Nitrateville Creators:Books;DVDs;CDs;Calendars-2021 Gift Ideas!

[Fred M. Stevens]

This thread is a listing of fabulous holiday- or any day- gift suggestions:
Currently “in print” items
Produced, in whole or in part, by NITRATEVILLE MEMBERS:
DVDs; eBooks; CDs; Calendars; Books; Art; etc. .........Ideally, each post will provide an image, publisher’s description, and on-line purchase link.
REPEAT LISTINGS WILL BE REMOVED BY MODERATORS

Thelma Todd & Zasu Pitts :
The Hal Roach Collection 1931-32
2 DVD–Running Time:340 Minutes (October 9, 2018)
Restored From the Original Negatives
Commentary by Richard M. Roberts, Randy Skretvedt, Brent Walker and Robert Farr
”These sexy, pre-code two-reel comedies showcasing Thelma Todd's timeless beauty and impeccable comedic ability. that wowed audiences during the Depression, tickling their funny bones as well. The vivacious, talented, and lovely Thelma Todd was Hal Roach's top female comedian, who in her short 29-year lifetime graced over 100 films. This collection brings together all of the films from her collaboration with Zasu Pitts, a veteran character actress with wonderful comedy timing and delightful comedic gestures who proves a fine comic foil for the blonde beauty. These two-reel short comedies also feature the wonderful Hal Roach stock company of comedians: Billy Gilbert, James C. Morton, Charlie Hall, Anita Garvin, Bud Jamison, and others, as well as special collaborations with other top Hal Roach stars like Laurel and Hardy and Charley Chase.
The shorts: 1931: Let's Do Things, Catch-As Catch-Can, The Pajama Party, War Mamas, On The Loose -
1932: Sealskins, Red Noses, Strictly Unreliable, The Old Bull, Show Business, Alum and Eve, The Soilers, Sneak Easily -
1933: Asleep In the Feet, Maids a La Mode, The Bargain of the Century, One Track Minds
Bonus features include: Stills and poster gallery, Commentaries by Richard M. Roberts, Randy Skretvedt, Brent Walker and Robert Farr.”

[Fred M. Stevens]

The Hal Roach Comedy Shorts of Thelma Todd, Zasu Pitts and Patsy Kelly
By James L. Neibaur
Paperback (December 1, 2018)
"Producer Hal Roach wanted to match his success with Laurel and Hardy by producing films with a female comedy team. So in 1931 he teamed up Thelma Todd and ZaSu Pitts for a series of two reel shorts that were quickly successful. When Pitts left the studio for other pursuits, she was replaced by Patsy Kelly and the series continued to be successful. Thelma Todd died suddenly under mysterious circumstances in 1935 and Patsy tried to carry on, first paired with Pert Kelton, then with Lyda Roberti. When Lyda died in 1938, the series ended. This book is the first film-by-film look at each of the comedies these women made, how they responded to different directors, and how the movies adapted to changes along the way. As the short comedies are discussed, other projects each of the actresses engaged in outside of the series will also be mentioned. Each film examined will include credits, production information, period reviews, background, and a critical assessment.”

[Fred M. Stevens]

Side By Side: Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis On TV and Radio
by Michael J. Hayde
514 Pages Paperback And Hardback (July 24, 2018)
”Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis were the most successful comedy team of the 20th century, but if you’ve only seen them in movies, you haven’t really seen them.
For years their only legacy was 16 starring films that shoehorned them into predictable situations far removed from the mutual affection and uninhibited slapstick that captivated audiences. That changed when their starring appearances on The Colgate Comedy Hour were released to home video. Fans of old-time radio have long known of their fine work in that medium. Television and radio gave the team freedom to improvise, as well as showcase favorite night club routines.
More than a chronicle of classic comedy, SIDE BY SIDE tells the Martin & Lewis story: two friends whose individual ambitions gradually drove a wedge between them that carried into their work. It recounts in detail their legendary feuds and final split, and their equally legendary reunions.
‘A treasure trove for any fan of Dean and Jerry, packed with valuable information, behind-the-scenes stories, and a dizzying array of rare photos. I couldn’t put this book down!’ – Leonard Maltin“

[Fred M. Stevens]

