Tweet SYNTHETIC SIN and WHY BE GOOD? -- when?

Any restoration updates on these two elusive and highly desired (by me at least) Colleen Moore titles? Last I heard was that the complete set of Vitaphone music-and-effects discs had been located for WHY BE GOOD?, and that it was scheduled for reatoration, but only one disc for SYNTHETIC SIN had turned up.

Speedy.

I think it was a couple discs for SYNTHETIC SIN. The idea was to have the rest of the score re-created by Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. I don't think anyone could do it better. There have been a couple minor updates. One was only a couple weeks ago here. I think they finally had some funding, but not enough.

I also want to know how much of NAUGHTY BUT NICE turned up in Amsterdam Holland. At least some of it did a couple years back. That was according to a guy a spoke with at George Eastman House. He didn't have full details at the time. Another archive had some Materials on "OH KAY!" as well. I have forgotten which one. Hope some Colleen Moore stuff was discovered during the the LOC's Silent Film Archeology event last month.

Speedy.

I think it was a couple discs for SYNTHETIC SIN. The idea was to have the rest of the score re-created by Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. I don't think anyone could do it better. There have been a couple minor updates. One was only a couple weeks ago here. I think they finally had some funding, but not enough.

I also want to know how much of NAUGHTY BUT NICE turned up in Amsterdam Holland. At least some of it did a couple years back. That was according to a guy a spoke with at George Eastman House. He didn't have full details at the time. Another archive had some Materials on "OH KAY!" as well. I have forgotten which one. Hope some Colleen Moore stuff was discovered during the the LOC's Silent Film Archeology event last month.

Nope.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Just hope Vince and Nighties are still alive by the time something is done with this. That's assuming that something doesn't happen to the precious Nitrate. What are we Noping about?

Can we get some details on the 5 minute Color fragment of RED HAIR that was discovered? Part of the actual film and not test or outtake footage I gather this time?

Can we get some details on the 5 minute Color fragment of RED HAIR that was discovered? Part of the actual film and not test or outtake footage I gather this time?

I say, when did you hear about this? I'm definitely listening!

Martie,

Here. It's been mentioned a couple times. What's more, the newly discovered footage was just screened at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival for the first time. Hey, I added some fresh stuff in the Colorization's Thread.

I'd love to know more about that RED HAIR footage too...

Oh, wouldn't it be nice if we had a Blu-ray set of...

BROKEN HEARTS OF BROADWAY
ELLA CINDERS (I really hope the complete version of this turns up...)
ORCHIDS AND ERMINE
IRENE
TWINKLETOES
LILAC TIME
HER WILD OAT
WHY BE GOOD?
SYNTHETIC SIN

And, as an extra, the surviving bits of FLAMING YOUTH and NAUGHTY BUT NICE.

Any restoration updates on these two elusive and highly desired (by me at least) Colleen Moore titles? Last I heard was that the complete set of Vitaphone music-and-effects discs had been located for WHY BE GOOD?, and that it was scheduled for restoration, but only one disc for SYNTHETIC SIN had turned up.

I too am hoping these two important films will be restored and shown in my lifetime.
It is especially frustating when I read stuff like the article in another current NitrateVille thread about all the effort and expense wasted, I mean spent in a recent restoration of CABARET (a movie I'd pesonally not mind to see every print melt away completely!) or the latest of several upgrades and restorations of movies like MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, etc. - titles that have always been around and seem to always be re-released in new packages with new work having been done on them. If only they take all the money being used on projects like those and put it toward those two Colleen Moore films.

What are we Noping about?

Can we get some details on the 5 minute Color fragment of RED HAIR that was discovered? Part of the actual film and not test or outtake footage I gather this time?

"Nope" was clearly Richard's answer to the dream you expressed in the previous line. The Red Hair fragment (also shown at the Turner Classic Movies festival) includes the opening titles, then a short gag sequence. A title introduces the age old story of a young woman attempting to tempt an old bird, only put more cleverly than that (I don't remember the exact wording). Cut to a closeup of Clara Bow in color, in a bathing suit, flirting with someone off camera. The next shot reveals that she's trying to tempt a pelican (the "old bird") to eat a fish. The set is a fishing dock with a painted sky backdrop.

