(1912) (dir. Lucius Henderson)
Tannhouser Company, New Rochelle, New York.
Alpha Video Silent Movies DVDs
at Oldies.com
Alpha has a catalogue of several important
silent classics, as well as silents
starring Lon Chaney or that have connections with horror icons Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Alpha
often adds original scores, but they can be downbeat and repetitive, and
non-original or canned soundtracks tend to have nothing to do with the on-screen action,
so it is often
more enjoyable to turn off the sound when watching one of their
movies.
Kino generally has superior transfers with
better music of many of the more well-known titles. But "A" for effort
to Alpha for making budget editions available, with good faith efforts at DVD
cover art
work, generally running them at the correct speed, commissioning the original scoring they have
done, and seeking out rare pictures. A good inventory and reviews of
the broader market of silent films available on DVD is at
Silent Era, and news, such as it is, in
the world of silent films is posted at
Nitrateville.
The Great Train Robbery (1903) (dir. William S. Porter) Edison.
(1912) (dir. Lucius Henderson)
Tannhouser Company, New Rochelle, New York.
Der Student von Prag (1913) (dir. Stellan Rye). The first German feature
film. Original (awful) music by
Paul David Bergel added
by Alpha, but the movie is good. Deutsche Bioscope GhmbH.
Tillie's Punctured Romance (1913) (dir. Mack Sennett)
A Bandit (1913) (dir. Mack Sennett)
Original music by Rachel Gutches added by Alpha. Jesse Lasky
Feature Play Co.
Avenging Conscience (1914) (dir. D.W. Griffith). This important early American horror film adapted from Edgar Alan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heartis a bonus on The Death of Poe DVD. It's discussed at length in Bret Wood's Kingdom of Shadows (1998), Kino has an edition. Majestic Motion Picture Co.
(1914) Original music by
Paul David Bergel added by Alpha. The Oz Film Manufacturing Co.
The Raven (1915) (dir. Charles Brabin), is a bonus on The Death of Poe DVD. Essanay Film Manufacturing Co.
The Ruse (1915) and Out West
(1915) (dir. William S. Hart).
(1915), editing and second unit direction by Clarence Brown. Film Threat
review. Equitable
Motion Picture Corp.
(1916). Intolerance is sometimes said to be Griffith's "atonement"
for the racist controversy (even then) of
Birth of a Nation. But it
is more of a statement by Griffith that he has the right for what he may choose
to put on film not to be
subject to the intolerance of others. One scene Griffith intended to add to
Intolerance was cut through intervention
of a member of the President's Cabinet- Griffith had planned to show Jewish men
in traditional Hasidic garb nailing Jesus to
the cross.
One can only imagine the fervent antisemitism that could have been whipped up
with that image on film. Both Alpha editions have canned music and poor prints. Intolerance
is #22 and Birth of a Nation is #80 in Cinepad's most acclaimed
film list.
Both are listed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry. Kino has editions of
Birth of a Nation
and Intolerance.
Image has editions of
Birth of a Nation and
Intolerance. In
set. David W. Griffith Corp. and Triangle Film
Corporation, respectively.
(1916)
(dir. Clarence C. Badger); Teddy at the Throttle (1917) (dir.
Clarence C. Badger); A Hash House Fraud
(1915) (dir. Edwin Fazee); all Keystone Film Co.
(1916) (dir. Charles Swickard).
The Silent Man (1917) and Blue Blazes Rawden (1918) (both dir.
William S. Hart). William K Everson Silent Man
program
notes and Blue Blazes Rawden
program notes. Music by Marc Kaplan added by Alpha. Thomas H.
Ince Corp. and Artcraft Pictures Corp., respectively.
Straight Shooting (1917) (dir. John Ford) (announced, but seems to have been pulled before release).
Hearts and Saddles
(1917) (dir. Robert Eddy and Tom Mix) Tom Mix's first Fox Western; the feature
film to which this is appended as a bonus is allegedly horrendous. Fox
Film Corp.
(1918) (dir. Scott Sidney). National Film Corp. of America.
(1919) (dir. Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson)
(1919)
Kino and
Image have editions. Listed in the Library of Congress National Film
Registry. John Brahm's 1938
remake is also sold by
Alpha. In set. D.W. Griffith Prods.
When the Clouds Roll By (1919) (dir. Victor Fleming) Douglas Fairbanks Pictures.
Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari (1919)
(also available in this
set, this set,
and this set), Alpha
also has a poster. Poor
print.
Kino has an edition.
Kevin Slick soundtrack edition
available.
Decla-Bioscop AG.
Tanz auf dem Vulkan (Dance on the Volcano)
(dir. Richard Eichberg). Original Score by Skip Heller
with Marc Kaplan. A nearly contemporaneous Lugosi silent, F.W.
