Reviews (3)

Ma & Pa Kettle become grandparents and visit the old farm.
The Kettle story began with the film THE EGG AND I (1947). They had a small part in the film, but was asked to star in their own film series, MA AND PA KETTLE (1949) and then MA AND PA KETTLE GO TO TOWN (1950). In this fourth film, Pa goes into town with his two Indian friends to get on the nerves of Mr. Reed, the gemeral store owner. What Pa doesn't know is, is that he is about to become a grandfather. Pa gets confused and thinks his wife is about to have another child. Like they have 15 already. Actually, it's Richard Long that is the new daddy. The Kettles are finally settled in their new modern house they had won in that contest, but upon the sudden visit of the new grandson's other grandparents, the Parkers, who are well-to-do, the whole house is re-arranged by the new guests. But soon the Parkers are about to see how the Kettles really live. Since the house is too big or should I say too crowded for the daughter-in-law and her parents, the Kettles decide to go back to the old farm. If the man who plays "Steve" looks familar, it is Jerry Hausner who went on to play "Jerry--the Agent" in the "I Love Lucy" pilot. Then Jerry/Joe and did "Baby Crying" in the CBS "I Love Lucy" tv series.

Wonderful Family Movie
I think this movie is one of their best. It brings tears of laughter to your eyes. Movies that make you smile and feel good are the best and this one is on top of the list of great family films. I think you will enjoy this movie and feel good for the rest of the day after watching Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm.

Ma and Pa become grandparents...and move back to the farm
In this installment of the Kettle series, Ma and Pa become grandparents when their son, Tom, and his wife, Kim, become parents themselves. Kim's parents arrive from Boston to help out with the baby, and tensions rise between the grandmothers. The end result--Ma and Pa leave the start of art modern home to return to the squalor of the squattors flat. Included is the standard screwball humor, and the introduction of Kim's parents is important as background for Ma and Pa Kettle On Vacation (an essential film). However, for Kettle films, this one falls squarely in the middle. It is a good film, not quite as good as the first 3 (including The Egg and I), better than At the Fair, In the Ozarks, or Old McDonalds Farm. ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Very Good Restoration
The IMAGE entertainment restoration of the 1929 "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney is a bit hit. The two-disk set is definately the definitive choice to own by all serious collectors. The clarity is better than any version I've seen to date, and for the first time, the correct running speed has been instituted here. The tradeoff however, is that the motion is somewhat choppy from too few frames. The characters move in proper real-time, and for the first time, you can see naturalistic movement in such scenes as the opening ballet sequence.

True fans need look no further than this two-disk Masterpiece Collection set from IMAGE. This is definately the one to own! The film is tinted and comes in a selection of three seperate sound tracks to choose from: a terrific new orchestrated score, the original sound score from the 30s, and a voice-over commentary track, which is insightful.

The second disk contains the original 1925 film, which few people have ever seen today. The quality is poor, but there are many scenes that are different from the version that we're all familiar with. It's worth watching.

But you cannot beat the restoration of the 1929 version on disk one of this set. It isn't quite the job that KINO put into Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" last year, but is terrific nonetheless. Thank you IMAGE. Great DVD!

One of the best
This is a beautiful (an absolutely beautiful) movie, one of the best I've ever seen. Lon Chaney, Sr. does a wonderfully dramatic performance as the tortured Phantom, who kidnapps an opera singer because he loves her. Unfortunately, she doesn't return the love, which drives him to madness.
The only thing that I disliked in the film was that Christine acts a little weird most of the time.
The dialogue is superb, and the Masked Ball scene is only one of the most memorable scenes in this movie

1925 Better than 1929
I am greatly disappointed with the 1929 version of the film. I thought it was going to be better than the silent one because it had sound, but I was wrong. The 1925 version is better than the restored one. Even though the restored version has sound, it takes the orginal and rearranges everything. They took the beginning of the 1925 and put it after Christine sings in the 1929 version. The person who plays Carlotta in the 1925 version is now Carlotta's mother and the Carlotta is different. The four stars is given to the silent 1925, the restored one is given 1 star.

Milestone version is the best!
Over the years, I have just about bought every version of the silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In my opinion, the Milestone version is THE BEST. The elements have been cleaned up and the image is crisp, clear with good contrast for 90% of the film. This two disc set has both the 1929 and hybrid 1925 original. Actually the film is cleaner and better looking in this version than a lot of the official Universal thirties classic that have come out.
It has an excellent commentary by Scott MacQueen and a real treat is hearing the music originally composed for the sound version accompanying the action from original sound elements.
The Technicolor sequences are the nicest I have seen and through proper use of the colorization process, other scenes originally in color, are presented and match the actual color stuff very well.
This version has been made from the initial Photoplay restoration which also includes Carl Davis' original stereo score for those that must have modern stereo for their films, however, I prefer the mood and music of the original '30 soundtrack. There are a plethora of extras, and I don't think it is false hype to say this is the ULTIMATE EDITION of this classic film.
That's my two cents..... ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Keaton at the Top of His Game
Despite the loss of his creative independence, Buster Keaton somehow was able to make a comic masterpiece within the studio-system constrictions of MGM. "The Cameraman" (1928) shows Keaton at the height of his cinematic powers, with some terrific set pieces (such as his solitary baseball game at the newly built Yankee Stadium) and moments of unexpected pathos. The Great Stone Face's next-to-last silent comedy remains among his all-time best. However, do not judge this superb film by the faded, unwatchable print provided by MGM for this VHS edition -- it never should have been issued. Instead, wait for the inevitable release of a far-superior print that has aired on Turner Classic Movies.

Buster-comedy how it should be.
Though I have no idea how good the quality of this copy is, The Cameraman should not be missed. Buster Keaton, one of the greatest silent film stars is one of the most honest performers I have ever seen. I really wish this would be released on DVD! If you're looking for just a fun, honest and good film, see The Cameraman-you'll love it!