That's about it, but it was fun to see.

As to why Cabaret gets restored instead of obscure Colleen Moore flicks, I believe that the answer can be found in one of Cabaret's well-known musical numbers.

Well, what irks me is they take 3 years to even mention these films being found. Then we read that they are significant finds quote "major rediscoveries", and subsequently stash them away for another six years and counting. Meantime, Warner's restored 50 Vita-phone shorts *you want to talk about obscure). that seem far less significant on the face of it to me for the most part. Even the complaints about the WINGS restoration being 7 hundred thousand dollars from Paramount frustrates me. Yes, that is expensive, but not even a drop in the bucket to what any new movie costs to produce today. HER WILD OAT I'm told took 80,000 to restore far less than WINGS, and I have still yet to see it.

Does anyone know how much was spent by Warner Brothers the 2004 restoration of THE BIG PARADE? Which of course we still have not seen outside of festivals. Shouldn't have been as much as WINGS, because they had the original camera negatives to draw from. Also if you have seen the Photoplay Productions print, it should be quite obvious that allot of the work on WINGS wasn't required. Kevin Brownlow and David Gill had most of the original tints already reinstated back in 1992. If they had started with that material, all that was really missing was the Hanschliegal stencil color effects. Sorry, I don't buy the idea that the monochrome dupe negative in the Paramount vault was the best source material. No one else should either, if you have seen the Phototplay print, which granted, originated from the same source to start with.

Gagman ... I seriously disagree that the Vitaphone shorts -- which are an important part of show-business history -- are less important than the Colleen Moore films (and have a much wider base of fan following).

My major interests aren't limited to one actress, as yours seem to be.

The Colleen Moore films are more important because so many of her movies have been lost over the years. Not nearly so much with those Vitaphone shorts. If you did the research there are several other compelling reasons these two titles are of interest other than just Colleen herself. Though given the poor survival rate or at any rate availability of her remaining films that should be enough. Give me at least a few Colleen Moore features on TCM to even things out. But there is no evening out. None of her staring features from the 1920's have ever been broadcast by them.

Just want to clear up some major misconceptions here. First there is absolutely zero connection between restoring WHY BE GOOD? (for which I have the discs) and restoring the Vitaphone shorts. Zero. There has never been any either/or situation and I'm not sure where this idea came from. Fact is, while the cost to restore the two Moore feature is indeed steep, they will be done and frankly some of the comments here criticizing the ONE studio that does more on restorations than all the others combined could actually hurt a currently fragile situation.

The deserved restoration of the Vitaphone shorts is a joint effort between LoC, UCLA, WB and The Vitaphone Project. Once the VERY FRAGILE details of getting the Moore prints is resolved, funding will be there.

Please believe me, the inaccurate assumption that the Moore features would be done if not for all those Vitaphone restorations is beyond incorrect.

Please trust me when I say the fastest way to kill any hope on these Moore restorations at this sensitive juncture is to continue posting these complaining criticisms. Timing could not be worse.

Just want to clear up some major misconceptions here. First there is absolutely zero connection between restoring WHY BE GOOD? (for which I have the discs) and restoring the Vitaphone shorts. Zero. There has never been any either/or situation and I'm not sure where this idea came from. Fact is, while the cost to restore the two Moore feature is indeed steep, they will be done and frankly some of the comments here criticizing the ONE studio that does more on restorations than all the others combined could actually hurt a currently fragile situation.

The deserved restoration of the Vitaphone shorts is a joint effort between LoC, UCLA, WB and The Vitaphone Project. Once the VERY FRAGILE details of getting the Moore prints is resolved, funding will be there.

Please believe me, the inaccurate assumption that the Moore features would be done if not for all those Vitaphone restorations is beyond incorrect.

Please trust me when I say the fastest way to kill any hope on these Moore restorations at this sensitive juncture is to continue posting these complaining criticisms. Timing could not be worse.

Sir, thank you for chiming in, and I absolutely agree re: the unwarranted criticisms of the WB (ESPECIALLY criticisms of them for restoring the Vitaphone shorts for chrissakes -- WTF?) who have indeed given us countless restorations of beloved classics; I was merely asking if there were any updates on the two Moore films, and I'm glad to hear that restorations are still in the works.

