MURNAU, BORZAGE AND FORD AT FOX

[pvitari]

I'm pretty sure I heard some chitchat about Chaplin's films being released eventually on Blu-ray in the U.S. Possibly through...Criterion? (digging deep into quickly fading memory) My Chaplin (post Mutuals) is still all on laser disc -- I didn't buy the Warner DVDs due to the issues re PAL speed-up and ghosting.

Say, that's great that the Czech version of Sunrise looks so terrific on Blu-ray. I'm really looking forward to it, and also to City Girl. I've read that those Blu-rays really are something to get excited about. :)

[pvitari]

A story about Mary Duncan and her post-movie life as the doyenne of Palm Beach. And, possibly, the fate of the last print of the now-lost 4 Devils.

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/ ... d0117.html

[charliechaplinfan]

Another great article you've found for us, thank you. Mary Duncan is a favorite of mine from the silent era, so vital with a slight hard edge to her but underneath, a big heart. Yet Mary Duncan maybe is the reason that we can't watch Four Devils today.

[pvitari]

The British blu-rays of City Girl and Sunrise arrived today and I popped 'em in for a quick look-see. Wowee! Especially City Girl! Gorgeous. Of course with all that detail you practically see every film grain individually and streaks and specs really stand out (and the big scar on Charles Farrell's chin looks deep enough to do a Winter Olympics luge run in) but who cares -- it's just so eye-poppingly beautiful. Plus they both come with insert booklets with essays and extras, like commentaries, not in the big Fox box. I'm really looking forward to sitting down with these and watching them properly and listening to the commentaries. That father in City Girl gives me the shivers. He seems so very, very real. Mary Duncan -- she's wonderful. Between her and Janet Gaynor, Fox certainly had two of the best young actresses working for the studio. I wish Duncan had gotten as much recognition as Gaynor but neither The River nor City Girl were successful at the box office, as I recall.

[Moraldo Rubini]

Take note if you find yourselves in the Bay Area and would like to see Sunrise on the big screen in a movie palace. San Francisco's Castro Theatre will be screening this gem on April 11, 2010.

[charliechaplinfan]

Wish I was in the Bay area .

[pvitari]

I screencapped City Girl. What can I say? It was an irresistible impulse. If you've seen the movie, you'll understand. :)

4 albums, 3,995 screencaps.

At: http://paulasmoviepage.shutterfly.com/

[pvitari]

For the Borzage fans out there:

Frank Borzage makes an on-screen appearance in the film Jeanne Eagels, just released in the new Kim Novak Collection box set. This 1955 film stars Kim Novak as troubled alcoholic actress Jeanne Eagels, who appeared mostly on stage but also made a number of silents and early talkies. She never actually worked with Borzage but since most of this biopic is highly fictional, why not have Borzage direct her? Of course, the Borzage we see in 1955 is much older than the Borzage who was directing back in the late 20s but who cares, it's just so great to see him. The director of the film, George Sidney, was Borzage's assistant on The Mortal Storm, so Borzage probably did his cameo role as a favor to him.

That scene where Novak in her hootchie-kootchie costume appears in court and cozies up to the judge nearly melted my TV screen.

[MissGoddess]

Wow, I didn't know that was Frank! Thanks for pointing that out.

George Sidney. I want to investigate his films a little more.