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Paramount Archive

Children of Divorce, Blu-ray (1927/2016)

by Audiophile Audition | Dec 11, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

Clara Bow really shines, and an early Gregory Peck is not bad in this restored silent of 1927. Children of Divorce, Blu-ray (1927/2016) Cast: Clara Bow, Gary Cooper, Esther Ralston, Einar Hanson, Norman Trevor Directors: Frank Lloyd & Josef von Sternberg Studio: Paramount/Blackhawk Films/ Flicker Alley (12/3/16) (2 discs: Blu-ray & DVD) Video: 4:3 silent, 1080p HD Audio: New scored based on original by Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra PCM 2.0 Extras: 65 min. Clara Bow: Discovering the ‘It’ Girl produced for Turner Classic Films by Hugh Hefner and narrated by Courtney Love, Souvenir booklet of rare photos, essay, notes of production, article on music of Rodney Sauer, score compiler. Length: 71 min. Rating: ***** This is the 50th publication of Flicker Alley, is based on a 4K resolution scanning of the Library of Congress 1969 fine grain master, and involved over 200 hours of lab work to create the best version possible. This was the first silent film where I must say I forgot it was silent, and the intertitles were not up too long. Gorgeous cinematography, and Clara Bow stands out as the first sex symbol in movies and as far as I’m concerned, way beyond her successors: Jean […]

The Marx Brothers = The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, Duck Soup – Blu-ray (3)

by Audiophile Audition | Oct 23, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

A Silver Screen Blu-ray collection of the first five (and funniest) Marx Bros. movies. The Marx Brothers = The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, Duck Soup – Blu-ray (3) (1929-1933/2016) Cast: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont Directors: Victor Heerman, Norman Z. McLeod, Joseph Santley, Robert Florey, Leo McCarey Studio: Paramount/ Universal Studios Home Ent. 61181320 (10/18/16) Video: 1:33 for 4:3 B&W Audio: English mono PCM Subtitles: English SDH, French Extras: See below Length: TT: 408 min. Rating: ***** At least three of the four Marx Brothers are the reigning kings of comedy on film and they remain one of the most iconic comic teams of all time. And these – their first five films for Paramount – are the most hilarious of all their work – the later ones for MGM get more serious are are not filled with comedy sketches, witty dialogue and plenty of gags like these five. The first one, from 1929, was actually the first all-talking and music sound film – The Jazz Singer only has a part with sync sound. And this was when many films had the sound on separate discs that had to be synced […]

Extant – The Second Season, Blu-ray (2015)

by Audiophile Audition | Jan 5, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

Another even greater season for this good sci-fi TV series. Extant – The Second Season, Blu-ray (2015) Cast: Halle Berry, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Goran Visnjic, Pierce Gagnon Exec. Producer: Stephen Spielberg Studio: CBS-TV/ Paramount (12/15/15) 4 Blu-rays Video: 1080p HD color for 16:9 Audio: English DTS-HD MA, 5.1 or 2.0 Subtitles: English SDH Extras: Extant: A Look at Season 2, A Tour of the Sets, The Carnival of the Mind, Chemistry: Molly & JD, Two Humanichs: Ethan & Lucy, The Season Finale, Deleted Scenes (on several of the 12 episodes), Gag reel Time: TT: 9 hours Rating: ***** Supposedly a third season has been cancelled, although there were two quick shots in the season finale that seemed to hint at a coming third season of this well-done series. I thought the second season was even better than the first, though the first was a quite intriguing mystery. Halle Berry, as Molly Wood the astronaut, had been alone in space for many months. Upon returning to earth she was pregnant with an alien spore. Her husband had created a humanichs small son for them who seemed just like a real human but was actually a very advanced robot. The novel concept […]