A Sweet & Beautiful Comedy Classic
This is my favorite Buster Keaton movie. I have watched it so many times I've lost count. The best thing about this movie is the lovely relationship Buster's character has with his leading lady, played by Marceline Day, who died not too long ago. She is his best leading lady, so sensitive and touching. So if you are looking for an hysterically funny comedy with lots of inventive slapstick, with a refreshing and tender romance thrown in for good measure, you will definitely love The Cameraman. I think it's one of the best 100 films ever made.

"You kill-a da monk!!!"
Oddly this film is best suited for either the Keaton Kompletist, or else the non-fan... In Keaton's movies it's the universe that's crazy, not him; he's just impassively, trustingly along for the ride. In The Cameraman, though, all the chaos is caused by Keaton's bumbling. He trips, he walks into things, he falls down. He's basically a simpleton. This is more Stan Laurel than Buster Keaton.

Keaton also avoided pathos whenever he could and preferred his women to be just another nutty part of his environment, yet here he has an unrequited love for an idealized Virgin Mary type who falls in love with him at the last minute when she realizes what a pitiful figure he is. This part is pure Chaplin. Since many Keaton fans are not Chaplin fans because of precisely this sort of sentimentality, you might want to bear it in mind.

There's also some business with an implausibly perspicacious monkey, Keaton's bathing suit falling off, etc. This is just generic gag writing.

And if you want to know just how far off-key the tone deaf studio brass was, they actually wanted the film to end with Keaton giving a big SMILE! It's not in the film, thank heaven, but it makes it abundantly clear that they just didn't get it. (The next year in Spite Marriage they turned him into an out and out idiot.)

It's still an adequate picture, I suppose, but the real Keaton stuff is his self-produced films of the twenties: Our Hospitality, The Navigator, Sherlock Jr, The General, etc. You can get them all on the superb Kino DVDs, and I think you'll be much happier.

Cocktail Party Trivia Section: The changing room scene in this film was the basis for the stateroom scene in Night At The Opera. By the time the Marx Brothers came to MGM to make that film Keaton - who was by now a major bottle man - had been reduced to studio gag writer working on other people's pictures, and that scene is one of his contributions.

Another example...
...of the studios' insanity who forgot to put this one on the Keaton-DVDs' release list, and who prefer to flood the market with TV series' junk which should never have been produced in the first place, unlike Spike Jones (can we hope getting some day the shows on DVD with a better image quality than the tapes) whose shows did not require the use of Prozac (and even, in my advice, were a better alternative) for being watched. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Old Time Radio stars brought to the screen!
I've been a long time Edgar Bergen fan, and was delighted with his performance in this comical movie, "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man". I had never seen W.C. Fields on the screen before, and was also pleasantly surprised by his outragous antics (his hat bit is wonderful). For anyone looking for a good laugh, or a movie for the whole family (litterally-Grandpa & Grandma will remember them, and the children will be introduced to them), this is a great movie to buy or rent.

A True Classic, Honest
This is a truly classic comedy featuring W.C. Fields and Edgar Bergen. Fields plays circus proprietor Larson Whipsnade. His circus is not a blazing success, and Whipsnade and company are on the run from the law and on the lam from creditors. Despite all, Whipsnade has managed to keep his son and daughter in college. As the story begins, Whipsnade's son is urging his sister to marry a fellow student who is wooing her. The suitor is from a wealthy family and Whipsnade Jr. sees the marriage as a way to improve the Whipsnade family fortune. Unfortunateley, sis isn't in love with the boy. Instead, she falls for Bergen, who works in dad's circus.

I suppose, if you like Fields but not Bergen, you might think there is too much Bergen & company in this movie and not enough of Fields. Then, again, a Bergen fan might make the opposite argument. Personally, I find them both hilarious. The plot here is rather thin, but the comedy is non-stop. Of course, Whipsnade can't stand Bergen, and Charlie McCarthy is a constant thorn in his side. Similarly, the idea of Whipsnade as Bergen's father-in-law is more than Charlie can take. Both Fields and Bergen get in some classicly funny scenes. Add in a couple of cameo appearances by Mortimer Snerd, a whole load of one-liners, and you one of the best comedies ever filmed.

Too Much Bergen and McCarthy - Not Enough Fields
W.C. Fields' "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" (1939) is a rather schizophrenic affair. As Larson E. Whipsnade, Fields remains his old inimitable self -- whether playing high-society ping pong or getting hosed by a circus elephant. However, when Fields is off-screen for long stretches, the film becomes an Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy vehicle and drags terribly. Though the Fields-McCarthy radio "feuds" have become classics, they do not translate nearly as well in cinematic form. With the exception of a brief reunion in "Song of the Open Road" (1944), it's easy to see why there never was a Fields-Bergen encore on the big screen. "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" certainly has its moments of hilarity, but a little more Fields would have helped.

time and psychology
When I was a child growing up in the fifties, this was one of my favorite Fields movies. The fact that Edgar Bergen was a wretched ventriloquist and even worse actor never bothered me. My attention was bound to Charlie and Mortimer. But now as I watch it, it is Edgar's character that bothers me more than anything else. Here is a guy who leaves his position as a college professor not simply to follow his dream as a ventriloquist in the circus, but to hide away in a air baloon with his dummy. If he was there just to practice away from the noise and clatter of the circus, one might be able to understand it. But Edgar's character is so flat and colorless that one senses that he is only hiding out from the world with the only vehicle through which he is capable of communicating with the outside world. One can only hope that he is unable to catch the chariot in the end. Still... Fields is brilliant. It is really he who carries the film. One could wish there was more of Rochester who is always clever and fun.

Clever, Quick, and Funny!
This is definatly W.C. Fields at his finest. While the plot maybe is not so great, all of the comedians bring this light hearted comedy to the highest expectations. Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen are at their mischevious, cleverest best. Recommended for anyone who loves old comedies. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Tecnicolor Tessie!
A must see for any Lucille Ball fan. You can't seem to take your eyes off her. She is radiant in this film. The color is bright and vivid. The drunken scene with Van Johnson is great and quite possibly one of her best comedic performances. I strongly suggest this film.

really good!
I recommend this film. It has a great cast Esther Williams, Van Johnson and the very funny and talented Lucille Ball. It's also a well worth seeing film of hers, and has one of the better story lines. It's romantic funny and really good fun to watch.

