DVD Review HTF DVD REVIEW: The Jazz Singer: Three-Disc Deluxe Edition (1 Viewer)

[Ken_McAlinden]

True, but I got those off of the top of my head. The only thing I had to look up was the release date for "The Circus" which I was not sure was 1927 or 1928. I bet I could find a few more classics from that year with the use of IMDB.

Regards,

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Sounds good to me. I'll be picking this one up for sure. Thanks!

 

[Patrick McCart]

I just picked this up today. After skimming over the three discs, I have to say that this is Warner's DVD of the year. Few movies get a DVD treatment that are this definitive. As for the transfer, I'm in total awe of how great the audio sounds! They did just a great job of scrubbing it as Fox did with the Movietone track on Sunrise. The picture really doesn't look like it's from 1927, but rather looks like something from the 1950s. The extras and Vitaphone shorts are going to take a really long time to go through..

But the question remains... am I supposed to send off for a replacement after I've watched the film for the 20th time?

 

[Ed Moroughan]

Anyone else get a double picture in their set? I got two of Al Jolson and May McAvoy! What's the third pic of and what should I do? It is one pic after all not a missing disc! LOL

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

My review copy had the following ten photo cards:

Al Jolson with Rin Tin Tin
Al Jolson with May McAvoy
Al Jolson and Daryl Zanuck
Al Jolson with Chorus Girls
William Demarest, Jack Warner, Al Jolson, and Director Alan Crosland
Al Jolson (In Overcoat)
Al Jolson with Crew
Al Jolson with Actress and Crew
Vitaphone Camera and Operator
Daryl Zanuck, Jack Warner, Director Alan Crosland, Warner Oland, and Extras

 

[Ed Moroughan]

I think I'm missing the Al Jolson and Darryl Zanuck pic. Not sure as I don't have the set on me. Already emailed WB and got a response, I'm being sent a new set of pics! That's customer service!

 

[Drew Salzan]

Still any word if the correction was made in the clips from Golddiggers of Broadway? Any news if WHV will make available a replacement disc?

 

[Roger Rollins]

I'd also have to add a nod to Tod Browning's "The Unknown", which is a stunning piece of filmmaking.

 

[Drew Salzan]

Question. On disc 2 during the Dawn of Sound Documentary, there is a short interruption in picture and sound at 57:32. Is it just my disc, or is it a pressing defect? Aside from this and the missing Tiptoe Through the Tulips sequence, it is a flawless collection. Anybody also encounter this problem with the second disc?

 

[Brandon Conway]

Possibly a layer break?

 

[Drew Salzan]

No, definitely not a layer change. I thought of that, but with a layer change there is a freeze frame and then resuming. This is different; more of an abrupt skip. It's hard to explain unless you see it.

 

[Steve...O]

Drew, that's approximately the point where my disc 2 froze and would not play nor could I fast forward through it. I ended up sending my set back to Amazon for a replacement. I haven't had a chance to watch the replacement yet. Hopefully this is just an isolated incident. If it was a widespread pressing defect then there would be many more complaints.

Absolutely agree about this being a flawless collection. In my opinion, it's not only this year's best set, but it's also one of the best ever produced by WHV or anyone else. Great stuff!

Steve

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

My disc two plays through the 57:32 mark with no hiccups. There is no layer break during "The Dawn of Sound". It is encoded on "layer 0" along with the first "Gold Diggers" excerpt. The second "Gold Diggers" excerpt and all of rest of the featurettes are on "layer 1".

Regards,

 

[Drew Salzan]

Mine does not freeze; it is more like a "hiccup" as Mr. McAlinden says. I'm not sure if I want to return the entire set just for this (I bought it from Deep Discount). I'm still waiting to see if more people have encountered this same problem and also waiting to see what WHV is going to do about the incorrect Gold Diggers clips.

 

[Drew Salzan]

Update

Disc 2 plays flawlessly on my computer. I guess my DVD player doesn't have as good error correction.

Cheers

 

[Jefferson]

I noticed the same "whateveritis" pause or "hiccup" on the disc that I rented through my Netflix account. I didn't try it on my computer, however.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

More synch issues stuff...

I posted the replies I got from here to the silent film newsgroup, and Phil P. replied thusly:


Thoughts?

 

[Ruz-El]

I wathed this the other night. I far from an expert on this film, but it all played right by me. nothing seemd out of normal, at least no more out of the ordinary then other films from this vinntage. I really enjoyed it and thought it looked and sounded great. I still have to go through disc 2 and 3.

 

[Steve...O]

My replacement disc 2 arrived and I got a chance to watch the full documentary tonight. Great stuff and essential viewing for anyone interested in film history. I loved the archival interviews with Buddy Rogers & Anita Page and the new comments from Rose Marie and Mickey Rooney. Also great to see 80 year old Rudy Behlmer still contributing to these collections. He has such a vast array of knowledge I could listen to him for hours.

Yes, the hiccup is present, but at least it doesn't freeze like my initial disc did.

Steve

 

[Drew Salzan]

Still very strange that it only hiccups on my DVD player and not when I watch it on my computer. As I speculated before, there is obviously some error in the mastering and perhaps some players do a better job at error correction than others. At least it doesn't freeze.