Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - King of Kings (1927) -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

There are enough differences between the 2010 DVD of Cecil B. DeMille's 1927 The King of Kings, and the new Flicker Alley Blu-ray arriving in June to make a superb argument for upgrading.

But at the head of the pack is the latest of technologies from scanning to digital clean-up, color and overall production.

Add new scores and a virtual cornucopia of extras, and you've got what will bring one of the stand-out silent film releases of 2025.

I don't have four hours necessary to view these films, and a similar situation for the extras, but right from the start, you're hit with some of the most beautifully rendered and dramatic two-color Technicolor that I've ever seen.

By 1927, Mr. DeMille had been making films for 13 years, beginning with The Squaw Man in 1913. In the intervening years he made over 80 films!

Some programmers, some interesting productions, and some quite extraordinary in any number of ways. At the top of his craft, he used every technical as device available to him, including tints, tones, hand coloring, Handschiegl (aka Paramount Color) and two color Technicolor.

Originally released in April of 1927, and then re-issued in 1931 with a soundtrack, it was one of the last great silent films, before that art form disappeared in 1929.

Flicker Alley, along with Lobster Films and Blackhawk, have created an incredibly produced package,with the help of UCLA Film & Television Archive and George Eastman Museum.

Even if this was just a run of the mill silent release, you know I'd ask you to purchase a copy to support the preservation and restoration of silent films - but this is not the case here.

I'm asking for your support because this is a tremendous release that deserves your attention.

Among the extras are an audio commentary from Marc Wanamaker, a selection of two scores for the re-issue version.

The main score for the roadshow is fully orchestral by Robert Israel based upon the 1928 Riesenfeld original.

Magnificent!

Image

Forensic - 7-10
NSD - 8-10

Audio – n/a

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Worth your attention - Yes!

Slipcover rating - n/a

Looks like Film - Yes

Very Highly Recommended

RAH




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https://www.amazon.com/King-Kings-Flicker-Alley-Blu-ray/dp/B0DZWK6BH5

 

[bujaki]

This is a tremendous package! The roadshow version alone is worth the price of admission, being an extraordinary restoration. The extras are also interesting. The regular version, shorn of beaucoup footage, color, tints, tones, etc. is interesting as an archeology exercise, not really worth revisiting. We are very fortunate to have the roadshow version available for home viewing.
Ordered directly from Flicker Alley and received last week.
This release, as RAH states, is very highly recommended.

 

[ahollis]

Received it last week from Flicker Alley and it is a wonderful release. I had the 2010 DVD and this is an extraordinary release over the DVD, as it should be.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Featuring the Future Mr. Gower in the Title Role.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Have the 2010 Criterion dvd release so this will be a nice upgrade.

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

I never thought I would see this in a U.S. release, as the French Lobster Films Blu-ray was issued back in 2017. So I forked out for that edition not too long ago (it was long OOP, but I was lucky to find one at a reasonably decent price). Naturally, lo and behold, it now comes out from Flicker Alley! You all can thank me for allowing that to happen with my take-it-on-the-chin-for-the-group "trigger purchase."

A quick check of the contents seems to indicate this is pretty much the same package (minus the superfluous DVD copies), albeit cheaper than what I paid. So I would follow RAH's advice and not hesitate to jump on this!

 

[Jack P]

I had no idea a Blu-Ray was coming! I had always assumed Criterion would at some point finally get around to doing a Blu-Ray themselves (I suppose I'll have to keep that for bonus content) but I can see why that wasn't the case. Placed an Amazon order just now.

 

[Robert Harris]

As an aside, the silent King of Kings was the number 1 money maker at the box office in 1927. The first partial talking picture was number 2.