Louise Brooks
The Persistent Star
by Thomas Gladysz
296 pages (July 28, 2018)
"Louise Brooks, the Persistent Star brings together 15 years work by Thomas Gladysz, the Director of the Louise Brooks Society. Gathered here are a selection of his articles, essays, and blogs about the silent film star. The actress' best known films--Beggars of Life, Pandora's Box, and Diary of a Lost Girl--are discussed, as are many other little known aspects of Brooks' legendary career. These pieces range from the local ("Louise Brooks, at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and 16th Street") to the worldly ("Making Personas: Transnational Film Stardom in Modern Japan"), from the provocative ("A Girl in Every Port: The Birth of Lulu?") to the poignant ("Homage to George W. Lighton of Kentucky, idealistic silent film buff who perished in the Spanish Civil War"), from the quirky ("Louise Brooks' First Television Broadcast") to the surprising ("A Lost Girl, a Fake Diary, and a Forgotten Author"). Also included are related interviews with actor Paul McGann, singer- songwriter Rufus Wainwright, and novelist Laura Moriarty, author of The Chaperone.... with dozens of illustrations.”

[Fred M. Stevens]

Marion Davies in Enchantment (1921)
Blu-ray BD-R (region free) or DVD (August 2018)
Enchantment (1921)
Directed by Robert G. Vignola
Cast: Marion Davies, Forrest Stanley, Edith Shayne, Tom Lewis
Ethel Hoyt, a flapper assured of her charm and beauty, is leading along a gaggle of boys and overwhelming her dear parents. So while watching a performance of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew her father decides that, like shrewish Kate, his daughter just needs a taste of her own medicine to be tamed. He conspires with Ernest Eddison, his friend and the actor who plays Petruchio, to charm and tame Ethel. Of course things may not go as planned when Ernest finds he is not immune to Ethel's enchantment.
89 minutes with a music score by Donald Sosin
Released in cooperation with Edward Lorusso.

[Fred M. Stevens]

Ticklish Town - Vol. 1
Dailies Nov. 1913 - Feb. 1914
Paperback – July 1, 2018
by Snorre Smári Mathieson
"TICKLISH TOWN is a comic strip starring two grand gents named Marcel & Pretzel Dragon. This book collects their first 48 moments together.
SnoSmari (actually Snorre Smári Mathiesen - the name isn't that odd or uncommon where he comes from) is a Norwegian writer-cartoonist-etc. Having done cartoons since nearly as far back as his murky memory goes, he had the comic TICKLISH TOWN launched on the web in 2017. He is also author of the book MAX LINDER: FATHER OF FILM COMEDY (BearManor Media, 2017)."

[Fred M. Stevens]

The Kinetophone: A Fact! A Reality!
DVD 76 minutes – (August 7, 2018)
"In 1913, the Thomas Edison Company made talking pictures using a sound-on-cylinder system called The Kinetophone. These pioneering sound movies were shown in theatres for about a year, and featured vaudeville acts, comedy sketches, dramatic scenes and musical performances. Only 8 of the 200 Kinetophone films made survive in both film and cylinder elements, and these have now been digitally restored and synchronized by the Library of Congress, and are presented here for the first time in 105 years.
The Films (all 1913):
THE EDISON KINETOPHONE (1913) - 3 mins
MUSICAL BLACKSMITHS (1913) - 6 mins
NURSERY FAVORITES (1913) - 6 mins
THE DEAF MUTE (1913) - 6 mins
THE EDISON MINSTRELS (1913) - 6 mins
THE FIVE BACHELORS (1913) - 6 mins
THE OLD GUARD (1913) - 6 mins
JACK’S JOKE (1913) - 6 mins
Bonus:
SO AMAZINGLY PERFECT THEY ARE REALLY WEIRD (2018) - 25 mins - mini-documentary on the Kinetophone films’ history, technology and their restoration
THE POLITICIAN (1913) - 6 mins - Kinetophone film whose sound cylinder is still lost and is presented here with a musical score by Ben Model
B&W/color - stereo - 4:3 aspect ratio Region 0. [Note: This product is an authorized, licensed CD and is manufactured on demand] "

[Fred M. Stevens]

The Laurel & Hardy Movie Scripts:
20 Original Short Subject Screenplays (1926 – 1934)

Paperback– June 18, 2018
304 pages
by Randy Skretvedt
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy improvised many of the scenes for their classic comedies while the cameras were rolling, which meant that some excellent material in their scripts was lost – until now. Twenty complete, original screenplays for their short subjects are presented here for the the very first time. They include a treasure trove of unused but hilarious comedy routines. Among them is the entire script for a proposed 1926 comedy, never filmed, which would have been the comedians’ first film as a team. The scripts are illustrated with 150 rare photos; many of them vividly depict the process of making the films. Introductions for each entry detail the fascinating differences between the scripts and the movies made from them. Full cast and credit information is also included. This collection of fabulous rarities is essential for any admirer of Stan and Ollie..