Please, you powers-that-be at the WB, rest assured that there are plenty of us out here who greatly appreciate the hard and expensive work you do in preserving our film heritage so that we're able to watch, enjoy and own these classics. And that goes for the good people at the UCLA, LoC and the Vitaphone Project too.

Thanks for understanding the sensitivity and gravity of this situation. It will happen.

:? The Colleen Moore films are more important because so many of her movies have been lost over the years. Not nearly so much with those Vitaphone shorts. If you did the research there are several other compelling reasons these two titles are of interest other than just Colleen herself. Though given the poor survival rate or at any rate availability of her remaining films that should be enough. Give me at least a few Colleen Moore features on TCM to even things out. But there is no evening out. None of her staring features from the 1920's have ever been broadcast by them.

Jesus, this old gag again?? I don't know how many times Ron Hutchinson has to post the same information here, THE COLLEEN MOORE FILMS WILL BE RESTORED!!! Not tomorrow, not next week, but EVENTUALLY! Look at it this way, the films took 80 years to be rediscovered, maybe they'll take another 80 years to be restored. Just punch the clock and be patient, pal. Just because a star may have a poor survival rate of their films doesn't immediately move their 2 "newly" found films to the top of the line of restoration projects.

I'm also sorry to inform you, as much as you LOVE Miss Moore, she is not quite the name where all the restoration $$$$ are going to pour in immediately. As much as I would love to see these films PERSONALLY there are about 20 others which I know are at UCLA just waiting to be preserved which I want to see more and certainly would have more name recognition than Colleen.

If you are really looking to get these films saved and repatriated, do what the archives and others historian/collectors do, start a Kickstarter fund, meet with people who care and donate to the arts and film restoration and try to get them to pony up, send letters to Hollywood stars and ask them to fund the restorations, sell everything you own and put your $$$$$ where your mouth is and donate, etc. Also, in case you haven't heard, there is an economic downturn going on right now in our beloved USA. Contact, your Congressmen/women and Senators and ask them to cut stupid crap like the money going to the bloated Defense Budget and ask them to put a percentage into funding the arts and film restorations. BE PROACTIVE! If you want these saved BAD enough there is nothing that should hold you back from achieving your dream. But to get on an internet forum and CONSTANTLY COMPLAIN about these films supposedly "rotting in an archive" and "what's happening to them", and "are they being looked after", pick up a phone or write a letter, stop being so lazy. If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.

Hey folks, nobody wants to see Colleen's films restored more than me, but I'd rather have them transferred to safety film and preserved and have to wait 20 years to see them, then to shoot for restoration only. Let's get the films off the nitrate first. And let's remember that while Colleen's best known films are still waiting for restoration, there are still many of her earlier films available. When I was writing the biography and working through the earlier parts of her career, I wrote that she was regarded as a fine dramatic actress, but had to couch that opinion in reviews of the time since I hadn't seen any of her early dramas. Then I saw "Broken Chains," which I hadn't had high hopes for, and was blown away by her performance... I forgot it was Colleen and believed her as her character. So I can say with confidence that if you see her in her earlier dramas, you will not be disappointed. "Broken Chains" and "Come On Over" were popular and important films and not only good, but precursors to her later films... she was fairly picky about the sorts of roles she would do. "So Long Letty" features Colleen just learning her comic timing. Colleen's part in "His Nibs" is short, but you get to see her having some real fun in her part. Heck, I want to see "The Devil's Claim," because I hear it's got a real crazy vibe to it. So seek out her earlier films to tide you over until the later films are restored.

Jeff,

"No one wants to see Colleen's films restored more than You?" I wouldn't bet on it. I think Speedy, Ed, and I a girl or three i know Catherine, Kate, Angie, and would all give you a run for your money. Rich Oliver too. And that is our main concern. Getting these films on some other medium then just the Nitrate.

Yes, I agree there are good early films, and I would gladly settle for BROKEN CHAINS on TCM! Especially since I haven't seen it . Same with THE DEVIL'S CLAIM, though she isn't the Star. What ever I can get. I just find it inexplicable that TCM has never run any of her Starring Silents. I sure wish that they would turn up a print of THE HUNTRESS someplace, or the rest of THE PERFECT FLAPPER. Incidentally, did Clara Bow actually appear with Colleen in PAINTED PEOPLE or was her part cut from the picture?

