A Few Words About A few words about...™ King of Jazz -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[AnthonyClarke]

One of my favourite 2-colour movies is 'Whoopee' with Eddie Cantor and a bevy of Ziegfield girls. It's had a Warners archive DVD release but it would be great to have a Blu ray. In the meantime, I'll guess I'll have to go for King of Jazz.....

 

[bigshot]

That western Eddie Cantor movie was good too. And the Ali Baba one. I like Eddie Cantor. I may be the only one, but I do!

 

[Robert Harris]

That western Eddie Cantor movie was good too. And the Ali Baba one. I like Eddie Cantor. I may be the only one, but I do!

Mr. Cantor was a force of nature.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Sorry to derail a bit, but there's a set of 6 fun early WB films that includes Dr. X and its sequel and is far cheaper than the double feature that was linked earlier in the thread. It's MOD, unfortunately, but the price is right around $24 as I write this post. I think I'm going to pick it up as I love the early Technicolor process, with all its faults. https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Legends-Horror-Collection-Provided/dp/B01L30SDMM/

 

[Will Krupp]

One of my favourite 2-colour movies is 'Whoopee' with Eddie Cantor and a bevy of Ziegfield girls.

Including a 13 year old Betty Grable!

 

[aPhil]

Sorry to derail a bit, but there's a set of 6 fun early WB films that includes Dr. X and its sequel and is far cheaper than the double feature that was linked earlier in the thread. It's MOD, unfortunately, but the price is right around $24 as I write this post. I think I'm going to pick it up as I love the early Technicolor process, with all its faults. https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Legends-Horror-Collection-Provided/dp/B01L30SDMM/

This is a very good set (which I have had since the original non-MOD)
and I wish it would come to Blu-ray.

I don't want to derail the "King of Jazz" topic, but it was the place that made me wonder about the Warner Brothers elements for the black & white version of 1932 "Doctor X". I would like to see that restored and put on Blu-ray.

Likely, I'm in a minority, but I have never seen a 2-Color Technicolor print/video/Blu-ray or other that I cared for --
The Red/Green combo never appealed to me, but I do have the Criterion "King of Jazz" in my Netflix Queue so that I can see what a restoration looks like and if it will change my opinion.

On the other hand, the 2-Color Red/Blue Trucolor of "Sunset in the West" really appealed to me. It's almost like a modern artistic choice for certain types of scenes. Before seeing the Kino Blu-ray of the Roy Rogers film, I had never experienced a non-faded view of the 2-Color Trucolor.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Likely, I'm in a minority, but I have never seen a 2-Color Technicolor print/video/Blu-ray or other that I cared for --
The Red/Green combo never appealed to me, but I do have the Criterion "King of Jazz" in my Netflix Queue so that I can see what a restoration looks like and if it will change my opinion.

I agree that it's a little jarring when compared to 3-strip Technicolor, but towards the end of its use, it's strengths and weaknesses were well known and talented cinematographers, set and costume designers had become fairly adept at exploiting those strengths so that the result was pleasing, if still not anything like what could eventually be accomplished with later color methods. Mystery of the Wax Museum, for example, looks pretty darned good.

I found a short, but interesting overview of the two-color process made by the George Eastman House.

 

[Will Krupp]

Mystery of the Wax Museum, for example, looks pretty darned good.

But not, unfortunately, on either DVD or blu-ray. Both versions use the same old, INTERLACED transfer with colors inauthentically pushed towards blue. Ironically enough, the Laser Disc (and even the VHS!) was more accurate.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I found a short, but interesting overview of the two-color process made by the George Eastman House.

Thanks, Brian.

Very educational (and understandable) for someone like me who knows very little about these things.

 

[Brian Kidd]

But not, unfortunately, on either DVD or blu-ray. Both versions use the same old, INTERLACED transfer with colors inauthentically pushed towards blue. Ironically enough, the Laser Disc (and even the VHS!) was more accurate.

