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Silent films are really good IF there's good music. Nothing has ruined my enjoyment of a silent more than either simply dropping generic music onto a film that is never appropriate with the on-screen action, BAD synth orchestras doing the score, or just a piss-poor score that no orchestra could make better. For instance, I've seen The Mysterious Lady with Greta Garbo on VHS and DVD. The score on the VHS was one of the WORST scores I ever heard on a non-public domain silent video release. The DVD score, while it does rely on synths to replicate many instruments, is still beautiful and compliments the film, instead of detracting from it. Makes for a far better experience.

If you want a silent film released on DVD and Blu-Ray properly by a major studio as opposed to a boutique label like Criterion and Kino, the recent DVD release of Wings, the first Best Picture Oscar-winner, fits the bill. While bonus materials are light on all releases, it contains both the pipe organ score from the original video releases and a brand new orchestral recording of the original score written for the movie. I first saw the movie on TCM with the pip organ score, which was pretty good, but the orchestral score is breathtaking. It even has sound effects, like I've been told the original roadshow presentation had. The film has also been color-tinted as it was originally shown - they've even recreated some hand-coloring effects done on the flames during battle sequences. Sadly, the only bonus on the DVD is a making-of - the Blu-Ray also has something about the battles and the restoration. (Y'all know Wings was once a lost film? A complete print was found in France.)

I love that outtake reel. It's on the Criterion DVD. There's lots of old Hollywood outtake reels on the internet, and I think I even have a few on my DVD's. It's funny to hear these old school stars swearing when they flub their lines. Jimmy Stewart was fond of saying "Goddamnit, sonofabitch, sonofabitch."

What a delightful film. Carole Lombard did the whole "falling apart" thing beautifully - a rare talent. (The best to ever do it was Elizabeth Taylor.) Very snappy script - it's rare to find a comedy with such crackling wit, especially these days. But the supporting cast is wonderful too. All on crisp glorious luminous black and white nitrate film stock.

Since I don't have Dial M For Murder and have a contentious relationship with streaming movies (Fuck you, basic ass slow broadband internet.), I may not get to participate in discussing it this week. Unless I find some excuse to go to my aunt's house and watch it on her Netflix - both their TV's have something attached to them that picks it up. They also have superior speeds to mine. If not, I'll just have to give my thoughts when KET airs it later this month. Meanwhile I have to think of what movie I'm gonna pick when it's my turn - I'm gonna pick out one that's harder to find, and I have to make sure it's on YouTube first.

I believe it is on Netflix. I'll be able to watch that one and participate if you switch to that as I have a copy somewhere. Probably taken from TCM. (But, and forgive me if my ego is getting in the way, don't change your pick on MY behalf! Your behalf is fine, but not mine. )



I'm currently looking on YouTube to see what's on there as some of the movies I'd like to introduce may not be available any other way except on hard-to-find VHS or DVD. Sometime I'd like for us to watch the 1929 version of The Letter with Jeanne Eagels in the only posthumous Best Actress Oscar nomination ever, but I may not have that as my next pick. Currently the only online streaming version is a 3rd generation VHS dub on Archive.org but that's better than some I'd like to share, of which I can't find any frakking copies whatsoever. (Such as Letty Lynton, a Joan Crawford film that's never been available on TV, let alone home video due to legal issues. I *cough* may or may not have a really crappy barely watchable copy.) I may have to start uploading some of my rarer films to YouTube myself.