Tweet KING OF KINGS Restoration Trailer

[silentfilm]

Any chance this might be coming from Flicker Alley, or maybe Criterion, since they seem to have the US DVD rights, or something. Anyway, check this out:

From your lips to God's ears (or C.B. DeMille's, which in Hollywood terms amounts to the same thing)!

KING OF KINGS was mentioned as an unfinished project of David Shepard in one of the obituaries posted online after he passed on.

So I think the chances are good we'll see this from Flicker Alley in the near future.

I thought the copy I had looked good. The colorized intro is great. During the crucifiction he looks like a sad puppy.

Nothing has been "colorized", that's original Technicolor.

Never knew that the torches in Gethesmane were colored as well.

Looking forward to an eventual US BD release of this one.

I first saw this picture as a child because Channel 9 in Melbourne always used to screen it on Easter Sunday for many years. That version was a sound re-issue. I then had it on VHS, then a DVD which finally saw the colour sequences restored. Now, I am looking forward to a further viewing with it made like new! It is quite unbelievable how lucky we all are with all these marvelous restorations coming our way with what seems like every five minutes!

The SFSFF is going to show it in March at Grace Cathedral.

The current DVD is very good - this looks better.

And it does indeed restore the torch stenciling; I wonder if there's other "new" ( to us) color, as well?

[Mike Gebert]

Print looks gorgeous, but boy, I find it hard to stay in the mood when Jesus has that Porter Wagoner 'do!

That trailer spoiled the ending. Thanks a lot.

Any chance this might be coming from Flicker Alley, or maybe Criterion, since they seem to have the US DVD rights, or something. Anyway, check this out:

Wow. I remember, too, when a local Cleveland station used to show THE KING OF KINGS every year at Easter. Later on, as the opportunities came, I bought the Kino VHS, and later replaced it with the Criterion DVD. This looks even better than that. I see that the pinkish tone and film decomp that marred the Technicolor scenes are gone, and the colors themselves look richer. The stencil color on the torches is impressive -- looks like a superlative job all around.

The box art says this is a two BR, three DVD set. That sounds like a generous lot of extras, too.

Whether this is released in the States by Flicker Alley or Criterion, I'm going to pre-order as soon as the page goes up . . .

Print looks gorgeous, but boy, I find it hard to stay in the mood when Jesus has that Porter Wagoner 'do!

Harry Warner is quietly excellent (of course, he usually was), in this basically impossible role.

Featuring the sounds of the Rolling Stone!

Wow! That looks fabulous!

Great news and TKOK was one of the few sincere films that De Mille ever made. That said, I wonder why there are JC wisecracks on this thread? Where are the Mohammad wisecracks? I know, that's a bit too risky.

Print looks gorgeous, but boy, I find it hard to stay in the mood when Jesus has that Porter Wagoner 'do!

All the men seem to be sporting wigs, though Mr. Warner's does savor more of Nashville than old Palestine.

More jarring to me is the excessive arm waving and eyeball rolling of the Roman army. A little light show, and they all fall to flailing about, and running away, in the manner of Melies bad guys. Even before the stone rolls away.

How, in heaven's name, did such soldiery conquer the known world from Egypt to England?

The film does look superb.

Well, the earthquake's overdone, too.

But on balance, the film is indeed one of DeMille's very best. And a genuine legend, in many ways.

-Craig

The last supper betrayal seems accurate to the Christian Bible with Peter contently nestled into Jesus's bosom, and why shouldn't he be happy? Eternal life in heaven for the homeless Lazarus was to rest his head in Abraham's bosom.

The last supper betrayal seems accurate to the Christian Bible with Peter contently nestled into Jesus's bosom

In the biblical record that we have, that was actually John (the beloved), not Peter (the rock.) In DeMille's film, it isn't shown.

There is a moment late in the sequence where Peter leans over on the table in shame, and Jesus (standing) lays his arm on him.

-Craig

Yes, the restoration looks good, but it's still one of the most absurd silent films I ever saw, and to me represents not only the worst of deMille but the worst of silent era Hollywood - and for the record I thought so back in my religious days as well.

For those who want to see a special glimpse of this stunning 4K restoration:

And another example:

And another:

Anyone know what original film elements survive from this film? Used for the various restorations?

Do the original negs survive or are they derived from DeMille's personal prints?

Wow, is that a step up from the (already good) best that we had before.

Thanks.

No camera negative exists for the b/w portions of this film. The existing elements are a combination of materials held by UCLA / George Eastman / David Pierce. That includes the DeMille personal copy and Technicolor held in different versions including a portion of camera negative.

WOW!! I didn't think it could get any better than the Criterion release! I didn't think color this rich from two-color Technicolor was possible. Lord, I wonder when we'll get to see this in the 'States . . .

The restored version is now reduced and on sale. Also can be imported from Amazon France. This contains DVD and Blu-Ray versions of the normal and roadshow versions, plus extras. Menus are dual English/French. Uses the original orchestral score.

http://shop-lobsterfilms.com/en/home/31 ... -rois.html" target="_blank

[silentfilm]

I believe that Flicker Alley will be releasing King of Kings (1927) soon in North America.

If they don't release it around Easter they need a new marketing department.