Murnau's 1920 adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Lugosi as the butler,
Der Januskopf, is lost. The score isn't bad, and the print is
watchable, but the movie itself is not very good. Richard-Eichberg Film
GmbH.
(1920) (dir.
J. Charles Haydon). Pioneer Film Corporation
(1920) (dir. John S. Robertson) (also available in
this disk,
this set,
this set, and
this set)
Alpha also has a poster. Kino
has an edition. as
does the Devil Music Ensemble.
Famous Players-Lasky Corp.
(1920) (dirs. Arthur J. Flaven & Harry Revier). Music by Marc Kaplan
added by Alpha. National Film Corp. of America.
(1920) (dir. Lambert Hillyer)
(1920). Original music by
Paul David Bergel
added by Alpha.
Image and Kino
have
editions. In set. D.W. Griffith Prods.
Der Golem - wie er in die Welt kam
(dir. Paul Wegener) (also in
this set,
this set,
this set and
this set).
Cathy Geblin has written an interesting
argument that the
film is an important cultural influence and should not be seen as anti-semitic.
I beg to differ. Packaging says 85 minutes, but it's really 101 minutes. Print isn't bad;
no tinting. music works fine. Kino has a (tinted) edition.
Projektions-AG Union
Der Wildtöter und Chingachgook (dir. Arthur Wellin)
Original music score by Rachel Gutches added by Alpha.
Luna-Film.
L'Uomo meccanico (1921) (dir. Andre Deed). An extremely rare film.
Original (not bad) music score by Rachel Gutches added by Alpha.
Made by André Deed (1879-1935) a French music hall comedian whose film career
started with Georges Méličs in 1901. He made hundreds of comic shorts,
with an anarchic quality allied with Dada and Surrealism. There’s a book
in Italian on Deed, Jean A. Gili’s André Deed - Boireau, Cretinetti, Gribouille, Toribio,
Foolshead, Lehman (Le Mani-Cineteca di Bologna, 2005). Milano Film.
Schloß
Vogelöd
(1921). Production design by Hermann Warm and Script by Carl Mayer (both of
whom did the same on The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari); Original Score
by Skip Heller with Marc Kaplan
is really good and adds to the viewing experience. The print is a smeary video transfer of what seems to be an old
re-release, but seems to be the version Everson screened (1974
program notes). It remains watchable,
most especially on account of the music and reasonably compelling plot.
Kino edition, also to be in Kino
set. Uco-Film GmbH.
Kino and
Image also each have editions. D.W. In
set. Griffith Prods.
Outside The Law (1921) (dir. Tod Browning) / The Trap (1922)
(dir. Robert Thornby). Original, pretty good, music by Kevin Slick added by
Alpha. Universal Film Mfg. Corp.
(1922) (dir. Erich von Stroheim)
is a
masterpiece (of film and irony- a movie about a fake Count directed by a genius who
was later discovered to himself be a fake Count!), but this DVD, of the same AFI film restoration as the
Kino version, is ruined because it
is a silent run at sound speed (usually Alpha takes better care with silents, so this is a
double shame; the notorious scene of the evil Count looking the counterfeiter's
retarded daughter up
and down and then creepily licking his lips just doesn't have the same impact in fast-motion) and accompanied by
different, annoyingly irrelevant canned music.
Although probably done to avoid copyright infringement, I might have preferred a
different, even if damaged, print at silent speed; however some computer
software can let you slow the viewing speed down, and at 75% it becomes
enjoyably watchable again. Added to the Library of
Congress National Film Registry in 2008. The first
"million dollar picture," a fictionalized "making of" was the subject of a
Young Indiana Jones episode.
Kino edition of
this AFI restoration is
terrific; Image has an
edition of what could be a different print that has been
criticized. Universal Pictures.
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens
(1922) Music is nice, jazzy from the sixties. Intertites change the character names to Dracula (from "Orloff"),
Harker (from "Hutter"), Mina (from "Ellen") etc. Print isn't terrible. (also available in
this set,
this set, and
this set). Packaging
says 64 minutes, but it's 84 minutes. Detailed film "archaeology"
here. Kino has an edition, also
in a Kino
set,
and an "ultimate"
edition. Image has an
edition. There is a Kevin Slick soundtrack
edition, a Devil Music Ensemble edition,
and an edition with Edison's 1910 Frankenstein.
Shadow of the Vampire is a
well-received 2002 "making of" Nosferatu
horror film. Prana-Film GmbH
(1922) (dir. Burton L. King). Original music by Rachel Gutches added by Alpha, but it's
awful (as is the movie itself). Kino has a
box set of this and
his other movies. Houdini Picture Corp.
