ENCHANTMENT first glimpse

[BenModel]

Bob Fells started the process with a George Arliss film and got a response from LOC that same day. It's not really a difficult process, it's just that you have very little control over it. I've been lucky with my 2 purchases from LOC. Ben Model also seems to have good luck.

You might want go through lists of what's been shown at various cineconventions over the years to get an idea of what LoC has.

And...it wasn't luck.

Ben

[mwalls]

Ed,

I watched Enchantment last night. Let me first add my thanks to the others as it was very enjoyable, and all the more so since without your efforts no one would have seen it.

For you or anyone who wants to do another such project, please count me in. I enjoyed being a part of it, and certainly enjoyed the finished product. As to running one myself, I don't think I am quite skilled enough. I kept up on all of the postings during the process of Enchantment, and frankly was lost on a lot of the technical points and discussions, so I don't think I am a good candidate to take one on.

One question I do have. At one point in the film it noted that there was a missing title card, and in another instance there was a guess at what a title card would have said. And several others look as though they were added later. Several of the original title cards were not in good shape...more so than the main film itself. Is there a reason that the title card section of films go bad before the main part, or was this just a coincidence on this film?

Thanks,
Matthew

[boblipton]

Matthew, when a silent movie was distributed, the title cards were usually added in separately. This was to deal with different languages, changes in titles, which were cheaper to make than to restart production. In fact, many, if not most, if not all silent movies were "assembled" at the distributors.

Because this was an expense to the distributor, because the titles might be changed and because the copies might be sold to another distributor who would change the titles, those titles were often printed on inferior stock. Also, I suspect the fact that much of a title was black, it would absorb more light from the projector bulb, which would make it a trifle hotter and quicker to degrade.

Bob

[entredeuxguerres]

Matthew, when a silent movie was distributed, the title cards were usually added in separately. This was to deal with different languages, changes in titles, which were cheaper to make than to restart production. In fact, many, if not most, if not all silent movies were "assembled" at the distributors.

Because this was an expense to the distributor, because the titles might be changed and because the copies might be sold to another distributor who would change the titles, those titles were often printed on inferior stock. Also, I suspect the fact that much of a title was black, it would absorb more light from the projector bulb, which would make it a trifle hotter and quicker to degrade.

Bob

Would the above procedure apply to studio-created "art titles"? The 1922 "Tour of Inceville" demonstrated artists making them, the best of which, such as those used in some of DeMille's pictures, added immensely to the effect of the words.

[Murnau]

Got my disc today, thank you very much. Whatever the next project might be, you can count me in.

[drednm]

As I remember the notes from LOC, this was assembled/restored from two different prints which ran at different lengths. One had missing titles or titles that were too short in running time. They've re-assmbled from what they had on hand for the final restored print. Why they guessed at one title and not the other missing one is anyone's guess.

There are often two kinds of titles: those that introduce scenes and are often "arted up,' and those that run dialog and are often plain text without art. This film is a good example of that. It's certainly not unusual to see different fonts of type used in titles as they've been replaced/restored or collected from different prints.

[Danny Burk]

I've read that lab work was also sometimes less exacting on title footage, and that shortcuts may have been taken in washing off processing chemicals, hastening deterioration. I've seen many examples over the years where decomposition does seem heavier on title cards and their neighboring footage, so there may be truth to this.

[drednm]

Danny, didn't they also use different kinds of film stock for film and titles?? And those two types shrink/deteriorate at different speeds?

Seems Jack Theaston or something had information on this....

[Danny Burk]

Ed - Bob mentioned above that inferior stock was sometimes used for titles - I hadn't heard that before but I'm not surprised.

Or, maybe I did hear it and forgot - likewise I'm not surprised...

[ajabrams]

I want to add my "me too" to this discussion and add my thanks to Ed for such a great result!! I watched the film last night and enjoyed every minute. The print quality was mostly amazing for a 1921 production and the Joseph Urban designs really benefited from the clarity. I was wondering if anyone knows if this was an East Coast production. It looks as if some of the exteriors were filmed in NYC--particularly the outside of the wealthy woman's "studio" apartment. It looked very much like the Des Artistes Hotel which was never actually a hotel but a co-op building on West 67th Street, known for it's high-ceilinged apartments and former home of the Cafe Des Artistes restaurant (now The Leopard). There evidently used to also be a private theater in the building. I'm guessing they might have used at least the exterior as a location.