TECHNICOLOR MUSICOMEDY
A fairly entertaining musical with a fun-filled cast. Esther Williams plays the beautiful rich playgirl who brings a massive lawsuit down on the head of newspaperman Keenan Wynn, who had printed an unflattering article about her lavish, irresponsible lifestyle. In order to win the case, Wynn hires suave Johnson (a former employee with the same newspaper) to win over Williams so she will drop the charges. Naturally, everything goes haywire... While this film can't hold a candle to original 1936 film LIBELED LADY, of which this is a re-make, it gave Lucille Ball one of her best comedy showcases in the movies in her role as Gladys Benton. The colour photography is quite good and the songs are amusing if a bit corny.

Lucy sparkles!
Lucy was absolutely spectacular in this movie! Even though her character was a stupid, gullible one, she played it wonderfully. I feel bad saying that, but it was her character, not her, and it shows how versatile she was and how many characters she could portray. Lucille Ball was born to be in Technicolor! She looks radiant with her flaming red hair, intense blue eyes, and her four corner, blood red mouth. She looks so beautiful in this movie. She and Van Johnson have such great chemistry together. This movie gave us a peek at her comic ability and what was in store for us in the years to come, but it also showed that Lucy was not limited to comedy. It's a wonder why MGM didn't see her talent and cast her in A movies. This is a great movie and Lucy is even better!

Very good!
Lucy is SO good in this movie! I can't say much for the rest of it but she is AWESOME! ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Very Good Restoration
The IMAGE entertainment restoration of the 1929 "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney is a bit hit. The two-disk set is definately the definitive choice to own by all serious collectors. The clarity is better than any version I've seen to date, and for the first time, the correct running speed has been instituted here. The tradeoff however, is that the motion is somewhat choppy from too few frames. The characters move in proper real-time, and for the first time, you can see naturalistic movement in such scenes as the opening ballet sequence.

True fans need look no further than this two-disk Masterpiece Collection set from IMAGE. This is definately the one to own! The film is tinted and comes in a selection of three seperate sound tracks to choose from: a terrific new orchestrated score, the original sound score from the 30s, and a voice-over commentary track, which is insightful.

The second disk contains the original 1925 film, which few people have ever seen today. The quality is poor, but there are many scenes that are different from the version that we're all familiar with. It's worth watching.

But you cannot beat the restoration of the 1929 version on disk one of this set. It isn't quite the job that KINO put into Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" last year, but is terrific nonetheless. Thank you IMAGE. Great DVD!

One of the best
This is a beautiful (an absolutely beautiful) movie, one of the best I've ever seen. Lon Chaney, Sr. does a wonderfully dramatic performance as the tortured Phantom, who kidnapps an opera singer because he loves her. Unfortunately, she doesn't return the love, which drives him to madness.
The only thing that I disliked in the film was that Christine acts a little weird most of the time.
The dialogue is superb, and the Masked Ball scene is only one of the most memorable scenes in this movie

1925 Better than 1929
I am greatly disappointed with the 1929 version of the film. I thought it was going to be better than the silent one because it had sound, but I was wrong. The 1925 version is better than the restored one. Even though the restored version has sound, it takes the orginal and rearranges everything. They took the beginning of the 1925 and put it after Christine sings in the 1929 version. The person who plays Carlotta in the 1925 version is now Carlotta's mother and the Carlotta is different. The four stars is given to the silent 1925, the restored one is given 1 star.

Milestone version is the best!
Over the years, I have just about bought every version of the silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In my opinion, the Milestone version is THE BEST. The elements have been cleaned up and the image is crisp, clear with good contrast for 90% of the film. This two disc set has both the 1929 and hybrid 1925 original. Actually the film is cleaner and better looking in this version than a lot of the official Universal thirties classic that have come out.
It has an excellent commentary by Scott MacQueen and a real treat is hearing the music originally composed for the sound version accompanying the action from original sound elements.
The Technicolor sequences are the nicest I have seen and through proper use of the colorization process, other scenes originally in color, are presented and match the actual color stuff very well.
This version has been made from the initial Photoplay restoration which also includes Carl Davis' original stereo score for those that must have modern stereo for their films, however, I prefer the mood and music of the original '30 soundtrack. There are a plethora of extras, and I don't think it is false hype to say this is the ULTIMATE EDITION of this classic film.
That's my two cents..... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Red Skelton at his best!
This movie is the greatest! Red Skelton is at his funniest in this hilarious film about a northern bellboy who dreams of becoming a spy during the Civil War. He finally gets his chance when he accidentally falls in with a ring of southern spies who think he is the notorious spy, "The Grey Spider". His adventures while masquerading as the grey spider will have you laughing long after the movie has ended! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Old Time Radio stars brought to the screen!
I've been a long time Edgar Bergen fan, and was delighted with his performance in this comical movie, "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man". I had never seen W.C. Fields on the screen before, and was also pleasantly surprised by his outragous antics (his hat bit is wonderful). For anyone looking for a good laugh, or a movie for the whole family (litterally-Grandpa & Grandma will remember them, and the children will be introduced to them), this is a great movie to buy or rent.

A True Classic, Honest
This is a truly classic comedy featuring W.C. Fields and Edgar Bergen. Fields plays circus proprietor Larson Whipsnade. His circus is not a blazing success, and Whipsnade and company are on the run from the law and on the lam from creditors. Despite all, Whipsnade has managed to keep his son and daughter in college. As the story begins, Whipsnade's son is urging his sister to marry a fellow student who is wooing her. The suitor is from a wealthy family and Whipsnade Jr. sees the marriage as a way to improve the Whipsnade family fortune. Unfortunateley, sis isn't in love with the boy. Instead, she falls for Bergen, who works in dad's circus.

