Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett
and the Silent Era Company.
All Rights Reserved. |
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Shooting Stars
(1928)
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This comedy-drama, directed by A.V. Bramble, stars Annette Benson, Brian Aherne and Donald Calthrop, with Wally Patch, David Brooks, Ella Daincourt and Chili Bouchier.
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 Kino Classics
2019 Blu-ray Disc edition
Shooting Stars (1928), black & white, 101 minutes, not rated.
Kino Lorber, K23667, UPC 7-38329-23667-0.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region A Blu-ray Disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) 24 fps progressive scan image encoded in SDR AVC format at 34.2 Mbps average video bit rate; DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound encoded at 4.6 Mbps average audio bit rate, and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 1.6 Mbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; 10 chapter stops; standard BD keepcase; $29.95.
Release date: 23 April 2019.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 7 / audio: 7 / additional content: 6 / overall: 7.
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This Blu-ray Disc edition has been mastered from a reconstruction of archival 35mm film elements held by the British Film Institute: a single reel of nitrate camera negative, two 35mm nitrate positive prints, and a 35mm nitrate master positive. The results are very-good to excellent, with very-good image detail but the picture highlights are a bit greyer than most other Blu-ray Discs mastered within the past five years which makes the picture look a little flat. Prints flaws are nearly nonexistant having been removed digitally and image stabilization has been performed.
The film is accompanied by a music score composed and orchestrated by John Altman, performed by the Live Film Orchestra, and presented in both surround sound and stereo.
Supplemental material includes a photograph and promotional materials gallery (50 images).
This is our recommended American home video edition of the film.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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This
Region A Blu-ray Disc edition is also available directly from . . .
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 British Film Institute
2017 Blu-ray Disc / DVD edition
Shooting Stars (1928), black & white, 101 minutes, BBFC Certification PG.
British Film Institute, BFIB1231, UPC 5-035673-012314.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 Blu-ray Disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) 24 fps progressive scan image encoded in SDR AVC format at ? Mbps average video bit rate; DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound encoded at ? Mbps average audio bit rate, and PCM 2.0 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; and one single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 PAL DVD disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at ? Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to ? fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 5.1 surround sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate, and Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 224 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; downloadable PDF (screenplay); insert booklet; standard two-disc BD keepcase; unknown suggested retail price.
Release date: 26 May 2017.
Country of origin: England
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This Blu-ray Disc / DVD edition has been mastered from a reconstruction of archival 35mm film elements held by the British Film Institute: a single reel of nitrate camera negative, two 35mm nitrate positive prints, and a 35mm nitrate master positive.
The film is accompanied by a music score composed and orchestrated by John Altman, performed by the Live Film Orchestra, and presented in both surround sound and stereo.
Supplemental material includes the short films Pathé’s Screen Beauty Competition (1920) (2 minutes); Around the Town: British Film Stars and Studios (1921) (2 minutes); The Lovely Hundred (1922) (25 seconds); Secrets of a World Industry — The Making of Cinematograph Film (1922) (8 minutes); Meet Jackie Coogan (1924) (11 minutes); Starlings of the Screen (1925) (15 minutes); Opening of British Instructional Film Studio (1928) (4 minutes); a photograph and special collections gallery (? images); and an insert booklet with essays by Bryony Dixon, John Altman, Henry K. Miller and Chris O’Rourke.
North American collectors will need a region-free Blu-ray Disc and/or PAL DVD player capable of outputting an NTSC-compatible signal to view this edition.
This is our recommended European home video edition of the film.
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United Kingdom: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 Blu-ray Disc / PAL DVD edition from Amazon.co.uk.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 Blu-ray Disc / PAL DVD edition from Amazon.com. Purchase supports Silent Era.
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 Kino Classics
2019 DVD edition
Shooting Stars (1928), black & white, 101 minutes, not rated.
Kino Lorber, K23666, UPC 7-38329-23666-3.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 1 NTSC DVD disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at ? Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to ? fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.95.
Release date: 23 April 2019.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD edition has been mastered from a reconstruction of archival 35mm film elements held by the British Film Institute: a single reel of nitrate camera negative, two 35mm nitrate positive prints, and a 35mm nitrate master positive. The results are very-good to excellent, with very-good image detail but the picture highlights are a bit greyer than most other Blu-ray Discs mastered within the past five years which makes the picture look a little flat. Prints flaws are nearly nonexistant having been removed digitally and image stabilization has been performed.
The film is accompanied by a music score composed and orchestrated by John Altman, performed by the Live Film Orchestra, and presented in both surround sound and stereo.
Supplemental material includes a photograph and promotional materials gallery (50 images).
This is our recommended American DVD home video edition of the film.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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This
Region 1 NTSC DVD edition is also available directly from . . .
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 Loving the Classics
201? DVD edition
Shooting Stars (1928), black & white, 70 minutes, not rated.
Loving the Classics,
no catalog number, unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at ? Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to ? fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $14.99.
Release date: 201?
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has likely been mastered from a 16mm reduction print.
The film is likely accompanied by a soundtrack compiled from preexisting music recordings.
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This
Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available directly from . . .
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Other BRITISH FILMS of the silent era available on home video.
Other silent era FILMS ON FILMMAKING available on home video.
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