[Fred M. Stevens]

Kidnapped: A Complete 1917 Night at the Movies
90 minutes DVD (July 27, 2018)
Musical Scores by Ben Model
"A complete night at the movies-- exactly as it was presented in 1917.
This DVD contains a complete program of films made by the legendary Edison film studio: a feature film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Kidnapped" and all four shorts that originally accompanied it: a live-action silhouette performance of Little Red Riding Hood, the scientific short Microscopic Pond Life, the Roman era slapstick comedy Friends Romans and Leo and the travelogue Quaint Provincetown.
Ads for the series of Conquest Programs boasted that it was an "open road to romance and knowledge" and that the films were "guaranteed censor proof" with their combination of family-friendly comedy, drama, science, history and travel. The Kidnapped program was the ninth in this series. This is the first time the entire program has been available to the general public since its release in 1917.
All of the films feature authentic period tinting and original piano scores composed and performed by Ben Model. They were preserved and transferred by the Library of Congress from 16mm prints derived from producer George Kleine's personal collection.
This release is a rare opportunity to enjoy a complete authentic silent era movie experience and is invaluable to collectors, historians and educators.
When sold by Amazon.com, this product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. "

[Fred M. Stevens]

How To Film Moving Pictures in the 1910's.
By Darren Nemeth
August 2018
Hardback and Paperback
How To Film Moving Pictures in the 1910's
Everyone interested in early cinema knows about the iconic wooden, hand cranked cameras. This book reprints extremely rare camera gear manuals, pamphlets and assorted literature from the era of The Keystone Studio, Charles Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, and store front Nickelodeons. Just when purpose built movie theatres were in their infancy. Along with added material and research by Darren Nemeth, you can learn the basics on how to operate a moving picture camera and process film from the 1910's perspective. Learn the ropes on how to become a successful camera operator at the dawn of industrialized film production!

[Fred M. Stevens]

Laurel & Hardy On The Radio & On The Phone!
Hardcover – 2 CD Box Set
Hardcover: 85 pages 2 CD 95 Minutes September 2018
Edited by John Tefteller
"Laurel & Hardy On The Radio & On The Phone! Rare and previously unreleased audio 1944-1964 is a HARDCOVER 9 1/2" x 12 1/2" 85 page book. The book contains essays by Leonard Maltin, Michael Feinstein, Randy Skretvedt Richard W. Bann, and others, with dozens and dozens of never-before-seen photographs. There are two audio CD's containing over 95 minutes of super rare audio, including, for the very first time, a brand-new, never before heard or known of 2nd 1944 NBC Radio audition, "No Dumber Plumbers." Also included a long-thought lost hour-long interview with Stan Laurel in a private, candid conversation that he had no idea was being recorded. Great care has been taken to use the finest, first generation photographs and the audio has been meticulously restored to perfection! It sounds like it was recorded yesterday! It is a super high quality product through and through and should be in the collection of anyone who loves Laurel & Hardy, vintage comedy or collecting entertainment history.”

[Fred M. Stevens]

Old Ironsides (1926)
(Blu-ray or DVD)
BLU-RAY or DVD 114 minutes (October 30, 2018)
Score by J.S. Zamecnik and Hugo Riesenfeld, adapted for piano by Rodney Sauer
"Newly Remastered in HD from a 2K scan from 35mm film elements preserved by the Library of Congress. Old Ironsides is a grand adventure on the high seas directed with flair by James Cruze (The Covered Wagon). It is 1798, and the young U.S. government is desperate to drive the Barbary pirates out of the Mediterranean, so they build and launch the USS Constitution into the fight. A farm boy (Charles Farrell) wants to join the battle, but a hard-living and fast-talking boatswain (Wallace Beery) liquors the boy up until he boards the merchant ship Esther. It doesn’t hurt that the ship owner’s pretty daughter (Esther Ralston) will also be on board. This ragtag group embarks on a thrillingly unexpected journey that lands them in the middle of the pirate war, with little hope of escape. Though praised by critics upon its release as “a glorious story
 of a glorious achievement” (Photoplay), it sunk at the box office. But in this new restoration provided by the Library of Congress, it is time to view the film anew as a thrilling and technically astonishing achievement.
Charles Farrell Esther Ralston Wallace Beery George Bancroft Johnnie Walker
Boris Karloff (as A Saracen Guard) Gary Cooper (an extra)
Special Features:
-Audio Commentary by Film Historian Toby Roan
-Booklet Essay by Film Historian Peter Labuza
-Featuring the New York premiere score by J.S. Zamecnik and Hugo Riesenfeld,
adapted for piano by Rodney Sauer