I suppose, if you like Fields but not Bergen, you might think there is too much Bergen & company in this movie and not enough of Fields. Then, again, a Bergen fan might make the opposite argument. Personally, I find them both hilarious. The plot here is rather thin, but the comedy is non-stop. Of course, Whipsnade can't stand Bergen, and Charlie McCarthy is a constant thorn in his side. Similarly, the idea of Whipsnade as Bergen's father-in-law is more than Charlie can take. Both Fields and Bergen get in some classicly funny scenes. Add in a couple of cameo appearances by Mortimer Snerd, a whole load of one-liners, and you one of the best comedies ever filmed.

Too Much Bergen and McCarthy - Not Enough Fields
W.C. Fields' "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" (1939) is a rather schizophrenic affair. As Larson E. Whipsnade, Fields remains his old inimitable self -- whether playing high-society ping pong or getting hosed by a circus elephant. However, when Fields is off-screen for long stretches, the film becomes an Edgar Bergen-Charlie McCarthy vehicle and drags terribly. Though the Fields-McCarthy radio "feuds" have become classics, they do not translate nearly as well in cinematic form. With the exception of a brief reunion in "Song of the Open Road" (1944), it's easy to see why there never was a Fields-Bergen encore on the big screen. "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" certainly has its moments of hilarity, but a little more Fields would have helped.

time and psychology
When I was a child growing up in the fifties, this was one of my favorite Fields movies. The fact that Edgar Bergen was a wretched ventriloquist and even worse actor never bothered me. My attention was bound to Charlie and Mortimer. But now as I watch it, it is Edgar's character that bothers me more than anything else. Here is a guy who leaves his position as a college professor not simply to follow his dream as a ventriloquist in the circus, but to hide away in a air baloon with his dummy. If he was there just to practice away from the noise and clatter of the circus, one might be able to understand it. But Edgar's character is so flat and colorless that one senses that he is only hiding out from the world with the only vehicle through which he is capable of communicating with the outside world. One can only hope that he is unable to catch the chariot in the end. Still... Fields is brilliant. It is really he who carries the film. One could wish there was more of Rochester who is always clever and fun.

Clever, Quick, and Funny!
This is definatly W.C. Fields at his finest. While the plot maybe is not so great, all of the comedians bring this light hearted comedy to the highest expectations. Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen are at their mischevious, cleverest best. Recommended for anyone who loves old comedies. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not Buster's Best, but has it's moments
Overall, this is not exactly "College" or "Seven Chances," but it has some good moments.

The other posters have given good summaries of the overall "plot" or lack thereof, but the individual moments of the Bus-man do stand out. The scene where during the studio cop chases Bus, our hero sits on a dynamite plunger with the obvious results is a howl. Bus' song and dance "Free and Easy" (thus the title) is quite amusing, as one rarely sees our man in a song-and-dance setting.

The scene where the director tries to give Bus some vocal coaching, that results in a routine that predates "Who's On First" is a bit odd for the Bus man. Buster is funny because of his reactions to his surroundings, not because he is stupid, so this scene is sort of a let down, as is the previously described ending, which leaves the viewer with a nasty aftertaste.

So this is largey a mixed bag, interesting mainly for historical reasons. It's important to remember that generally speaking, movies from 1929-30 were still in a transition period from silents to sound, so films from that era (like this) seem very stilted and awkward to modern audiences.

Buster's 1st Talkie: 33% Buster/ 67% MGM
FREE AND EASY is Buster's first talkie (1930). And his best talkie. Of course, it does not rank with Buster's greatest silent features, but it is still very good. Buster is the manager for Miss Gopher City. The first 1/2 is pretty good when Buster, Miss Gopher City and her mother travel to Hollywood. The second 1/2 picks up steam. The scenes where Buster gets to sing and dance are wonderful. And there IS a fair share of physical comedy.

However, the ending is a disaster that seriously mars the entire film. Just when you think a great "Buster gets the girl ending" is ready to happen (as Buster becomes a "movie star" and proposes to "the girl"). The other guy gets the girl while Buster looks on like a sad clown. MGM strikes again and the beginning of the end of Buster's great career has arrived.

Buster's First Talkie
Buster's first sound picture involves him being appointed as manager of a beauty contest winner from Gopher City, Kansas. He travels to Hollywood with her and her mother (who treats him like junk) with the purpose of getting her into the movies. He's in love with her, but she meets a movie star on the train ride out and instead falls in love with him.

There are two parts to this movie. The first half has an almost documentary feel to it, basically because of MGM's primitive use of sound in its infancy at that time, coupled with Buster's natural, unphony dialogue spoken in a charmingly deep mid-western accent that must have caused 1930 audiences to gasp after hearing it for the first time. There are scenes so natural of Buster trying to explain himself out of trouble and one where he's unsuccessfully trying to park his rented car in Hollywood parking lots that make the viewers feel like they're watching Buster's real life, instead of a scripted movie. The first half shows a lot of Buster being chased by a movie studio cop, slapped at, yelled at, roughed up, beaten, and generally being treated like he's the most disrespected person on the planet.

The second half is interesting because 1930 audiences got to see Buster use his musical comedy gifts for the first time. Buster gets to play the part of a king in a comic opera. He sings, he dances. He's good at it. Although the musical sequences are kind of hokey by today's standards, I think they were pretty much what audiences at that time were getting from the Broadway stage, radio, and vaudeville, and MGM was desperate to make up for lost time with the arrival of sound films by displaying them here. In one comic sequence, after Buster walks across a soundstage on a camel, he gets off the camel and mumbles "I'd walk a mile to get that, too". This line will leave a 21st century audience questioning the meaning of that phrase, but in the 1920's, there was a popular advertising campaign for Camel cigarettes in which everyone in their ads was saying "I'd walk a mile for a Camel".

