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British Films and Chat For movie polls, thoughts, and discussion.on British films and stars.


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Old 10-05-2007, 05:44 AM
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Default British Silents on DVD?
Thanks in part to the little I've seen of this genre and also to the saliva-inducing posts by Penfold , I was wondering how many of these films are available for purchase? I really want to explore film of the 20s as fully as possible. Any pointers gratefully received!

(I should add that I'm aware of various Hitchcock releases.)

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Old 10-05-2007, 07:04 AM
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Well said Ted 'Olmes!

Fully agree and I've got my appetite whetted as well. Where should we start, Mark?

rgds
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Old 10-05-2007, 07:38 AM
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Apart from Hitchcock...hmmm.....this gives a good overview on the subject; BFI | Books & DVDs | DVD & Video | Silent Britain it's a polemic but it does give a good grounding into the sorts of films that were made; and it gives fantastic clips of films unlikely to see the light of day otherwise.
These are about the best collections of pioneering material; BFI | Books & DVDs | DVD & Video | Dickens Before Sound BFI | Books & DVDs | DVD & Video | R W Paul: The Collected Films 1895-1908
Amongst the best films of the late 20's are the films of Asquith, which are in preparation for release by Criterion, otherwise there's this; BFI | Books & Video | DVD & Video which has great moments, and is beautifully presented, but is not quite a classic film.
Otherwise, there isn't a lot available yet...apart from the actuality collections of Friese Greene's Open Road films, and the Mitchell & Kenyon collections, which I love. To be honest, the place to see these films are in a cinema with live music...it ain't the same on your tod on the telly.....
Bit of a Bay Window, what??
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Old 10-05-2007, 07:51 AM
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Many thanks. I look forward to the Asquith material! I did record everything that was on in the BBC4 silents season too, so I have Piccadilly.

Music in silent film is quite a big issue for me. Some silents have been rendered unwatchable due to inappropriate music, others wonderfully enhanced - James Bernard's Hammer-type score for Murnau's Nosferatu being a prime example of the latter.

Fat chance of seeing any of this stuff in Birmingham (where I live). They haven't even got a decent CD shop.
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Old 10-05-2007, 07:35 PM
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Plenty to get started on there, many thanks!

rgds
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Old 10-05-2007, 10:56 PM
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Many thanks. I look forward to the Asquith material! I did record everything that was on in the BBC4 silents season too, so I have Piccadilly.

Music in silent film is quite a big issue for me. Some silents have been rendered unwatchable due to inappropriate music, others wonderfully enhanced - James Bernard's Hammer-type score for Murnau's Nosferatu being a prime example of the latter.

Fat chance of seeing any of this stuff in Birmingham (where I live). They haven't even got a decent CD shop.
Music for Silent Films is crucial, crucial , crucial. We're lucky that out of the top five silent movie musicians performing in the world, three are based in England, and the other two (German and American) play here at festivals every year...in that sense we're spoilt. I can only reiterate; the way to see silent film is live, in a cinema, and preferably with live music. It doesn't matter if it's a comedy or drama, this was how they were designed. Nowadays, films are shot and designed with half an eye on the small screen, DVD sales and TV showings; this was all science fiction in the 20's. I don't buy half the silent films on DVD I'd like to have; I save my money to go to festivals or one-off screenings instead. But I will be making an exception for the Asquiths when Criterion release them....if you recorded A Cottage On Dartmoor in the BBC4 season you will know how good he was...
Bit of a Bay Window, what??
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Old 11-05-2007, 07:54 AM
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I've just signed up for the newsletter from the Bristol Silents. See you there sometime!
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Old 11-05-2007, 10:26 AM
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I have not seen a great many silent films but the ones I have enjoyed the most have been at the cinema with live music. 'Shooting Stars', 'Orphans of The Storm' and 'Safety Last have been my favourites. I loved Paul Merton's recent tv series about silents and haven't laughed at anything in years as much as I did watching Buster Keaton in 'The Goat'. Sublime.

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a scene from 'Shooting Stars'
"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"
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Old 11-05-2007, 01:05 PM
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"Moulin Rouge" 1928 is available from Grapevine Video.They may have other British silent films.I have purchased this plus the part talkie The Informer and Atlantic from them
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Old 11-05-2007, 01:17 PM
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"Moulin Rouge" 1928 is available from Grapevine Video.They may have other British silent films.I have purchased this plus the part talkie The Informer and Atlantic from them
Grapevine are a good supplier of silents. I got some excellent quality Sherlock Holmes dvds (with Eille Norwood) from them and the 1912 'Custer's Last Fight'.

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Old 16-05-2007, 07:58 AM
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Piccadilly (the film that's my username) is an E.A. Dupont film from 1929. I think it was released on DVD last year in a remastered version. It's a brilliant film. Shooting Stars looked good from what I saw in the Silent Britain documentary too.
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Old 16-05-2007, 11:11 PM
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An interesting score, too, by Neil Brand; a deliberately anachronistic 1940's setting highlighting Piccadilly's status as a proto-film noir...works really well.
Bit of a Bay Window, what??
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Old 18-05-2007, 07:15 AM
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Yes. The score's great. Very memorable from the outset.
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