(1922) (dir. Robert N. Bradbury). Sunset Productions.
Die
Augen der Mumie Ma. Original (not very good) music score by Rachel Gutches added by
Alpha. Much of the academic literature on Lubitsch seems to ignore this
picture, but it has its moments. Projektions-AG Union.
(dir. Fred Niblo) Original (bad) music by
Paul David Bergel added by
Alpha. Kino has an
edition. Paramount Pictures.
The
Headless Horseman (1922) (dir. Edward D. Venturini).
Music by Rachel Gutches added by Alpha. Sleepy Hollow Corp.
(1922) (dir. Lynn Reynolds). Fox
Film Corp.
(1922) (dir. Frank Lloyd). Associated First National Pictures.
(dir. Tom Forman) (also available in
this set and
this set).
Image has an
edition. B.P. Schulberg Prods.
(dir. Lambert Hillyer) (also available in
this set and
this set).
Image has an
edition. Universal Pictures.
(1923) (dir. Wallace Worseley) (also available in
this set and
this set and
this set).
Image has an "ultimate
edition." Vox Lumiere
version.
Universal Pictures.
Raskolnikow
(1923). Another true German Expressionist film. Leonardo-Film.
(1923) (dir. Robert N. Bradbury) Sunset Productions.
(1923) (dir. Grover Jones) Sunset Productions.
Looks to be a re-issued print, with synchronized music and sound effects.
Not too terrible of a copy. Stunning William Cameron Menzies set design. Listed
in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
(also available in this
set and this set).
Kino and
Image have editions. Douglas Fairbanks Pictures.
(1924) (dir. Bruce M. Mitchell). Sunset Prods.
(1925) (dir. Clifford Elfelt, director of 1922 anti-KKK Big Stakes).
Clifford S. Elfelt Prods.
(dir. Harry O. Hoyt) The original cheesy dinosaur special effects. Listed in the Library of Congress
National Film Registry. (also available in
this set and
this set).
First National.
The Freshman (1925) (dir. Fred Newmeyer, Sam Taylor); final few minutes of the football scenes edited with fun sound and no intertitles into The Sin of Harold Diddlebock below. The Harold Lloyd Corp.
Revenge of the Range (1925)
(1925) (dir. Rupert Julian) (also available in
this set,
this set, and
this set and
this set).
Listed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry. Alpha
has a poster.
Milestone has an "ultimate
edition." 1925 version with Kevin Slick soundtrack
available. Universal Pictures.
(1925) (dir. King Baggot). The Hart spoken prologue is an over-the-top
weeper; now it's whatever I think of when I pass the William S. Hart ranch sign
on I-5 on the way to L.A. William S. Hart Productions.
Wolf Blood (1925) (dir. George Cheseboro) (included with The Haunted Castle above). Music isn't credited, but they do a fun job of pastisching music to fit the on-screen action. Ryan Brothers Prods.
(1926) Original (awful) music by
Paul David Bergel
added by Alpha. Set designs by William Cameron Menzies. Roland West Prods.
(dir. Bennett Cohen) Original (initially not bad but soon unbearably
repetitive) music by
Paul David Bergel
added by Alpha. Jittery print transferred at way too low a bitrate-
artifacts clearly show; a poor viewing experience. Otto K. Schreier
Prods.
(1926) (dir. James Young),
tale of an ambitious innkeeper's attacks of conscience after murdering a Jewish
merchant, manages to rip off both Caligari
(proving that Caligari was influential in its time)
and Poe's Tell-Tale Heart. Alpha has provided a new sound score by
Paul David Bergel that
is beyond terrible; for example, there aren't any bells to be heard when the move
shows the titular bells sounding.
But the print and the movie's production values are both very good, and Lionel Barrymore is fun to watch.
Description in the National Center
for Jewish Film's catalog: "... based on [the] 1869 play, Le Jeuf Polonais (The Polish Jew). ...
an example of one way in which Jews have been stereotyped in theater and
cinema-as the traveling merchant who becomes an easy target for violence and/or
mockery." Chadwick Pictures Corp.
Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo (1926) (dir. Robert N. Bradbury); some battle scenes incorporated into the micro-budget Heroes of the Alamo (1937) (dir. Harry Fraser) (which very interestingly uses the music from von Stroheim's brilliant 1928 Queen Kelly!). Sunset Prods.
Der Student von Prag (1926) (dir. Henrik Galeen). Looks on screen like watching a poor VHS
copy, but this may be your only choice if you want to see it at all.
Some better-quality snippets can be seen in Bret Wood's
Kingdom
of Shadows.