Film critics would not rank "Free and Easy" as high as Buster's classic silent features, but I like it about as much as any of those.

Sweet Anita Page Outshines Buster Keaton!!
Here is a pretty good early movie musical-comedy with silent comic Buster Keaton quite good but lovely blonde bombshell Anita Page is even better. Also a wonderful vaudeville comedienne named Trixie Frananza is hilarious in a rare film appearance as Anita's boisterious mom in a parody of stage mothers.

A Desecrated Keaton
"Free and Easy" (1930) is a poorly conceived "talkie" debut for Buster Keaton. This dreadful MGM musical-comedy desecrates Keaton's talents -- the studio even has him wear clown makeup. Except for Buster's singing and dancing, there is not a memorable moment in the film. Though Keaton's MGM talkies were a mixed bag, his remaining vehicles did not plummet to the depths of "Free and Easy." Only cinema masochists need bother. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Pick a star aka movie struck
Well, I bought this movie to add it to my Laurel & Hardy collection...however this is in no way a Laurel & Hardy film. They make a cameo in this movie really. The movie overall wasn't bad. It was actually a pretty decent film about a girl dying to make it in Hollywood. I wouldn't recommend this movie to a Laurel & Hardy fan but if you like old movie classics you will probably enjoy this one.

Laurel & Hardy as "guest stars" in a pleasant little musical
"Pick a Star" tells the story of the hopeful young lass from the country, Cecilia Moore (Rosina Lawrence), who comes to Hollywood to be a star with the help of publicity man Joe Jenkins (Jack Haley). The attraction here is Laurel & Hardy, although their screen time adds up to about one reel of this 1937 eight-reeler directed by Edward Sedgwick for Hal Roach-MGM. The boys have "guest roles" playing themselves in two sequences. Of course many exhibitors of the film when it was released advertised them as being the stars of the film, which has certainly hurt its reputation among Laurel & Hardy fans. The first revives the old routine where Hardy swallows a whistle and Laurel pokes him in the stomach to produce various tunes. The second finds the boys filming a western saloon brawl for one of their movies and demonstrating to visitors how everything they use in the fight are special props...or are they? "Pick a Star" is an okay film, obviously an effort by Hal Roach to make Rosina Lawrence a star (she had been the female lead in the boys' previous film, "Way Out West"). Obviously, that did not happen. But since the boys only had these two routines their comic timing comes across as particularly fine-tuned. Laurel & Hardy fans can enjoy these two sequences and fast-forward through the rest of the film, stopping long enough, of course, to listen to Jack Haley talk in his normal voice.

Okay, so Laurel and Hardy aren't the stars.
This is a very entertaining little musical starring Jack Haley, Patsy Kelly, and Rosina Lawrence, with Laurel and Hardy as guest stars. Jack is trying to get Rosina a screen test in Hollywood. When Rosina mistakenly believes the screen test is arranged, she heads for California with her wisecracking sister Patsy. While Jack schemes to arrange the screen test, Rosina meets a famous romantic movie star (played by Mischa Auer), Patsy watches Laurel and Hardy film a scene, and there are several unremarkable, but peppy, musical numbers. Of course, there is a happy ending(I'm not saying what it is, but you can probably figure it out).Laurel and Hardy's two scenes are definite highlights, and Patsy Kelly is very funny throughout. Curiously, musical star Jack Haley barely sings at all! ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Very Good Restoration
The IMAGE entertainment restoration of the 1929 "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney is a bit hit. The two-disk set is definately the definitive choice to own by all serious collectors. The clarity is better than any version I've seen to date, and for the first time, the correct running speed has been instituted here. The tradeoff however, is that the motion is somewhat choppy from too few frames. The characters move in proper real-time, and for the first time, you can see naturalistic movement in such scenes as the opening ballet sequence.

True fans need look no further than this two-disk Masterpiece Collection set from IMAGE. This is definately the one to own! The film is tinted and comes in a selection of three seperate sound tracks to choose from: a terrific new orchestrated score, the original sound score from the 30s, and a voice-over commentary track, which is insightful.

The second disk contains the original 1925 film, which few people have ever seen today. The quality is poor, but there are many scenes that are different from the version that we're all familiar with. It's worth watching.

But you cannot beat the restoration of the 1929 version on disk one of this set. It isn't quite the job that KINO put into Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" last year, but is terrific nonetheless. Thank you IMAGE. Great DVD!

One of the best
This is a beautiful (an absolutely beautiful) movie, one of the best I've ever seen. Lon Chaney, Sr. does a wonderfully dramatic performance as the tortured Phantom, who kidnapps an opera singer because he loves her. Unfortunately, she doesn't return the love, which drives him to madness.
The only thing that I disliked in the film was that Christine acts a little weird most of the time.
The dialogue is superb, and the Masked Ball scene is only one of the most memorable scenes in this movie

1925 Better than 1929
I am greatly disappointed with the 1929 version of the film. I thought it was going to be better than the silent one because it had sound, but I was wrong. The 1925 version is better than the restored one. Even though the restored version has sound, it takes the orginal and rearranges everything. They took the beginning of the 1925 and put it after Christine sings in the 1929 version. The person who plays Carlotta in the 1925 version is now Carlotta's mother and the Carlotta is different. The four stars is given to the silent 1925, the restored one is given 1 star.