[Fred M. Stevens]

George Arliss in DISRAELI:
A Graphic Novel Based on the 1921 Silent Film
Paperback 44 Pages– September 8, 2018
by Robert M Fells
Russian meddling in the affairs of western governments is nothing new. Over a century ago, George Arliss starred in a play that told the story of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli's efforts to purchase the Suez Canal for his country. But his plan was almost thwarted by Russia. The play ran for five years, then Arliss starred in a silent film version, later followed by a sound film version that won him an Academy Award. This graphic novel faithfully recreates the 1921 silent film DISRAELI that today is considered lost.

[Fred M. Stevens]

Found At "Mostly Lost": Volume 2
106 minutes DVD (Oct 30, 2018)
Musical Scores by Philip Carli, Ben Model and Andrew E. Simpson
"No one has seen any of the 10 films on "Found at 'Mostly Lost': Volume 2" in decades, perhaps not even since their release. Until now, these one-of-a-kind rare shorts could not circulate because they were unidentified because their main titles were missing, due to damage or decomposition. Thanks to the participants in the annual "Mostly Lost" film identification workshop presented by the Library of Congress, these rare silent film shorts have been identified and are presented on this DVD to be enjoyed once more. Musical scores for the silent films on the DVD are by Philip Carli, Ben Model and Andrew E. Simpson.
THE FILMS:
And the Villain Still Pursued Her; or The Author’s Dream (1906) (Paul Panzer)
The Faithful Dog; or, True to the End (1907)
The Falling Arrow (1909) (James Young Deer)
Adolph Zink (1903 ?)
In The Tall Grass Country (1910) (Francis Ford, Edith Storey)
The Noodle Nut (1921) (Billy Bletcher)
Fresh Fish (1922) (Bobby Bumps Animated)
Derby Day (1922) (Monty Banks)
Do Me a Favor (1922) (Snub Pollard)
The Sunshine Spreader (1920s)
B&W/tinted - stereo - 106 mins - not rated - NTSC - 4:3 aspect ratio - Region: 0. [Note: This product is an authorized, licensed DVD and is manufactured on demand] "

[Fred M. Stevens]

Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers
A Monumental 6-Disc Collection
1,710 minutes Blu-ray/DVD (Nov 20, 2018)
”In the early decades of cinema, some of the most innovative and celebrated filmmakers in America were women. Alice Guy-Blaché helped establish the basics of cinematic language, while others boldly continued its development: slapstick queen Mabel Normand (who taught Charlie Chaplin the craft of directing), action star Grace Cunard, and LGBTQ icon Alla Nazimova. Unafraid of controversy, filmmakers such as Lois Weber and Dorothy Davenport Reid tackled explosive issues such as birth control, abortion, and prostitution. This crucial chapter of film history comes alive through the presentation of a wide assortment of films, carefully curated, meticulously restored in 2K and 4K from archival sources, and presented with new musical scores.
Special Features: 80-page booklet with essays and photos | Interviews with historians and archivists | Audio commentaries for select films.”

[Fred M. Stevens]

"BARE KNEES" FLAPPER:
THE LIFE AND FILMS OF VIRGINIA LEE CORBIN
218 Pages Paperback– October 18, 2018
Tim Lussier (Author) (Kevin Brownlow-Foreword)
”One of the most popular Hollywood child stars of the late 1910s, Virginia Lee Corbin was well known to fans worldwide. With her mother as her manager, Corbin retained her popularity as she grew older. She performed in vaudeville for a couple of years before continuing her film career. Corbin fit well into the flapper mold of the Jazz Age and appeared in many films throughout the 1920s. As she matured, her mother found it ever more difficult to control her. Corbin led a difficult life. After her mother's suicide attempt, she found that all the money she had earned was gone. Her marriage (at age 18) failed and she was eventually separated from her children. The flapper struggled to remain relevant in the sound era and was trying to make a comeback when she died at 31 in 1942.“ 65 photos, filmography, notes, bibliography, index

