- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,583
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
I would think that if one attempted to categorize him today, the word used would be "techno-geek."
Always ahead of the pack and past the cusp, he was a filmmaker that constantly pushed the limits of early sound as well as the synchronized visual image.
Rouben Mamoulian (1897 - 1987) made his mark from his very first production, the 1929 Applause, and continued to do things differently for decades. For his use of image and sound, one might compare him to Martin Scorsese.
Golden Boy (1939) was a Columbia production based upon the stage play of the same name, and while the stage roots of the drama are still visible, the Mamoulian touches are all over it.
Another important point about Golden Boy is the first credited appearance of 21 year-old William Holden in the lead. Championed for the role by Barbara Stanwyck, Mr. Holden gives a performance perfectly in sync with the year 1939, adding one more point to it's being the most important year in film history. There are now enough of Mr. Holden's films that have been released to DVD to give those who may not have been around to catch his work on screen the amazing professionalism of his work. Comparing his Joe Bonaparte at the age to 21 in Golden Boy to Pike Bishop, 30 years later in The Wild Bunch, best viewed in high definition, tells a story that cannot be explained here in words.
On DVD, Golden Boy looks right for it's age, with a tiny bit of what appears to be nitrate decomp, as well as an occasional bit of other damage. And I do mean "occasional," as overall this is a gorgeous representation of a wonderful and historic film, that has obviously be given an all-star treatment by the archival staff. Blacks and whites throughout the spectrum look proper, as does grain structure, yielding a beautiful image.
Golden Boy, a Columbia picture from Sony comes Highly Recommended.
RAH
Always ahead of the pack and past the cusp, he was a filmmaker that constantly pushed the limits of early sound as well as the synchronized visual image.
Rouben Mamoulian (1897 - 1987) made his mark from his very first production, the 1929 Applause, and continued to do things differently for decades. For his use of image and sound, one might compare him to Martin Scorsese.
Golden Boy (1939) was a Columbia production based upon the stage play of the same name, and while the stage roots of the drama are still visible, the Mamoulian touches are all over it.
Another important point about Golden Boy is the first credited appearance of 21 year-old William Holden in the lead. Championed for the role by Barbara Stanwyck, Mr. Holden gives a performance perfectly in sync with the year 1939, adding one more point to it's being the most important year in film history. There are now enough of Mr. Holden's films that have been released to DVD to give those who may not have been around to catch his work on screen the amazing professionalism of his work. Comparing his Joe Bonaparte at the age to 21 in Golden Boy to Pike Bishop, 30 years later in The Wild Bunch, best viewed in high definition, tells a story that cannot be explained here in words.
On DVD, Golden Boy looks right for it's age, with a tiny bit of what appears to be nitrate decomp, as well as an occasional bit of other damage. And I do mean "occasional," as overall this is a gorgeous representation of a wonderful and historic film, that has obviously be given an all-star treatment by the archival staff. Blacks and whites throughout the spectrum look proper, as does grain structure, yielding a beautiful image.
Golden Boy, a Columbia picture from Sony comes Highly Recommended.
RAH