Milestone version is the best!
Over the years, I have just about bought every version of the silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In my opinion, the Milestone version is THE BEST. The elements have been cleaned up and the image is crisp, clear with good contrast for 90% of the film. This two disc set has both the 1929 and hybrid 1925 original. Actually the film is cleaner and better looking in this version than a lot of the official Universal thirties classic that have come out.
It has an excellent commentary by Scott MacQueen and a real treat is hearing the music originally composed for the sound version accompanying the action from original sound elements.
The Technicolor sequences are the nicest I have seen and through proper use of the colorization process, other scenes originally in color, are presented and match the actual color stuff very well.
This version has been made from the initial Photoplay restoration which also includes Carl Davis' original stereo score for those that must have modern stereo for their films, however, I prefer the mood and music of the original '30 soundtrack. There are a plethora of extras, and I don't think it is false hype to say this is the ULTIMATE EDITION of this classic film.
That's my two cents..... ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Very Good Restoration
The IMAGE entertainment restoration of the 1929 "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney is a bit hit. The two-disk set is definately the definitive choice to own by all serious collectors. The clarity is better than any version I've seen to date, and for the first time, the correct running speed has been instituted here. The tradeoff however, is that the motion is somewhat choppy from too few frames. The characters move in proper real-time, and for the first time, you can see naturalistic movement in such scenes as the opening ballet sequence.

True fans need look no further than this two-disk Masterpiece Collection set from IMAGE. This is definately the one to own! The film is tinted and comes in a selection of three seperate sound tracks to choose from: a terrific new orchestrated score, the original sound score from the 30s, and a voice-over commentary track, which is insightful.

The second disk contains the original 1925 film, which few people have ever seen today. The quality is poor, but there are many scenes that are different from the version that we're all familiar with. It's worth watching.

But you cannot beat the restoration of the 1929 version on disk one of this set. It isn't quite the job that KINO put into Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" last year, but is terrific nonetheless. Thank you IMAGE. Great DVD!

One of the best
This is a beautiful (an absolutely beautiful) movie, one of the best I've ever seen. Lon Chaney, Sr. does a wonderfully dramatic performance as the tortured Phantom, who kidnapps an opera singer because he loves her. Unfortunately, she doesn't return the love, which drives him to madness.
The only thing that I disliked in the film was that Christine acts a little weird most of the time.
The dialogue is superb, and the Masked Ball scene is only one of the most memorable scenes in this movie

1925 Better than 1929
I am greatly disappointed with the 1929 version of the film. I thought it was going to be better than the silent one because it had sound, but I was wrong. The 1925 version is better than the restored one. Even though the restored version has sound, it takes the orginal and rearranges everything. They took the beginning of the 1925 and put it after Christine sings in the 1929 version. The person who plays Carlotta in the 1925 version is now Carlotta's mother and the Carlotta is different. The four stars is given to the silent 1925, the restored one is given 1 star.

Milestone version is the best!
Over the years, I have just about bought every version of the silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In my opinion, the Milestone version is THE BEST. The elements have been cleaned up and the image is crisp, clear with good contrast for 90% of the film. This two disc set has both the 1929 and hybrid 1925 original. Actually the film is cleaner and better looking in this version than a lot of the official Universal thirties classic that have come out.
It has an excellent commentary by Scott MacQueen and a real treat is hearing the music originally composed for the sound version accompanying the action from original sound elements.
The Technicolor sequences are the nicest I have seen and through proper use of the colorization process, other scenes originally in color, are presented and match the actual color stuff very well.
This version has been made from the initial Photoplay restoration which also includes Carl Davis' original stereo score for those that must have modern stereo for their films, however, I prefer the mood and music of the original '30 soundtrack. There are a plethora of extras, and I don't think it is false hype to say this is the ULTIMATE EDITION of this classic film.
That's my two cents..... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

D'oh!
The wonderful Turner Classic Movies recently broadcast DOUGHBOYS during a Buster Keaton marathon in which they had just aired three of Keaton's 20s silent short films. The difference between this film and those classics was enormous. Conventional wisdom tells us that Buster Keaton's career plummeted (after peaking in the 1920s) when he signed his MGM contract, thus losing the creative control that he had enjoyed previously.

I knew this fact previously, so I went into DOUGHBOYS not expecting much. It was a comedy war film following Keaton's character from army boot training to combat. There have been other movies that have taken these elements and made entertaining and funny scenarios out of them, so I assumed that there existed the potential for quality. I made it a point to take the jokes on their own merits rather than anticipating the heights that I had seen in Keaton's silent films. Unfortunately, I had to wait quite a long time for the jokes. Eventually I realized that what I had been viewing as awkward silences were, in fact, the jokes.

Oh dear, this was painful. Buster Keaton never had a chance to save this one, because he has absolutely nothing to work with. I never felt sorry for a film star the way I felt for Buster Keaton in this stinker. What was MGM thinking? They get one of cinema's most original and creative minds and put him in the most clichéd and unfunny comedies I've seen.

I only laughed twice while watching this film. The first was the sequence where Buster (in drag) manages to infiltrate a stage show and gets involved in an energetic fight/dance routine. It's Buster playing to his slapstick strengths, so naturally the result is graceful and hilarious. The second laugh comes from almost the very end, where Buster finds himself behind enemy lines and discovers unexpected conditions.

Two funny gags do not a good film make. To any fan of Buster Keaton, I would recommend just fast forwarding to the dance sequence and forgetting about the rest. Oh, Buster, why, why, why?

Doughboys
DOUGHBOYS is OK. This is Buster's second talkie for MGM. Doughboys starts out with Buster playing a "rich guy" character similar to his role Battling Butler and The Navigator. That part is nice. As is the ending. In between, Doughboys is just a typical "military comedy".

Ed Brophy, as a sergeant, SCREAMS all his lines.The musical scene and the singing number with Cliff Edwards are good. The only classic Buster scene is when Buster and the girl try to figure out what to do with a bomb. That couple of minutes is the equal of Buster's great silent work. And the finish is pretty good. At least Buster gets the girl.

Doughboys does not measure up to the standards of "Free and Easy", Buster's first talkie. However, it is much better than Buster's last four MGM talkies.

Only view Doughboys if you've seen all of Buster's silent work and just want to see everything else. MGM should be ashamed of themselves.

Ukulele Buster
"Doughboys" features Buster as a rich kid who erroneously enlists in the US Army during World War 1. Supposedly, some of the scenes are based on his experiences when he actually served in the war.