[Fred M. Stevens]

YOU NEVER KNOW WOMEN (1926)
Blu-Ray / DVD (October 23, 2018)
Runtime: 71 minutes with a Donald Sosin score
Director: William Wellman
"Brand new HD master from a 4K of the 35mm Nitrate Tinted Print and 35mm Safety Dupe Negative by Paramount Pictures Archives. You Never Know Women is a thrilling romance that constructs a combustible love triangle between a Russian dancer, a handsome escape artist, and a wealthy broker. Vera Janova (Florence Vidor) is on her way to star in a Russian vaudeville revue when a falling girder nearly kills her. A construction worker saves her life, but before she wakes up the conniving Eugene Foster (Lowell Sherman) takes Vera into his arms, pretending to be the one who rescued her. Susceptible to Eugene’s oily charms, Vera begins ignoring Ivan Norodin (Clive Brook), a Houdini-like master of illusion who had loved her his whole life. Racked with jealousy, Norodin plans the ultimate illusion, one that could change their lives forever. Filmed with knockabout energy by the great director William A. Wellman (The Ox-Bow Incident), You Never Know Women is a silent era gem.”
Special Features:
-Audio Commentary by William Wellman, Jr.
-Booklet essay by filmmaker/critic/archivist Gina Telaroli
-Music composed & performed by Donald Sosin

[Fred M. Stevens]

ATOLL K (DVD + Blu-ray) (1951)
Blu-Ray / DVD (November 26, 2018)
Runtime: 98 minutes Plus Bonus Material
Director: Léo Joannon
"Atoll K (DVD + Blu-ray set)
Directed by Léo Joannon
The feature film finale of cinema's most-beloved comedy duo, Atoll K marked Laurel and Hardy's long-delayed big-screen return. The two great clowns, lured back to the screen amidst the extensive stage tours of Europe that formed the poignant coda to their career, here embark upon a ramshackle sea voyage to save Stan's Pacific-island inheritance. This ambitious attempt to invest their time-honed slapstick with a satirical edge is a testament to the duo's indefatigable comic antics. The BFI is proud to release the longest-ever English language cut of this historically important film, presented for the first time in High Definition and showcasing a new 2K restoration by the BFI using original 35mm nitrate film elements.
Special features:
Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition
Mother's Baby Boy (1914, 4 mins)
Something in Her Eye (1915, 11 mins)
Do You Love Your Wife? (1919, 14 mins)
Somewhere in Wrong (1925, 23 mins)
Should Men Walk Home? (1927, 27 mins)
Laurel and Hardy in Tynemouth, aka Grand Hotel (1932, 11 mins)
Laurel and Hardy in Scotland (1947, 3 mins)
Railway Birthday Party (1947, 2 mins)
Laurel and Hardy Return to the UK (1952, 2 mins)
US trailer (c 1954)
German trailer (c 1951)
Interview With Stan Laurel (1957, 80 mins, audio only): Stan discusses his life and work with Arthur B Friedman in a recording made a week after Ollie's death
Plus
The Boys Stay in the Picture: New Laurel and Hardy video essay by Chris Seguin, using rare images, scripts, letters and promotional materials from around the time of Atoll K (2018, 13 mins)
New feature-length commentary on Atoll K and new commentaries on the amateur films by Laurel and Hardy expert Glenn Mitchell (2018)
Illustrated booklet with new essays and notes by Laurel and Hardy authorities Glenn Mitchell, Norbert Aping and David Wyatt, new writing by Alan and Vic Pratt, plus full film credits
France, Italy | 1951 | black and white | 98 minutes | English language with optional hard-of-hearing subtitles and audio description | original aspect ratio 1.37:1 | BD50: 1080p, 24fps, 2.0 PCM mono audio (48kHz/24-bit), region B | DVD9: PAL, 25pfs, Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio (48kHz/16-bit), region 2

[Fred M. Stevens]