Suffers from a strong whiff of anti-Semitism, perhaps not as strongly so as
The Golem's
picture of Jews as a stinking foreign body consorting with astrology and demons; here it's just a Jewish-looking
master-manipulator dealing in souls. The highlight of the movie -
the removal of the reflection
from the mirror - is cut from the print, which is a huge disappointment. However,
this scene, more primitively, is in Alpha's edition of the
1913 version. Original music by
Paul David Bergel added
by Alpha is generally a dull and depressing chord progression, with
rare moments of inspiration, such as that accompanying the scene of the
hunt. Sokal-Flm GmbH.
(cover art is wrong, it is actually 1927) (also available in this
set). Listed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry. Alpha also has a
poster. Kino has an
edition and an "ultimate
edition," which is amazing The Mont Alto edition
is also very good. #39 in Cinepad's most acclaimed
film list.
Buster Keaton Prods.
(1927)
Truly terrible print. Kino has a wonderful edition,
and is coming out with a Blu-Ray edition with recently found additional footage.
ParUfaMet.
(1927) (dir. J.P. MacGowan) also available in
this set.
Robertson-Cole Pictures Corp.
Perils of the Jungle (1927) (dir. Jack Nelson) footage in White Gorilla (1945), which is in Alpha's terrific Sons of Kong set. Weiss Brothers Artclass Pictures.
(1927) (dir. Paul Leni). The music was
composed for this DVD by Kevin
Slick, so it is a shame that the recording of it is so awful- it sounds as if you
have a blown-out speaker.
Kino edition is
much better picture and sound, but, although
Leni made some great movies,
this is not one of them. Universal Pictures.
Thunder Bolt's Tracks (1927)
Exodus to the New World aka All Faces West (1928) (dir. Bernard B. Ray) with sound added as Call of the Rockies; produced by the Mormon Church.
Old Oregon Trail (1928)
Laurel and Hardy vol. 4 includes Bromo and Juliet (William K Everson
program notes), directed by Leo McCarey, who
would later direct the Marx Brothers in their greatest movies, as well as five
pictures garnering best picture Oscar nominations (with 1 win).
Kino has Laurel and Hardy collections.
Hal Roach.
(1923-28) Hal Roach.
Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies (1925); Don't Park There (1924); Wife and Auto
Trouble (1916); and Indianapolis Speedway (1911).
(1928) (dir. Edward A. Salisbury). "Snappy" mid-1930s narration by William
Peck, and cutting turns a travelogue into an exploitation film (earning it
coverage in Bret Wood's
book on exploitation cinema), but some
silent film charm remains. Film expedition allegedly included and was shot by the future makers of
King
Kong and has some very impressive and unique scenes that must have been hard to
get.
(1929) (dir. Henry McRae) also available in
this set.
Adventure Pictures.
The Fantastic World of William Cameron Menzies: A Collection of
Historic Shorts (1929-1930). Stellar early sound fantasies of silent
screen performances set to
classical music pieces, including Napoleon's invasion of Russia set to the 1812
Overture, and a gypsy adventure set to the Hungarian Rhapsody, and finally a
delightful pre-Fantasia live action Sorcerer's Apprentice. Joseph M. Schenck
Prods.
(1931) (dir. Archie Mayo) Not a silent movie, but cinematography has
the "feel" of some of the best later silents and is heavily influenced
by German Expressionism. I have not seen this copy, but I have seen
the
excellent
Roan Group restoration. Nominated for Art Direction and
Cinematography Oscars. Warner Bros.
(1931) (dir. Herbert Brenon; director of the much more successful
silents Beau Geste and
Laugh, Clown, Laugh); a massively expensive ($350,000) flop in its time, it's
actually not bad viewing, once past the hilariously melodramatic opening. Not a silent movie, but a sequel to one. Music by Max Steiner. RKO.
(1947) (dir. Preston Sturges; shorter version edited by Howard Hughes called
Mad Wednesday); incorporates
scenes from Lloyd's 1925 The Freshman. This picture has some good
moments, even if continuity doesn't make sense since The Freshman Lloyd was a
go-getter and this Lloyd has gone nowhere. but did not work out
career-wise as either Sturges or Lloyd
had hoped. California Pictures.
Die Nackte und der Satan (1959) (dir. Victor Trivas, author of
the original story of Orson Welles'
The Stranger)
Production design
by Hermann Warm (1889-1976). Warm was the art director of many of the major expressionist
classics: Weine's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Lang's
Spiders and Destiny, Murnau's
The Haunted Castle
and
Phantom, Galeen's
Student of Prague, Dreyer's
Passion of Joan of Arc and
Vampyr).
One can see themes from Caligari repeated here,
such as the staircase dominating the lab building. (also in set)
(and this set)
Rapid Film.
Last updated: August 25, 2010