Interesting. I did not know that. Off to eBay I go! Glad I still have a LD player.

 

[Moleman X]

I found a short, but interesting overview of the two-color process made by the George Eastman House.

Very cool! So "two-strip" Technicolor IS accurate - at least for the silent era.

 

[Robert Harris]

Very cool! So "two-strip" Technicolor IS accurate - at least for the silent era.

Correct. If one is referring to prints, pre-imbibition.

 

[Casey62]

Yup.

Even "Stumpy," from Rio Bravo was young-ish once.

Appearing in one of the quicky vignettes, you'll find Walter Brennan.

How about a Bing Crosby in what I believe to be his first film appearance?

Universal has done cinephiles a huge favor. A major studio supporting the restoration of a film that on its face has more historical than entertainment value.

But today's audiences discovered that the now 87 year-old production could be fun, as it toured the festival circuit.

Filmed in two-color (let's please not call it 2-strip, as it was a single strand of film, with two exposures for each frame (over/under), King of Jazz is a beautiful artifact of the end of that Technicolor era.

Generally, used sparingly, and usually for sequences, we'll put things in perspective.

In 1930, there appear to have been 29 films using the process, with 13 using it for sequences only.

Many don't survive, or survive partially, in black & white, or as discs only.

Bottom line, for those with a desire to experience the process, at least in full quality, King of Jazz is a rarity.

Warner's 1932 Doctor X, and 1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum have survived as release prints.

King of Jazz is substantially based upon camera negative, with portions from other elements.

Possibly because it was also rarely used at Universal, survival (by chance or luck) leaves us in good stead.

The earlier sequence from the 1925 Phantom of the Opera, survives as camera negative.

And if my sources are correct, it would not be until 1942 (with 3-strip) that the studio would again visit the technology with Arabian Nights, 1943 for Cobra Woman and the re-make of Phantom of the Opera and White Savage.

We can thank Criterion for licensing the project, and crating a superb Blu-ray, spine number 915, for those who keep track of such things.

For cinema fans, this is one of the early wonders.

Image - various - 4.5 - 5 for original material

Audio - 4

Pass / Fail - Pass

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Here's something you don't handle every day...

 

[Casey62]

For me, THE KING OF JAZZ is - first and foremost - a highly entertaining film, and I applaud its merits on that level. But its historical value is reason enough for this extensive restoration to have been undertaken.

 

[rdimucci]

I saw KING OF JAZZ at the American Film Institute shortly after the restoration was completed. It's quite entertaining, particularly when you know something about its history and creation. The AFI showing was presented by the film's restorers, who put on a pre-show slide show of the film's genesis. That will undoubtedly be recreated on the Criterion release. But for those who want more, a complete book has been released that goes into great detail on these matters:

https://www.amazon.com/King-Jazz-Wh...8&qid=1520455034&sr=1-1&keywords=King+of+Jazz

One of the book's authors, James Layton, is the narrator of the Eastman House Two-Color Technicolor short film posted above.

 

[rdimucci]

Warner's 1932 Doctor X, and 1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum have survived as release prints.

THe AFI Theater in Silver Spring, MD will be showing both features together, later this month:
Dbl Feature: DOCTOR X + MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM
Saturday, March 24, 2018
02:00 PM

 

[battlebeast]

I found a short, but interesting overview of the two-color process made by the George Eastman House.

That was insanely fascinating!

 

[aPhil]

THe AFI Theater in Silver Spring, MD will be showing both features together, later this month:
Dbl Feature: DOCTOR X + MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM
Saturday, March 24, 2018
02:00 PM

Interesting that as to Doctor X it says

1932, color/b&w, 76 min

Would be nice if they were showing both versions.

 

[BarryR]

That western Eddie Cantor movie was good too. And the Ali Baba one. I like Eddie Cantor. I may be the only one, but I do!

No, you're not alone!