HEADLINES (DVD-R and Blu-ray BD-R) (1925)
Blu-Ray / DVD (October 2018)
Runtime: 68 minutes + 18 minutes
Director: Edward H. Griffith
Stars: Alice Joyce, Virginia Lee Corbin, Malcolm McGregor, Elliott Nugent
"Headlines (DVD-R and Blu-ray BD-R - region free)
Released in cooperation with Tim Lussier.
From a print preserved in the Library of Congress.
Hardworking reporter Phyllis Dale has been hiding a seventeen year old secret, but when her wild daughter Bobby is removed from boarding school it looks like the secret is out. That is until Bobby introduces herself as the little sister to Phyllis' fiancé Lawrence and boss Roger. Yet Bobby is bound to cause mischief by flirting with everyone and when she draws the attention of a philandering divorcee she is bound for scandal! Will Phyllis be able to keep wild Bobby out of the Headlines?
68 minutes with a music score by David Drazin
Plus the 1917 short: JACK AND THE BEANSTALK with the Fox Kiddies, Francis Carpenter and Virginia Lee Corbin. 18 minutes."

[wich2]

The rolling year has come 'round again!

Amazon reviews here ~

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15939 ... bl_vppi_i0

~ BUT if you order directly from Your Obedient Servant, you'll receive a signed copy, and support the author with a few more pence - literally. (Message me here.)

$25 shipped, and for orders placed before 12/19/2021, includes a bonus CD!

Merriest of Holiday Seasons to All,
-Craig

[Fred M. Stevens]

Rudolph Valentino
The Silent Idol 2019 Calendar
Published– November 2018
Edited by Donna Hill
"With the soon to be published expanded edition of my 2010 book Rudolph Valentino the Silent Idol His Life in Photographs, I thought the 2019 calendar should show off some of the photographs that will appear in the book.”

[bobfells]

In addition to our first graphic novel based on the apparently lost 1921 silent film George Arliss in DISRAELI (see post above), I thought I should mention our second graphic novel based on the lost 1925 silent film Gloria Swanson in MADAME SANS-GENE.

Both comic books, I mean graphic novels, are available in paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book sellers. The ebook edition is available through Kindle.

[Fred M. Stevens]

The 2019 Silent Movies Calendar "Bathing Suit Edition!"
Calendar– Available November 2017
Editor- Rodney Sauer
The 2019 Silent Movies Calendar: "Bathing Suit Edition!”
The editor produces this calendar every year with generous contributions of photographs from collectors and institutions, as a benefit for silent film preservation.
The Silent Movies Benefit Calendar features silent film artwork and birthdays of silent-era film stars and personalities, as well as notable marriages, deaths, film openings, and other significant dates.
Total proceeds (after printing expenses) are used to benefit silent film restoration.

[wich2]

This season's special offer ends Saturday night!

Merriest,
- Craig

With sincere thanks for folks who have already ordered a copy, here it is on the 'Bay as well (same bonus offer listed below applies to Nitrateville members) - along with some great Old Time Radio/Modern Audio Drama CDs of Yuletide delight:

https://tinyurl.com/ycrngxmn

- Craig

And if you order direct from Your Obedient Servant, you'll receive a signed copy, and support the author with a few more pence (literally.)

$25 shipped, and for orders placed before 12/16/2018 (after that holiday travel will prevent), with a bonus CD!

Merriest,
-Craig

[Fred M. Stevens]

The Kid Brother The Criterion Collection
Blu-Ray or DVD (March 12, 2019)
Runtime: 82 minutes with bonus material
Director: Ted Wilde
"Silent-comedy legend Harold Lloyd goes west in this irresistible blend of action, romance, and slapstick invention. The bespectacled everyman is at his inimitable best as Harold Hickory, the gentle son of a prominent lawman who lives in the shadow of his rough-and-tumble brothers. When a traveling medicine show rolls into town, it brings with it excitement, the possibility of love, and a chance for Harold to prove his mettle. Deftly balancing Lloyd’s brilliant sight gags and thrilling set pieces—including an epic, knock-down, drag-out fight aboard an abandoned ship—with one of the actor-filmmaker’s most fully realized, root-for-the-underdog narratives, The Kid Brother is a hilarious and heartwarming high-water mark of early screen comedy.
New 4K digital restoration
Orchestral score by composer Carl Davis from 1989
Alternate archival organ score performed by Gaylord Carter
Audio commentary from 2005 featuring filmmaker and Harold Lloyd archivist Richard Correll, film historian Annette D’Agostino Lloyd, and Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd
Harold’s Leading Ladies, a new conversation between author Cari Beauchamp and Suzanne Lloyd
Anatomy of a Gag: Monkeyshoes, a new video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns
Behind-the-scenes stills gallery curated by Harold Lloyd archivist Richard Simonton Jr.
Close to Home, a new video essay on the film’s shooting locations by author John Bengtson
Dutch television interview with Lloyd from 1962
Featurette from 2005 about Greenacres, Lloyd’s estate, hosted by Suzanne Lloyd
Two restored rare early Lloyd shorts: Over the Fence (1917) and That’s Him (1918), with new Wurlitzer theater pipe organ scores and a discussion of their early film formats by archivist Dino Everett
New tour of the Wurlitzer organ with composer Nathan Barr and organist Mark Herman
PLUS: An essay by critic Carrie Rickey
New cover by F. Ron Miller