[drednm]

My guess is east coast. I don't think MD and WRH migrated west for another few years.

[telical]

How about putting five or more together that are possible to do and set up a poll
on the site?

Go ahead and put together the list if you like; but I'd say whoever is willing to do the work should just pick the movie they most want to work on. Someone else can pick a different one if they want, but should announce it here so they don't all end up producing the same titles...

Well, there is the issue of trust, which cuts down who the money would be sent to.
And then there is the issue of who actually can do it, who has the time and ability.

Already some have mentioned, it doesn't have to be an elaborate package. Ed set the
state kind of high. I just chipped in to get the film released. Freeing the film from obscurity
seems the object.

And, so I stand by my earlier post. We are not debating taste, to trying to establish or infringe
on a pecking order of some type, but collaborating funds to get the source material circulated.
I think most people here do look at the release of certain titles as more important to greater
film history. I only meant "better" in that way.

All these uncirculated films are worthy, but by having a poll we can at least get the 50 odd people that log
in regularly, to vote on them, whether or not they want to contribute money to them or not.

[boblipton]

Ed set the bar very low, Bob. The release was originally to be without score and in a paper sleeve. Apparently people kept contacting Ed offering time, money, pictures, scores and sexual favors, permitting him to do everything but hire someone to do a full computer restoration. That's how people respond to the extraordinary vision of someone who is willing to do something instead of mumbling that some one should do something.

As for the question of whom people trust, in this matter the only way to discover to is volunteer to do the work and see who kicks in. why don't you try it?

Bob

[Robert W]

Got mine today and did a 5 minute spot check. At the risk of being repetitive of previous posts, I just want to add my voice of congratulations and thanks to Ed. I participated partly as a lark and the final result exceeded my expectations.

[telical]

Ed set the bar very low, Bob. The release was originally to be without score and in a paper sleeve. Apparently people kept contacting Ed offering time, money, pictures, scores and sexual favors, permitting him to do everything but hire someone to do a full computer restoration. That's how people respond to the extraordinary vision of someone who is willing to do something instead of mumbling that some one should do something.

As for the question of whom people trust, in this matter the only way to discover to is volunteer to do the work and see who kicks in. why don't you try it?

Bob

I mentioned in a previous post that I just got over a serious illness over the last 18 months or
so and I have a full plate.

There has been a lot of rather complex posts on here about hard drive formats and such, and someone
should simplify this aspect. If it was simply getting a DVD from the LOC and burn copies
from that, that would be one thing, taking basic computer knowledge. I can see how some of the
technical issues brought up, and the cinephile aspect of quality, might scare some people off.

[martin arias]

Hi Ed,

I just finished watching "Enchantment". Wonderful work! Please tell us if you engage in another project. I would contribute if it's needed same as on the Ben Model DVDs.

congratulations!

Martin

[Arndt]

My copy has arrived, too. I watched it last night and enjoyed it tremendously. Thanks a lot for putting in the work. I'll definitely chip in for other projects like this.

[drednm]

Thanks..... Apparently the film popped up in a London showing at Kennington Bioscope (sp?) to good response. I guess they muted the (copyrighted) music and had a live piano accompaniment. I've also sent off a copy to Kevin Brownlow.....

[avance]

Thanks..... Apparently the film popped up in a London showing at Kennington Bioscope (sp?) to good response. I guess they muted the (copyrighted) music and had a live piano accompaniment. I've also sent off a copy to Kevin Brownlow.....

We did indeed show it at the Kennington Bioscope with the sound muted and John Sweeney on piano.

It was very well received and looked gorgeous on the big screen.

I think only one person in the audience had seen it before. Apparently it was shown at the National Film Theatre some time back in a Marion Davies retrospective.

Thanks very much Ed for making this possible.

Amran