This film is set in 1917, according to the newspaper headline at the beginning of the picture that announces that President Wilson is calling for volunteers. However, if you looked away from the TV for 2 seconds and didn't see that headline, you would think it was set in 1930, when the film was made. Obviously, the MGM wardrobe department neglected to dress the cast and extras according to the style of the 1910's. None of the women are wearing corsets, long hair, big hats, lace-up shoes, or hemlines below the knee. None of the men are wearing derbies. All of the fashion you see is 1929-30. Buster is standing alongside his 1930 Rolls Royce in this scene. It is surprising to see such negligence in a Buster Keaton film because he had been a stickler for authenticity when he was in charge of the silent productions he made at his own studio, some with historical settings such as "Our Hospitality" and "The General". However, when he joined MGM in 1928, he was forced to surrender most of his creative control.

Anyway, two of the best scenes in "Doughboys" are musical numbers. One is an uncoordinated acrobatic dance that all the film historians and critics rave about. Buster is in women's clothing (although he's got his Army boots on) in a stage revue to entertain the boys. A better musical scene is a rhythmic ukulele duet with Ukulele "Ike" Edwards. In their barracks before a roll call on the ship to France, the two share a ukulele and sing a jazzy number about nothing (the lyrics go like this: "da dum da doo ba ba dum I want my mama dum bo dee dum bo") that ends with Buster either sucking or biting (I can't tell which) the tuning devices of the ukulele. We are robbed of more of this wonderful scene when Sargeant Brophy storms in and screams to break it up. Sargeant Brophy is played by Ed ("you mugs! ") Brophy, who happens to scream and beat up Buster in most of his MGM films. But this one takes the cake. I have never seen any actor take on so much scream abuse than Buster does in "Doughboys".

Buster's battle scenes are quite clever. He tries to incorporate his silent physical comedy in some of the scenes, but the producers of the film don't give him more than half a soundless minute to get his gags across (a good one which reminds me of Woody Allen is his clumsy attempt to dispose a bomb that's ready to explode). In the early days of sound, movie-makers were obsessed with filling all their scenes with lots of talk.

Some Classic Keaton Moments
"Doughboys" (1930) was inspired by Buster Keaton's World War I experiences. Unlike the majority of his MGM talkies, the studio allowed Keaton more creative input for this military comedy. Directed by Edward Sedgwick, "Doughboys" has some classic moments -- such as Buster's performance in drag and his scat-singing with Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards -- that make up for the dead spots. Though Keaton was fond of "Doughboys," it's a far cry from the days of "The General" and "Seven Chances." Still, the film remains one of Keaton's better MGM vehicles. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

WHAT! The End of Buster?
What! No Beer? is awful. This is Buster's last starring feature for MGM. Also his last starring feature made in the USA. He is slow and sluggish. As with most of his MGM sound pictures there are only a few good moments. And you have to hunt for them. At least "Speak Easily" has a story that made sense. In addition to not being funny, What! No Beer? is a mess. Ed Sedgwick directing couldn't even help.

Get What! No Beer? only if you want to see everything Buster was in...

Buster's Swan Song
What! No Beer? plots Keaton and Durante trying out a beer selling biz starting the day after beer is voted legalized following prohibition. Figuring that the masses will be starved for legalized beer after waiting 13 years, these guys would be the first to sell it again and become millionaires overnight. They get involved with 2 bootleggers who are paranoid about losing their shirts because of the new legislation and a mess involving gangsters and bullets continues throughout the picture. Buster plays his typical babe-in-the-woods character, Elmer.

The old brewery they use looks like a grounded UFO in an Area 51 room. I kept expecting Ming the Merciless to creep out the hatch. Instead the boys are overwhelmed by near-beer suds that flood the room in a pretty good choatic scene that's one of the highlights of the picture.

What! No Beer? was filmed during the worst period of Buster's life, mainly because of his battle with alcoholism. The problem is obvious in a few scenes. One in particular is a scene of Keaton and Durante handcuffed together. Buster looks dazed, puffy and sick. The scene continues with Durante talking to Bus in a normal-sounding voice (the only time in the picture he isn't screaming) as he carries on a sympathetic conversation with Bus, who definitely sounds like he'd been drinking beforehand. A minute later, the scene continues where Buster further slurs his lines.

This film was made at the end of 1932 and was a big hit for MGM. The print on this VHS edition is excellent. I was surprised to see that such good quality sound existed in 1932. Film critics, historians and Buster are hard on this picture because they compare it to his silent classics instead of accepting it for what it was, a sound comedy with lots of talk and chaos. It's quickly paced and there's never a dull moment.

The plot of this film involves alcohol, which ironically is what ruined Buster's career as a major feature-length movie star. He was let go from MGM a few days after this film completed its shooting. ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Very Good Restoration
The IMAGE entertainment restoration of the 1929 "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney is a bit hit. The two-disk set is definately the definitive choice to own by all serious collectors. The clarity is better than any version I've seen to date, and for the first time, the correct running speed has been instituted here. The tradeoff however, is that the motion is somewhat choppy from too few frames. The characters move in proper real-time, and for the first time, you can see naturalistic movement in such scenes as the opening ballet sequence.

True fans need look no further than this two-disk Masterpiece Collection set from IMAGE. This is definately the one to own! The film is tinted and comes in a selection of three seperate sound tracks to choose from: a terrific new orchestrated score, the original sound score from the 30s, and a voice-over commentary track, which is insightful.

The second disk contains the original 1925 film, which few people have ever seen today. The quality is poor, but there are many scenes that are different from the version that we're all familiar with. It's worth watching.

But you cannot beat the restoration of the 1929 version on disk one of this set. It isn't quite the job that KINO put into Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" last year, but is terrific nonetheless. Thank you IMAGE. Great DVD!