[Fred M. Stevens]

The Ancient Law Das Alte Gesetz
Deluxe Blu-ray/DVD Dual-Format Edition
Deluxe Blu-ray/DVD Dual-Format Edition
135 Minutes (June 5, 2018)
Flicker Alley is proud to present Ewald André Dupont's 1923 silent film The Ancient Law (Das alte Gesetz), digitally restored by the Deutsche Kinemathek with generous support from the Sunrise Foundation for Education and the Arts. The Ancient Law is an important piece of German-Jewish cinematic history, contrasting the closed world of an Eastern European shtetl with the liberal mores of 1860s Vienna. With its historically authentic set design and ensemble of prominent actors all captured magnificently by cinematographer Theodor Sparkuhl The Ancient Law is an outstanding example of the creativity of Jewish filmmakers in 1920s Germany.
After first reconstructing the film in 1984, the Deutsche Kinemathek found the censor s certificate with the text of the original title cards. This provided the impetus for a worldwide search for all the surviving film elements and a new, digital restoration which drew upon nitrate prints in five different languages held in archives across Europe and the United States. With the censor s certificate, the restoration team from the Deutsche Kinemathek could accurately reconstruct the intertitles as well the correct editing. The color scheme is based on two nitrate prints nearly identical in their tinting and toning. The restored version closely corresponds to the original German theatrical release, both in its length and digitally simulated color.
In the film Baruch (Ernst Deutsch), the son of a rabbi, becomes fascinated by the theater. Against his father s wishes, Baruch leaves home and finds his way to Vienna, where an archduchess at the imperial court (Henny Porten) falls in love with him. She becomes his patroness, facilitating his successful career as a classical actor. But Baruch continues to long for home, and must find a way to reconcile his religious heritage with his love of secular literature. The movie paints a complex portrait of the tension between tradition and modernity.
Now viewers can experience a film fundamental to German-Jewish history in its most complete form since 1923. This deluxe dual-disc collectors set features two scores: an orchestral score by French composer Philippe Schoeller, and a second ensemble score by Donald Sosin and Alicia Svigals. In addition, fascinating bonus materials contextualizing the film, include:
Der Film im Film (Germany, 1923) - the only surviving excerpt of a documentary on film production in Weimar Germany, featuring the different personalities of several famous directors of the era at work on the set including Fritz Lang, Robert Wiene, and Dupont. Insights into the Restoration - A 15-minute demonstration with raw scans of the different nitrate source materials, illustrating how the reconstruction was completed. Image Slideshow - Rare production stills and original archival materials. Essays on The Ancient Law - A booklet containing two essays: an appreciation of the film and its historical context, written by film historian and scholar, Cynthia Walk; and an overview of the restoration process by Daniel Meiller, Head of Audiovisual Collections, Deutsche Kinemathek. Notes on the Film Music Introductions to the two new musical scores commissioned for the restored film.

[Fred M. Stevens]

