THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925/1929) - Kino Classics - October 13, 2015

[Akijama]

Coming October 13th on Blu-ray and DVD!



THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925/1929) - Starring Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin - Directed by Rupert Julian.



Disc 1



THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA



24 frames-per-second version (78 Min.) 1920 x 1080 (1.33:1 pillarbox)

• Music composed and performed by Alloy Orchestra (2.0 Stereo)

• Theatre organ score arranged and performed by Gaylord Carter (2.0 Mono)



20 frames-per-second version (92 Min.) 1920 x 1080 (1.33:1 pillarbox)

• Musical setting composed by Gabriel Thibaudeau (2.0 Stereo)

Performed by I Musici de Montréal; Conducted by Yuri Turovsky; Claudine Côté, Soprano

• Audio commentary by film historian Jon Mirsalis (2.0 Mono)





Disc 2



THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

1925 Version (114 Min.) Standard Definition (4x3)

• Musical Setting Arranged and Performed by Frederick Hodges (2.0 Mono)



EXTRAS:



Original Screenplay (91 Min. video scroll)



Montage of Stills (13 Min.)



Interview with composer Gabriel Thibaudeau (9 Min.)



Two travelogues by Burton Holmes, depicting Paris in 1925:

PARIS FROM A MOTOR (3 1/2 Min.)

A TRIP ON THE SEINE (3 1/2 Min.)

[redrunner97]

[warrian]

Aaaaaaand YES!

[Banned User]

Probably stick with the previous copy of this from image entertainment.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-P...Blu-ray/25557/

Can't see the image quality being that much better, but maybe if it is I'll bite.

[bigshot]

This looks like a repackage of the previous release.

[The Great Owl]

I've been wanting to get the Image release for a while now, but I'll just wait for this Kino release. I used to have the Milestone DVD edition, and I loved it.

[warrian]

It definitely looks like a repackage, but with the Image Entertainment release falling out-of-print, this title needed it. It's an absolute classic and being in the public domain has not been kind to it, from a home video perspective.

[HuggyBear73]

So judging by Dvdbeaver's review for Kino's Phantom of the Opera, it appears to be even better than the UK edition by BFI.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by HuggyBear73

So judging by Dvdbeaver's review for Kino's Phantom of the Opera, it appears to be even better than the UK edition by BFI.

Don't know about better. They are different restorations, so the films themselves aren't identical. Each one has both extra footage in places and less footage in others.

Also, the 1925 version is 1080i on the KINO. My understanding is that it's 1080p on the BFI, but I could be wrong there.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by HuggyBear73

So judging by Dvdbeaver's review for Kino's Phantom of the Opera, it appears to be even better than the UK edition by BFI.

The BFI might be equaled, but it's unlikely it can be improved upon.

Beaver is hardly the arbiter of such things and frequently favors studios who send him free screeners. No review of the previous Image Blu release? He admitted on Facebook that he never reviewed it because he couldn't get it for free.

[bigshot]

It's sad, but the 20 frame version on Image/Kino has never been really right. The music was way out of sync on the first Image release, they re-edited it for the Kino and got it on the beat, but the accents fall in different places. And that mastering glitch you discovered is on every copy. For some reason, Kino seems to think the 24 frame version is all that matters. But I personally like the way the 20fps one plays. They've had so many mistakes with this release, I think they've given up.

[Sgt Yard]

The 20 fps is my version of choice too. It took a bit of getting used to after years of watching the 24 fps version with Lee Erwin's organ score, but the more natural movement and Gabriel Thibadeau's excellent score make it a great experience.

I've held on to my Eureka DVD, which doesn't have the slow motion ballet - I suspect they must have transferred those bits at 24 fps and edited them into the 20 fps whole so the score syncs a lot better.

So now I've effectively got three versions of the same thing, but none are definitive!

[brettxwt]

Didn't know that the british release has the 1925 version in HD, may have to pick that up

[applemac]

Originally Posted by brettxwt

Didn't know that the british release has the 1925 version in HD, may have to pick that up

I went with the british copy and am pretty happy with it, its a nice set.

[jimqk]

This is really upsetting to me, because I, too, prefer the 20fps version and Thibadeau's score, and now this. There's another error earlier that's not as bad, but it's bad enough. It occurs shortly after the initial unmasking. Next time I watch it I'll make a note ... but my big problem is, what the hell are we paying for?

This Blu-ray cost a nice chunk of money for a silent public domain movie that's allegedly all fixed up. There was obviously no quality control here. It's totally ridiculous. I feel like contacting Kino and demanding my money back. I know these errors were not on the old Image DVD.

Put it this way ... if Universal released "Jaws" with an error like what's found on this disc, there would be a recall and a replacement program.

[Sgt Yard]

Originally Posted by jimqk

if Universal released "Jaws" with an error like what's found on this disc, there would be a recall and a replacement program.

In all fairness the Image bluray was swiftly repressed when the issues with the sound and the awkward menu were reported. Maybe if enough people politely report the errors on this edition to Kino they may consider a repress?

While it's not exactly the end of the world, it's disappointing not to be able to get a definitive bluray of my preferred version of the film, complete with all the nice extras. The Park Circus blu is very nice, and is only marred by the slow motion ballerinas near the beginning. I think the 1925 version looks better on the accompanying Park Circus DVD, while the upscaled version on the Kino blu suffers from a strange banding effect.

Otherwise, the Kino is a very nice set, just not quite as definitive as I'd hoped it would be.

[Sgt Yard]

Originally Posted by jimqk

There's another error earlier that's not as bad, but it's bad enough. It occurs shortly after the initial unmasking. Next time I watch it I'll make a note

No need, I think I know the bit you mean - it's at 0:46:49 - a stray shot of Mary Philbin slap bang in the middle of the intertitle "Oh, mad Christine who would not heed my warning!" It's not there in the 24 fps version.

I've just been watching the 20 fps version on the Park Circus disc - that's got a few problems as well - odd pauses here and there. I think the picture's a bit better on the Kino, so it's swings and roundabouts.

I'm keeping the Eureka DVD!

[sa5150]

did the UK bluray just go out of print ?I missed it at 8.99 pounds , darn it . amazon UK does not have it anymore , not it's only marketplace sellers .

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by sa5150

did the UK bluray just go out of print ?I missed it at 8.99 pounds , darn it . amazon UK does not have it anymore , not it's only marketplace sellers .

Yes, they have it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phantom-Ope...m+of+the+opera

[Sgt Yard]

The BFI version has Carl Davis' score, but has had the man with lantern sequence and the end titles deleted. I believe it's got a better picture than the Image/Park Circus/Kino versions, except for the Bal Masque scene. It really is swings and roundabouts with the various releases of this film!