Your book was great by the way. I bought it about three months ago. Maybe expected quite a few more rare photos, but that was about my only complaint. I maybe anticipated a little large format for the price with slicker paper. But it was great to have a bio for Colleen finally in print.

Louie,

20 others with more name recognition than Colleen? Like Who? El Brendal? Yeah right! I seriously could care less about Name recognition. That is subject to significant change as the films become available.

Glad you enjoyed the book, I had assembled nearly 200 photos and was in the process of writing captions, when I was told there would only be room for 50 - 60, tops. I had to leave out quite a few gems. Both Joe Yranski and Colleen's daughter Judy Coleman were very generous in letting me use their images. I did tend to shy away from the studio portraits, looking for the more candid images, but I'm sure there's lots of folks out there who would give their left arm to see the studio ports too. Many of the images came straight out of Colleen's family albums, so if nothing else there is a decent look at her life outside of films.
I'd love to catch her films on TMC too (I'd need to get cable first though). But as long as the films can be gotten off the nitrate, less chance of them catching fire. Buys a few more years to do the job of restoration right.

jeff

Jeff,

That's to bad that they wouldn't let you use most of the photos. It was really surprising to me that was Colleen in the poster of the Tom Mix Western THE CYCLONE. Depicted in the poster illustration with Flaming Red Hair! I probably would not have known about this, if you had not included the still in your bio. Alas, I don't think any of the films she made with Tom survive? But another movie with Charles Ray EGG CRATE WALLOP was supposed to be in Russia.

And I understand there is an abbreviated version of "The Ninety and Nine" in France, with French subtitles.

jeff

Jeff,

Would you say that the most wanted of her lost films other than FLAMING YOUTH is probably THE LOTUS EATER? Just because of Barrymore? I mean they are all most wanted by me, but just in the general scope of things. If that were to turn up it would not be treated as poorly as the others. I'm I wrong? Also what do you know about the BFI having a 35 Millimeter print of TWINKLETOES? And if so, does it contain the alternate or original ending? I know the movie was part of the British Silent Film Festival in 2011.

Should mention, DINTY was on the Netherlands Eye Institute of film website about a year ago. I loved the trailer for HAPPINESS AHEAD. Looks like another big loss. And was Lillyan Tashman not in that one?

A few members here saw COME ON OVER when it was screened last year. Generally, they liked the film. However they also said that the print was very soft. I've heard that BROKEN CHAINS looks much sharper.

Lotus Eater" would certainly be a good one to find, because of Barrymore and as an example of Marshall Nielan's work. If I had a magic wand that I could wave and get back any of her lost films, I suppose the top 5 would be "The Bad Boy," to see Colleen's first performance, as well as for Robert Harron and Mildred Harris; "Little Orphant Annie," which isn't LOST, but what remains is a shadow of what it looks like they were aiming for (it had evolved from a 3-reel direct adaptation of the poem into an almost tragic story of a girl whose visions are almost waking nightmares, who suffers and dies and ends up united with her mother and the man she loves in heaven); "Lotus Eater"; "Flaming Youth," which brought the "New Woman" out of the shadows, though it also helped turn her into a fashion which was forgotten with the Depression; and it's impossible to say which of her First National films I would conjure, though I suppose "Footlights and Fools," to hear Colleen in her dual role. Put it together in a dvd box set, include those few feet of film they tested Colleen's eyes with at Essanay in 1916, and there you have it.
I understand additional material from "Little Orphant Annie" has been discovered, but it will be a while until someone adds it to the film as it exists now.
And speaking of "Flaming Youth," one of my favorite television shows is "Boardwalk Empire," which started a few seasons back in 1920, but has now jumped forward to 1923. I'm contemplating writing the producers and suggesting "Flaming Youth," make an appearance in the series at the appropriate moment. The sequences that exist would tend to lend themselves to the style of the show.

Approximately 10 minutes of rediscovered footage from the otherwise lost Colleen Moore feature AFFINITIES (1922) will be premiered at this year's Pordenone Silent Film Festival. It was recently discovered in the New Zealand Film Archive and has been repatriated as part of the NFPF initiative. George Eastman House have supervised the film's preservation.

