The strange things is…
It was a musical.
Taking the star of the show, Eddie Cantor, director Frank Tuttle crafted a non-musical comedy, with a secondary actor named Clara Bow along for the ride, and receiving no billing on film. Things would change in 1927, with a little film called It.
The picture element is derived from a 35mm work picture donated by Paramount to the AFI, and then the LoC. The basic restoration, which is beautifully done is by Paramount, with a bit more work from Film Preservation Society.
Bottom line, for a film that probably would not have survived except by chance, it looks fantastic.
A nicely resolved image, with nice delineation between blacks and whites. A few frames missing here and there, but nothing that will likely even go noticed.
A delicate track has been added that works nicely with the film, creating a package that you’ll likely desire to add to your library.
I happen to love this little romantic comedy. Having missed it on stage, I don’t miss the music.
I wasn’t going to mention it, but will anyway.
Your Purchase Supports Film Preservation.
An additional note about film speed. This disc uses a methodology of repeating frames to achieve slower movement. In this case 21 fps.
Many of the Paramount silent productions were meant to be viewed at a speed lower than the later established 24 fps. In this particular situation, the final footage was 5,650 feet, and the official studio music cue sheet called for 55 minutes. Running at 24 fps would create a running time of 61+ minutes.
While I don’t believe that a warning for the speed methodology used here needs to be offered to those with certain potential types of seizures, some will find it noticeable.
All of that noted, I’m wondering if Kid Boots may have been designed to run at a faster speed, as were some comedies of the era. More to research.
Image
Forensic – 7.5
NSD – 10
Audio – n/a
Pass / Fail – Pass
Plays nicely with projectors – Yes
Worth your attention – Yes (even if you’re not a fan of silents)
Slipcover rating – n/a
Looks like Film – Yes
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
Only available from the Film Preservation Society link below:
https://www.filmpreservationsociety.org/inventory/kid-boots-bluray-2025
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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