- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,423
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
As most of you know, film archivist extraordinaire, Scott MacQueen has retired from a long stint a UCLA, and leaves behind films that will (or should) survive the ages.
As far as I'm aware, his final restoration was William Dieterle's All That Money Can Buy, a wonderfully devilish production starring Edward Arnold and Walter Huston. Magnificently photographed by Joseph August, it was unfortunately cut from 107 minutes, down to 85 as The Devil and Daniel Webster.
Now fully restored, and afaik heading our way via Criterion, it's one of the great films.
Mr. MacQueen's penultimate project at the archive was an unusual selection, but which fits in perfectly with some of his earlier two-color Technicolor restorative efforts - only this one a bit easier, as the original negative was extant.
You'll recognize most of the cast, as they were brought over from the Roach Studio in Culver City to Melrose and the Paramount lot.
The history is telling. Originally designed as pre-code gangster drama, which would push the barriers of burgeoning censorship in Hollywood, standards suddenly changed and the standard issue femme-fatales and hoods were replaced almost overnight in order to bring down what were essentially an early version of CAFE standards, especially since the studio still had some rather hot properties in production, with half-naked actress bathing in milk and other niceties.
Hence a musical gangster drama, frequented by the set of now early-teen performers.
While it's definitely a delightful oddity, the asset is that it can finally to be seen as designed (as opposed to it's varied black & white re-issues and broadcast appearances, going back to Million Dollar Movie.
Bugsy Malone is Mr. MacQueen at his best - taking fragile nitrate elements and creating something that appears that it might have been made as late as the '70s.
Paramount Presents spine #23.
Image – 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD - Yes
Recommended
RAH
As far as I'm aware, his final restoration was William Dieterle's All That Money Can Buy, a wonderfully devilish production starring Edward Arnold and Walter Huston. Magnificently photographed by Joseph August, it was unfortunately cut from 107 minutes, down to 85 as The Devil and Daniel Webster.
Now fully restored, and afaik heading our way via Criterion, it's one of the great films.
Mr. MacQueen's penultimate project at the archive was an unusual selection, but which fits in perfectly with some of his earlier two-color Technicolor restorative efforts - only this one a bit easier, as the original negative was extant.
You'll recognize most of the cast, as they were brought over from the Roach Studio in Culver City to Melrose and the Paramount lot.
The history is telling. Originally designed as pre-code gangster drama, which would push the barriers of burgeoning censorship in Hollywood, standards suddenly changed and the standard issue femme-fatales and hoods were replaced almost overnight in order to bring down what were essentially an early version of CAFE standards, especially since the studio still had some rather hot properties in production, with half-naked actress bathing in milk and other niceties.
Hence a musical gangster drama, frequented by the set of now early-teen performers.
While it's definitely a delightful oddity, the asset is that it can finally to be seen as designed (as opposed to it's varied black & white re-issues and broadcast appearances, going back to Million Dollar Movie.
Bugsy Malone is Mr. MacQueen at his best - taking fragile nitrate elements and creating something that appears that it might have been made as late as the '70s.
Paramount Presents spine #23.
Image – 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD - Yes
Recommended
RAH
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