James Layton,

That's good news about AFFINITIES (1922). Hopefully more of all the films that are missing reels show up. Especially Frank Borzage's THE NT COMMANDMENT, and FLAMING YOUTH. And I would give my Eye-Teeth for a complete ELLA CINDERS. Just to see Colleen in that sparkling silver outfit.

Jeff,

Here is a terrific autographed portrait of Colleen that is new to me. Looks like she could almost pass for a member of Brando's biker gang in THE WILD ONE doesn't it?

"The Nth Commandment" exists... I once bought a bootleg dvd copy on ebay... really bad condition. Looked like it was being screened somewhere and somebody snuck a video camera into the screening. Whenever the scenes changed the video camera's autofocus went out of whack, plus you could hear the voice of the lecturer. At one point the film was paused for several minutes, so there's got to be a copy of it somewhere. I managed to clip the bootleg dvd and add new title cards, but that copy is still unwatchable. "The Nth Commandment" is a risky film for Colleen, her character leads a man on to make money for her family... it could be the basis for a modern film. "Affinities" was also a risky film for the time, essentially being about the swinging lifestyle (not really seen but hinted at).

Looks like something Captain Haddock from Tintin would wear.

"The Nth Commandment" exists... I once bought a bootleg dvd copy on ebay... really bad condition. Looked like it was being screened somewhere and somebody snuck a video camera into the screening. Whenever the scenes changed the video camera's autofocus went out of whack, plus you could hear the voice of the lecturer. At one point the film was paused for several minutes, so there's got to be a copy of it somewhere. I managed to clip the bootleg dvd and add new title cards, but that copy is still unwatchable. "The Nth Commandment" is a risky film for Colleen, her character leads a man on to make money for her family... it could be the basis for a modern film. "Affinities" was also a risky film for the time, essentially being about the swinging lifestyle (not really seen but hinted at).

Jeff,

Yes, THE NTH COMMANDMENT was offered by Grapevine on VHS years ago. Back in the late 90'. I never saw a copy. And the film was missing as much as three reels, and not in order. Has any of the lost material since surfaced?

Also might mention that a friend swears to me that the footage from WE MODERNS of the Zeppelin Crashing through the roof of the Hotel or whatever, was used in an episode of "Fractured Flickers." Is this possible?

I've never seen Fractured Flickers, tough I hear it's available on dvd. I don't know if the clips from the show were taken from a single studio's films, or from all studios (I could see them getting away with it under fair-use laws). It's possible some of "We Moderns" made it into the series, as they were aiming for spectacle when the made the film. From what I recall about the story of "Nth Commandment," it seems like most of the film was there, no major chunks missing from it, aside from the nightclub scenes where Colleen does her dancing (of which I have a great still, looks like there was some gorgeous photography in the film). There might be 1 or 2 reels worth of material missing from it, the version that was on vhs might have been trimmed at some point, but not so badly that the story didn't make sense.

jeff

Jeff,

I caught a glimpse of Fractured Flickers on Show Time Many years ago. Don't remember it all that well, but found it very off-putting. I think Hans Confried was the host, a guy who one would think would fit in very well in the Silent days. Alas, the show seemed rather offensive to the genre. Running the clips, often from the 10's and early 20's at 26 Frames per second. With Cheesy sound effects. Not a good thing.

Apart from FLAMING YOUTH Do you think there would be greater interest in Colleen today if an important film like SO BIG had survived? I would be elated if BOARDWALK EMPIRE were to mention/highlight her in the series. maybe give Colleen a little outside exposure to the masses.

I'm still a heavy proponent of anointing Colleen Moore as "The Female Harold Lloyd" To get the Harold Lloyd crowd on Colleen's band wagon. You might not agree with that since she didn't exclusively make comedies. If it woks, to get her movies more exposure and restorations funded though I feel that's a pretty good start. I coined the phrase Female Harold Lloyd, because I view her as almost the perfect female counter part to Harold's All American Boy persona. Colleen is the quintessential All-American Girl type character of the 1920's. If Mabel Normand was the female Chaplin, then Colleen arguably Mabels' successor, has to be considered as the female Harold Lloyd.