Clarence Brown:
Hollywood's Forgotten Master
Hardback and E-Book– October 17, 2018
by Gwenda Young; Kevin Brownlow-Foreword
"Greta Garbo proclaimed him as her favorite director. Actors, actresses, and even child stars were so at ease under his direction that they were able to deliver inspired and powerful performances. Academy–Award–nominated director Clarence Brown (1890–1987) worked with some of Hollywood’s greatest stars, such as Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Mickey Rooney, Katharine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy. Known as the “star maker,” he helped guide the acting career of child sensation Elizabeth Taylor (of whom he once said, “she has a face that is an act of God”) and discovered Academy–Award–winning child star Claude Jarman Jr. for The Yearling (1946). He directed more than fifty films, including Possessed (1931), Anna Karenina (1935), National Velvet (1944), and Intruder in the Dust (1949), winning his audiences over with glamorous star vehicles, tales of families, communities, and slices of Americana, as well as hard-hitting dramas. Although Brown was admired by peers like Jean Renoir, Frank Capra, and John Ford, his illuminating work and contributions to classic cinema are rarely mentioned in the same breath as those of Hollywood’s great directors.
In this first full-length account of the life and career of the pioneering filmmaker, Gwenda Young discusses Brown’s background to show how his hardworking parents and resilient grandparents inspired his entrepreneurial spirit. She reveals how the one–time engineer and World War I aviator established a thriving car dealership, the Brown Motor Car Company, in Alabama—only to give it all up to follow his dream of making movies. He would not only become a brilliant director but also a craftsman who was known for his innovative use of lighting and composition.
In a career spanning five decades, Brown was nominated for five Academy Awards and directed ten different actors in Oscar-nominated performances. Despite his achievements and influence, however, Brown has been largely overlooked by film scholars. Clarence Brown: Hollywood’s Forgotten Master explores the forces that shaped a complex man—part–dreamer, part–pragmatist—who left an indelible mark on cinema.“

[Fred M. Stevens]

The Haunted Castle And
The Finances of the Grand Duke

Blu-Ray– February 12, 2019
"F.W. Murnau's THE HAUNTED CASTLE (1921) and THE FINANCES OF THE GRAND DUKE (1924). Both films include German intertitles with optional English subtitles. The score for HAUNTED CASTLE is by Neil Brand, and the score for GRAND DUKE is by Ekkehard Wolk. FINANCES OF THE GRAND DUKE also features an audio commentary by David Kalat.
Before plumbing the depths of horror and despair with such films as Nosferatu (1922) and Faust (1926), Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau crafted a moody drama of a storm-bound manor and the grim mystery that lurks within: The Haunted Castle (1921). A hunting party is interrupted by the arrival of a notorious Count (Lothar Mehnert), who is believed to have murdered his brother. The uninvited guest sets in motion an elaborate plot to resurrect the ghosts of the past and bring to light the dark secret that lies at the center of his brother's death.
Breaking away from the dark, foreboding dramas for which he was becoming known, Murnau explored the realm of light comedy in a playful espionage thriller reminiscent of Ernst Lubitsch: The Finances of the Grand Duke. Harry Liedtke stars as a "benevolent dictator" who must preserve the tiny nation of Abacco by fending off creditors, wooing a wealthy Russian princess (Mady Christians), and evading a band of demonic conspirators (including Nosferatu himself, Max Schreck).

[Fred M. Stevens]

Too Funny for Words:
A Contrarian History of American Screen Comedy from Silent Slapstick to Screwball
By David Kalat
Paperback - June 15, 2019
“American silent film comedies were dominated by sight gags, stunts and comic violence. With the advent of sound, comedies in the 1930s were a riot of runaway heiresses and fast-talking screwballs. It was more than a technological pivot—the first feature-length sound film, The Jazz Singer (1927), changed Hollywood.
Lost in the discussion of that transition is the overlap between the two genres. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd kept slapstick alive well into the sound era. Screwball directors like Leo McCarey, Frank Capra and Ernst Lubitsch got their starts in silent comedy.
From Chaplin’s tramp to the witty repartee of His Girl Friday (1940), this book chronicles the rise of silent comedy and its evolution into screwball—two flavors of the same genre—through the works of Mack Sennett, Roscoe Arbuckle, Harry Langdon and others.

[Fred M. Stevens]

Lon Chaney in the Miracle Man
A Graphic Novel Based on the Lost 1919 Film
Paperback 60 Pages– December 26, 2018
by Robert M Fells
”THE MIRACLE MAN was Lon Chaney’s breakout film after years of appearing in supporting roles. Here he steals the show from the stars, Thomas Meighan and Betty Compson, as “Frog” – a charlatan who can twist his body into appearing as a hopeless cripple to beg for money. The gang of grifters gets more than they bargain for when they decide to make “The Miracle Man” their next mark. A huge hit in its day, this film built on the earlier successes of the novel and play. Despite its stature – audiences who saw the film in 1919 never forgot the “Healing” Scene - the film has been lost for decades and we are left with only a tantalizing two minutes of film to recall its glory. This graphic novel is an effort to make the impact of the legendary film once more available albeit in another form for all to rediscover by adapting many vintage images and following printed accounts of the story and film reviews.”