One of the best
This is a beautiful (an absolutely beautiful) movie, one of the best I've ever seen. Lon Chaney, Sr. does a wonderfully dramatic performance as the tortured Phantom, who kidnapps an opera singer because he loves her. Unfortunately, she doesn't return the love, which drives him to madness.
The only thing that I disliked in the film was that Christine acts a little weird most of the time.
The dialogue is superb, and the Masked Ball scene is only one of the most memorable scenes in this movie

1925 Better than 1929
I am greatly disappointed with the 1929 version of the film. I thought it was going to be better than the silent one because it had sound, but I was wrong. The 1925 version is better than the restored one. Even though the restored version has sound, it takes the orginal and rearranges everything. They took the beginning of the 1925 and put it after Christine sings in the 1929 version. The person who plays Carlotta in the 1925 version is now Carlotta's mother and the Carlotta is different. The four stars is given to the silent 1925, the restored one is given 1 star.

Milestone version is the best!
Over the years, I have just about bought every version of the silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In my opinion, the Milestone version is THE BEST. The elements have been cleaned up and the image is crisp, clear with good contrast for 90% of the film. This two disc set has both the 1929 and hybrid 1925 original. Actually the film is cleaner and better looking in this version than a lot of the official Universal thirties classic that have come out.
It has an excellent commentary by Scott MacQueen and a real treat is hearing the music originally composed for the sound version accompanying the action from original sound elements.
The Technicolor sequences are the nicest I have seen and through proper use of the colorization process, other scenes originally in color, are presented and match the actual color stuff very well.
This version has been made from the initial Photoplay restoration which also includes Carl Davis' original stereo score for those that must have modern stereo for their films, however, I prefer the mood and music of the original '30 soundtrack. There are a plethora of extras, and I don't think it is false hype to say this is the ULTIMATE EDITION of this classic film.
That's my two cents..... ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Lon Chaney stars in the first great American horror film
It is a shame that in the popular imagination the classic 1925 silent version of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been reduced to the scene where Christine (Mary Philbin) unmasks the Phantom and reveals Lon Chaney's stunning make-up job. Because there is much more to this film than that sequence and the camera being out of focus as the Phantom moves towards Christine really bugs me. The visuals in this film are stunning, from the cavernous world below the Paris Opera house to the Phantom's entrance as the Red Death during the Masqurade Ball (filmed in Technicolor). For me the most memorable moment and Chaney's best scene comes at the end, when the Phantom is able to hold the mob that has hunted him down at bay because of the threat of what he holds in his hand. Then he starts to laugh at the fools, finally opening his hand to show it is empty and giving himself over to the violence of the mob. The scene is not in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, which relates how the bones of Erik were found years after the events told in this story, but it is a worthy addition to the tale. In regards to the famous unmasking scene, I do want to add that Rupert Julian's staging of the scene is really as impressive as the make-up, because the audience gets to see the face of the Phantom before Christine is presented with that horrible visage. I have always thought that Chaney's performance was so indelible that it was the reason that the Claude Reins and Herbert Lom remakes concocted an entirely new story, although it does make sense that when you add sound to the Phantom that you would take full advantage of the opera setting. Final note: When I got to see Michael Crawford perform as the Phantom in the Lloyd-Webber musical, I was not surprised that his outfit as the Red Death was clearly modeled on what Chaney wore in this film.

Very Good Restoration
The IMAGE entertainment restoration of the 1929 "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney is a bit hit. The two-disk set is definately the definitive choice to own by all serious collectors. The clarity is better than any version I've seen to date, and for the first time, the correct running speed has been instituted here. The tradeoff however, is that the motion is somewhat choppy from too few frames. The characters move in proper real-time, and for the first time, you can see naturalistic movement in such scenes as the opening ballet sequence.

True fans need look no further than this two-disk Masterpiece Collection set from IMAGE. This is definately the one to own! The film is tinted and comes in a selection of three seperate sound tracks to choose from: a terrific new orchestrated score, the original sound score from the 30s, and a voice-over commentary track, which is insightful.

The second disk contains the original 1925 film, which few people have ever seen today. The quality is poor, but there are many scenes that are different from the version that we're all familiar with. It's worth watching.

But you cannot beat the restoration of the 1929 version on disk one of this set. It isn't quite the job that KINO put into Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" last year, but is terrific nonetheless. Thank you IMAGE. Great DVD!

One of the best
This is a beautiful (an absolutely beautiful) movie, one of the best I've ever seen. Lon Chaney, Sr. does a wonderfully dramatic performance as the tortured Phantom, who kidnapps an opera singer because he loves her. Unfortunately, she doesn't return the love, which drives him to madness.
The only thing that I disliked in the film was that Christine acts a little weird most of the time.
The dialogue is superb, and the Masked Ball scene is only one of the most memorable scenes in this movie

1925 Better than 1929
I am greatly disappointed with the 1929 version of the film. I thought it was going to be better than the silent one because it had sound, but I was wrong. The 1925 version is better than the restored one. Even though the restored version has sound, it takes the orginal and rearranges everything. They took the beginning of the 1925 and put it after Christine sings in the 1929 version. The person who plays Carlotta in the 1925 version is now Carlotta's mother and the Carlotta is different. The four stars is given to the silent 1925, the restored one is given 1 star.

Milestone version is the best!
Over the years, I have just about bought every version of the silent PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In my opinion, the Milestone version is THE BEST. The elements have been cleaned up and the image is crisp, clear with good contrast for 90% of the film. This two disc set has both the 1929 and hybrid 1925 original. Actually the film is cleaner and better looking in this version than a lot of the official Universal thirties classic that have come out.
It has an excellent commentary by Scott MacQueen and a real treat is hearing the music originally composed for the sound version accompanying the action from original sound elements.
The Technicolor sequences are the nicest I have seen and through proper use of the colorization process, other scenes originally in color, are presented and match the actual color stuff very well.
This version has been made from the initial Photoplay restoration which also includes Carl Davis' original stereo score for those that must have modern stereo for their films, however, I prefer the mood and music of the original '30 soundtrack. There are a plethora of extras, and I don't think it is false hype to say this is the ULTIMATE EDITION of this classic film.
That's my two cents..... ... Read more

Reviews (71)