Black Oxen
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earlytalkie
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:06 pm
- Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Black Oxen
Does anyone know if a complete DVD of Black Oxen will ever be released? I've seen the incomplete version and now the 15 minute excerpt from Eastman House on YouTube. As I have an autographed first edition of the original book, I would love to get my hands on the whole movie as I like what I have seen so far.
Re: Black Oxen
Well, first of all, the final reel would have to turn up somewhere. Barring that, I wouldn't get my hopes up.
I was lucky enough to download BLACK OXEN when it was still available on the George Eastman House's website, and after watching it, I can understand your frustration. BLACK OXEN is a prime example of what a young Clara Bow could add to a film she wasn't starring in, and I would love to see how that whole mess sorts out.
But if I've learned anything in the field of film preservation, it's to never say "never." When I look at all the recent discoveries of films thought to be lost forever -- such as BEYOND THE ROCKS, BARDELYS THE MAGNIFICENT, and UPSTREAM -- there are many reasons to believe the last reel of BLACK OXEN is out there somewhere. So while I'm not holding my breath, I'm not ruling it out, either.
I was lucky enough to download BLACK OXEN when it was still available on the George Eastman House's website, and after watching it, I can understand your frustration. BLACK OXEN is a prime example of what a young Clara Bow could add to a film she wasn't starring in, and I would love to see how that whole mess sorts out.
But if I've learned anything in the field of film preservation, it's to never say "never." When I look at all the recent discoveries of films thought to be lost forever -- such as BEYOND THE ROCKS, BARDELYS THE MAGNIFICENT, and UPSTREAM -- there are many reasons to believe the last reel of BLACK OXEN is out there somewhere. So while I'm not holding my breath, I'm not ruling it out, either.
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earlytalkie
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:06 pm
- Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Re: Black Oxen
This being one of Clara's earlier films, I was struck by how self-assured and really good she was as the flapper. The portions of the film I've seen do follow the book pretty closely. Even if they completed the final reel with title cards and stills, as they did in the case of Sadie Thompson, It would give the viewers some sort of satisfactory ending. I do like the music I heard on the 15 minute clip now on YouTube from Eastman House. (The previous incomplete download was completely silent.)
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Micromegas
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:20 am
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
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Re: Black Oxen
Back in 2007 when Gosfilmofond in Moscow replied to email queries, I got this response:
"Unfortunately we do not have a complete print of the BLACK OXEN (1924). We have a dupe negative in 7 of 8 reels (reel #2 is missing)"
Note that they say that they are missing reel 2 and not the last reel.
Steve
"Unfortunately we do not have a complete print of the BLACK OXEN (1924). We have a dupe negative in 7 of 8 reels (reel #2 is missing)"
Note that they say that they are missing reel 2 and not the last reel.
Steve
Always interested in silents with a fantastic theme (and, yes, others too)
Re: Black Oxen
earlytalkie wrote:This being one of Clara's earlier films, I was struck by how self-assured and really good she was as the flapper. The portions of the film I've seen do follow the book pretty closely. Even if they completed the final reel with title cards and stills, as they did in the case of Sadie Thompson, It would give the viewers some sort of satisfactory ending. I do like the music I heard on the 15 minute clip now on YouTube from Eastman House. (The previous incomplete download was completely silent.)
I think you are talking about my clip, with the music that I selected? I know of no other clips on Youtube. I haven't gotten around to dubbing a score for the complete film yet. But I should do this over the Summer.