KINO's Hunchback Of Notre Dame
dne...@sprynet.com
KINO says that they have digitally enhanced their Hunchback (1923) tape to give it a sharper picture. Is this video really an
improvement? Can you tell the difference between that and other video releases?
Darren
John Aldrich
Darren,
I am generally dubious of these new "improved" versions, but I saw the new
Kino Laserdisc version of Hunchback (1923) a few weeks ago, and it was
like seeing the film for the first time. It is *much* sharper, cleaner,
and better grey scale than any of the previous versions I have seen. It
also has a terrific score. If you are a Chaney fan, a silent movie buff,
or a "Hunchback" aficionado, jump on this one. It's worth it, even if
(especially *if*) you own one of the previous releases.
Anybody want to buy used LaserDiscs of the old Republic or Image releases
of Hunchback <g>...
--John Aldrich
Opencity
While I cannot speak for the Kino videos, I should add that another video
company that specializes in offering PD titles in "remastered" formats
told me that a lot of their videos are really just the same old
prints...no special razzmatazz to spruce them up. To quote Bela Lugosi in
"Glen or Glenda"...bevare!
VladW
That's true of many lower end distributors out there, but Kino has been
relatively consistent in releasing good quality material. The new
Hunchback is an improvement over their earlier version, and the best print
that I've seen. It is not, however, a thing of beauty. The truth is I
doubt there even is a really good print of this film out there.
The same can be said of Kino's Foolish Wives, the step-printed material
that they've used is, unfortunately, all that exists.
Their other material, the Keaton films, the Fairbanks, the Griffiths, have
for the most part become the definitive versions of these silents,
mastered from the best possible material.
ChaneyFan
>>>The new Hunchback is an improvement over their earlier version, and the
best print that I've seen. It is not, however, a thing of beauty. The
truth is I doubt there even is a really good print of this film out
there.<<<
Several years ago I had a chance to purchase a bona fide Show-At-Home
original of HUNCHBACK. This sounded like a real gem and I was sure it
would be much better than my Blackhawk 16mm print. Rob McKay and I set it
up side-by-side with the Blackhawk print and I was shocked that the
Blackhawk print (which I assumed to be a dupe of a Show-At-Home) looked a
tad better. The Show-At-Home was maybe just an *eensy* bit sharper, but
the image was not as steady and the contrast was maybe a hair flater.
After doing a lot of A-B comparisons, we both agreed that the Blackhawk
print was the better print and I kept that one and passed on the
Show-At-Home.
So...from what I've seen, the Blackhawk material (and I think this was
used for the Kino release since David Shepard was involved in the
restoration) is probably the best material around. Unfortunate, but true.
=================================================
Jon Mirsalis
Chan...@aol.com
http://www.sri.com/stg/toxicology/jonfilm.html
Lon Chaney Home Page: http://members.aol.com/ChaneyFan
dne...@sprynet.com
>>>>
I think I remember when Blackhawk first released this film on video in the early to mid 1980s.
Was their source print 35mm?
It is very sad that films like these no longer exist in their original form. (If I could only sneak into nitrate heaven and switch
"Hunchback" and other silent classics with prints of Wheeler and Woolsey and late 50s Three Stooges short subjects!)
Darren Nemeth
John Aldrich
In article <19961224083...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
chan...@aol.com (ChaneyFan) wrote:
I believe the earlier Image Entertainment/David Shepard LaserDisc edition
of "The Hunchback" utilized the Blackhawk pre-print material. This latest
Kino/David Shepard/Image edition is *markedly* better, and is the best
print of Hunchback I have ever seen. About 30 minutes into the film, the
quality changes somewhat, which would seem to indicate more than one
preprint was used.
Quote from the liner notes on the remastered edition of "The Hunchback Of
Notre Dame":
"This edition was remastered from a tinted print struck in 1924 from the
duplicate negative Universal apparently used to make copies for the
general release. Although not perfect, it is substantially better than
earlier video editions and seems to represent the best condition in which
this landmark film survives today."
The new Laserdisc edition contains the following:
€ Remastered from an original tinted print
€ Orchestral score with synchronized sound effects
€ Facsimile reproduction of original road show souvenier program
€ Gatefold essay by Michael Blake, author of two books on Lon Chaney
€ Behind the scenes footage on the Hunchback set
Jon, I know you don't watch silents on TV (I'm sympathetic) but you might
want to check out this new version of "Hunchback". If you haven't seen
it, you will be surprised!
Regards,
--John Aldrich