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Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:51 am
I just happened to check the "Silent Screenings" thread and ran across this announcement by Tim Lanza of the Cohen Film Collection (new owners of the Rohauer collection) that will be of interest to many...
It'll be interesting to see what's different about this THIEF OF BAGDAD, though it would also be nice to have the Mont Alto score included as an alternate audio track. It will certainly be great to hear INTOLERANCE with a full orchestra score instead of the familiar pipe organ or electronic keyboard scores, and will interesting to compare the cut to my old tinted MoMA print (which is one of two different cuts that MoMA has, not counting the rather misconceived reconstruction of the premiere night version using stills).
It will also be wonderful to see the complete MOTHER AND THE LAW available (hopefully also in HD), as it's a sadly neglected and unjustly underrated Griffith feature that deserves to be seen on its own rather than only in its fragmented form within INTOLERANCE. The substantial additional material makes the story even more powerful, and possibly more accessible to those who still find the structure of INTOLERANCE too overblown to hold their interest. I'm wondering whether the FALL OF BABYLON bonus feature is a complete version of that segment that was released theatrically in seven reels with the alternate ending, or if it's the same condensation that Blackhawk used to sell on 8mm film. Hopefully that, too, will be in HD on the Blu-ray.
I hope we can see many more Griffith and Fairbanks titles make it to Blu-ray in the near future, the way we've been getting Keaton and soon will be seeing Pickford! Griffith, especially, is due for major re-evaluation once the general public is able to realize that THE BIRTH OF A NATION was not the only film he ever directed and is far from representative of the scope of his career.
Hi. The TCM Fest screening of THIEF OF BAGDAD will be the premiere of our new 2K scan done by Modern Videofilm from two 35MM negs. Modern has spent about 2 months on the scan, clean-up and tinting and it will be (very) hot off the presses by the time it hits the screen at the Egyptian. We are thrilled that Mont Alto will be providing live accompaniment for this show.
This new version will air on TCM, but not until after mid-2013. It will be accompanied by the Carl Davis orchestral score. We will be releasing that version on Blu-ray and DVD later this year with a feature length audio commentary by Jeffery Vance.
Our 2K scan of INTOLERANCE, also accompanied by the Carl Davis score, will be coming out on Blu-ray later this year as well. It will include MOTHER AND THE LAW and FALL OF BABYLON as extra features.
Best,
Tim Lanza
It'll be interesting to see what's different about this THIEF OF BAGDAD, though it would also be nice to have the Mont Alto score included as an alternate audio track. It will certainly be great to hear INTOLERANCE with a full orchestra score instead of the familiar pipe organ or electronic keyboard scores, and will interesting to compare the cut to my old tinted MoMA print (which is one of two different cuts that MoMA has, not counting the rather misconceived reconstruction of the premiere night version using stills).
It will also be wonderful to see the complete MOTHER AND THE LAW available (hopefully also in HD), as it's a sadly neglected and unjustly underrated Griffith feature that deserves to be seen on its own rather than only in its fragmented form within INTOLERANCE. The substantial additional material makes the story even more powerful, and possibly more accessible to those who still find the structure of INTOLERANCE too overblown to hold their interest. I'm wondering whether the FALL OF BABYLON bonus feature is a complete version of that segment that was released theatrically in seven reels with the alternate ending, or if it's the same condensation that Blackhawk used to sell on 8mm film. Hopefully that, too, will be in HD on the Blu-ray.
I hope we can see many more Griffith and Fairbanks titles make it to Blu-ray in the near future, the way we've been getting Keaton and soon will be seeing Pickford! Griffith, especially, is due for major re-evaluation once the general public is able to realize that THE BIRTH OF A NATION was not the only film he ever directed and is far from representative of the scope of his career.
None of this is exactly breaking news. We knew about it for a couple weeks already. If you can tell me that THE EAGLE with the Carl Davis score is coming out that would be news. Better still THE BIG PARADE, THE CROWD, and SHOW PEOPLE from Warner's. All fully restored. 
Likewise, The first time I saw THE THIEF OF BAGDAD in 1982 it was the Thames Silents Edition, with Carl Davis spectacular Orchestral score. For me, no other score could ever quite measure up to the scope and power of Davis fabulous arrangement. I do have the Laser-disc release. I'd kind of given up hope that this score would ever resurface again on DVD, let alone Blue-ray. So a most welcome surprise to be sure.
I didn't know that the Danish restoration of INTOLERANCE had a release. Thanks for the information. 
