005, 08:07 PM Post #9 |
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Charter Member
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Panzer, If you get a chance, check out NAPOLEON when it's broadcast on TCM or if you can find a VHS copy to rent. Even the shortened version is breathtaking. As for Gance's later work, such as BEETHOVEN, Brownlow admits in the book that Gance's skills as a director diminished greatly after NAPOLEON. Gance definitely has a small body of quality work, but NAPOLEON features advances far beyond what anyone else was doing in 1927 and is more interesting than what most directors have done since. I haven't seen the early shorts, so what do I know? |
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| Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | Dec 9 2006, 08:43 AM Post #10 |
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Deepdiscountdvd.com currently has UNKNOWN CHAPLIN on sale for just $4.98. I don't know how long the sale lasts, so if you're interested, act fast! Here's a link to the listing: http://search.deepdiscountdvd.com/search?p...=54&search.y=10 |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Dec 9 2006, 03:28 PM Post #11 |
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Mouth Breather
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Wow, thanks! What a score! |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| George Kaplan | Dec 10 2006, 06:01 PM Post #12 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Aaarrgh! I just paid twelve bucks for it there--and I thought THAT was a bargain. Jump on this one. |
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| The Batman | Dec 10 2006, 06:05 PM Post #13 |
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Charter Member
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I checked Deepdiscountdvd.ca, and they have it on sale for $21.00 (!), so it looks like I would be better off ordering it from Deepdiscountdvd.com. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
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11:09 AM Jul 11